Never let them see you sweat.
I fold.
In the mid 1980s, Dry Idea deodorant released a memorable ad campaign with the slogan, Never let them see you sweat.
On the surface, these ads literally mean what they say. You don’t want people to see those unsightly sweat stains, so buy our product. But metaphorically, the ads are saying,
“Don’t let others see that you’re rattled.”
“Put on a good front.”
“Maintain an air of confidence.”
All of the above is especially true when you are dealing with clients, whether internal or external . I can only speak to the video production industry, but it definitely applies regardless of the business in which you find yourself.
Why? Because your job is to instill confidence.
Let’s say you’re an independent video producer and you’ve managed to close a deal with a new client. You want that client to know, with 100% certainty, that hiring you was the best decision they ever made.
It doesn’t matter what happens during the production process. Things can get completely sideways and you could lose control of the entire job. You could be up at night stressing out over how you’re going to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. But you can never, ever let your client know that something is wrong.
The last thing you want is for your brand new client to drive off the lot, start hearing a strange rattling noise somewhere in the engine, and then immediately get buyer’s remorse.
Years ago I was on location for a corporate video shoot. The day was coming to a close and we were just about to wrap when I experienced a pretty significant technical problem. It was the kind of issue that could threaten an entire afternoon’s worth of work.
And I didn’t hide my emotion well.
No, I didn’t throw a tantrum right there on set. Nor did I curl up into a fetal position on the floor and start sobbing. It wasn’t anything that dramatic.
My brow furrowed.
I tensed up.
I scowled.
It was subtle, but it was just enough for the client (who had been observing the interviews throughout the day) to notice.
That was my first mistake. I should have maintained a strong poker face and just gone about my business. Wrap the gear. Smile. Shake the client’s hand, “We got some good stuff today. Thanks!” Then, when back at home, assess the damage and start working the problem.
My second mistake was pulling the producer aside to tell her what was going on. Now, at the time my thought process was to be up front about what was going on so there would be no surprises later when she reviewed the footage. Sounds ok, right? But by talking to her right there on location, all the client saw were two members of the production crew standing off to the side in a private, tense conversation. Ugh. Of course the client would suspect something wasn’t quite right.
When I realized I played the wrong card, I apologized to the Producer. Although the client did ask follow-up questions, all concerns were alleviated and the working relationship remained healthy. Usually I do a solid job of not showing my hand, but in this particular case, I think the surprise of it all cracked my facade and I had no other option but to fold and wait to be dealt in for another hand.