what a client really needs

There is a tendency in just about everyone’s career as a freelance person or small business owner to try and be “everything for everyone”.  We are always tempted to say, “Yes, I can handle that”, when that may not always be true.  Yes, we should use the opportunities that customers provide us to learn more and grow in our capabilities, but there is a time and place to realize that maybe your company is not the most suitable option for an aspect of a project or possibly, the project entirely.
 
This mentality of always advocating what is best for the client is a hallmark of any service-based business.  At Engraver’s Mark Music we are first and foremost a service-based business.  We did not design the software or build the printers we use; we are a service, in service of the needs of our clients to help them achieve their success.  As a service-first company, we provide solutions to the challenges our clients face.  Sometimes, that solution lies outside our business.
 
I recently had the pleasure of getting to know a new client and explore some possibilities for future work.  Mainly, this client was looking for a partner to assist with music preparation for scoring sessions and independent projects, which is something Engraver’s Mark Music does every day. However, at the onset, this client needed the skills of an orchestrator.  To be honest, it was a tempting decision - to put myself forward as an orchestrator (in order to take on more work), or to put the needs of the client first.  While I do possess the skills to orchestrate, that did not necessarily mean I was the best option for my new client and the needs of this project. 
 
So, what did I do?  I referred this project over to David Shipps and his team at DAS Music Group.  The client really needed the expertise and knowledge of someone dedicated to orchestration, not just music preparation.  David is a world-class orchestrator (check out his IMDB), and I have been privileged to partner with him and the entire DAS Music Group team for many years on a wide variety of projects.  I wanted my client to have the best experience regarding orchestration, and that meant I needed to give this project to another company who I felt could ensure precisely that.  With David and his team in the lead, I knew that my client had the right people in the right places to make the project a success.
 
For a client, the goal is to trust your service provider not to lead you astray. Can you trust them enough to send you to someone else? While it may seem counterintuitive, your most reliable service provider might very well be the one who tells you to call someone else. That is the guy you can really trust. Can you trust the people you call like that?
 
The success of Engraver’s Mark Music relies not only on the expertise and capabilities we have and continue to refine, but on the success of our clients and their projects.  The success of the project and the client must come before our own.  Even in those moments when I am passing my client off to another service provider, I feel that focusing on the client’s needs first and foremost will always turn out best for me in the end as well. 
 
If you need some help with music preparation and printing, Engraver’s Mark Music is here for you.  If you need help with orchestrating, I strongly encourage you to contact David Shipps and his team at DAS Music Group.  If you are not sure what you need, please contact me and I will be honored to help walk you through any questions or ideas you have.  At Engraver’s Mark Music, our service-based business is in service to the needs of our clients and finding the best solutions for them no matter where they are.