Hearing between the lines of what clients say

A tongue-in-cheek list of common client statements and what they mean if you listen between the lines.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

This story first appeared on PR Daily in November, 2015.

A skill that can be particularly important for PR agencies or any client service business is what’s known as “active listening.”

What clients say isn’t always what they mean. Not entirely, at least.

There sometimes is an unspoken communication beneath comments from clients and business associates–if you’re listening for it, that is.

RELATED: 10 ways to improve your writing today. Download now.

We decided to have some fun with this notion through a slightly cynical roundup of what clients really mean when they say seemingly ordinary things.

When a client says: Don’t spend too much time on it.
What they really mean is: Don’t bill me, and whatever you do, don’t let anything else slip.

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.