Read when ideas

OPEN WHEN LETTERS: 161 *sensational* Topic Ideas & Examples

This post is all about making open when letters.

What are Open When Letters?

Open when letters are a series of letters that are gifted to someone.

Each letter has a title explaining when they should be opened.

The titles can be themed (for example: school themes for a child or friend going off to college) or can be based on a person’s role in your life (for example for your spouse or your parent).

Open when letters are a great gift to give when you want to be creative and when you want your gift to be very personal and meaningful.

How do you start?

First, do you have someone in mind that you will be writing for?
Good.

Now, you will need something to write with, something to write on and a bunch of envelopes.

The first letter you write needs to spell out the rules:

Open When Letter Rules

Your first letter should explain the concept of the “open when letters” and it should also make your expectations clear for the person receiving your letters.

This letter is often titled the “Open First” or “Open when you first receive this” letter.

Here are some common rules to include:

• Only open the letter when it applies.
• No peeking! It will spoil the fun (and all the hard work I put in).
• Open one letter every _______ (week, month? set your own timeline).
• Let me know when you have opened one.
• Please don’t throw away or lose any of the letters.
  My hope is that you will want to save them and read them again and again in the future.
• If you want your letters to stay private, include a rule telling your letter-getter to only open the letters when they are alone and to avoid sharing them with other people.

OPEN WHEN LETTER IDEAS & TOPICS

Open When Letters are very popular for people in long distance relationships or military couples / families.
However, everyone can (and should) try them out!
You can write letters to someone special in your life just to make them feel special and loved (even if they don’t necessarily live far away from you).

I’ve included letter topics for all kinds of situations.
Make sure to look at all the categories (even if you don’t think they would apply) because a lot of these topics will work for multiple categories.

I’ve ALSO included tips here & there on special things you can include with your letters to make them extra personal.

At the very bottom, you’ll find inspiration for how to write a complete letter and how to style your open when letter envelopes!

KEEP SCROLLING FOR THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

1. Open when letter ideas for anyone
2. Open when letter ideas for boyfriends / girlfriends / wives / husbands
3. Open when letter ideas for best friends
4. Open when letter ideas for the student in your life
5. Open when letter ideas for your child
6. Open when letter ideas for mom & dad
7. Open when letter example
8. Open when letter envelope styles & inspiration

Open When Letter Ideas For Anyone

Even though Open When Letters are extremely popular for relationships, they can be given to ANYONE!!! So if you have someone in mind, here is a long list of letter Open When Letter topics for your inspiration.

OPEN WHEN …

• you first receive this
• you’ve done something you’re not proud of
• you’ve had a great day
• you need a new book / movie / show recommendation
• you are doubting yourself
• you are procrastinating
• you need a laugh
  • (take it up a notch by: including a list of your favorite jokes or funny memories)
• you are feeling insecure
• you are excited about something
• you need my support
• you are bored
• you are worried about the future
• you need to remember how strong you are
• you need to make a big decision
• you feel insignificant
• you feel undeserving
• you are sick of social media
• you are sad
• you are feeling lazy
• it is raining
  • add a pack of hot cocoa to your envelope
• you need prayer
• you’ve bought something new that you really like
• you feel like you can’t do anything right
• everything is going right
• you’re worried about money
  • put a few dollars in the envelope as monetary support. the amount doesn’t matter as much as the show of support.
• you can’t sleep
• you’ve gotten some bad news
• you want to hear a poem
• you’re at the airport
• you’re halfway through your flight
• you land at your destination
• you are really angry
• you feel taken advantage of
• you need to rant
  • include a page of stationery and pen and encourage them to write the rant!
• it’s the start of a New Year
  • include some confetti to celebrate!
• it’s Christmas
  • include a small Christmas gift!
• it’s Thanksgiving
• you’re feeling emotionally drained
• you feel overwhelmed
• you need motivation
• you are unwell / sick
  • include some throat lozenges and maybe a few satchets of tea
• you need a vacation
• the world doesn’t make sense
• you feel unaccomplished
• you are crying
  • include a small pack of tissues
• you are in the mood for a good quote
• you get a new job
• it is Spring
• it is Winter
• it is Summer
• it is Fall
• you need attention
• you need a break
• you need inspiration
• you are losing faith
• you feel like your best days are already behind you
• you’re just not feeling satisfied with your job
• you think about hurting yourself
• you’re in the mood for a really dumb joke
• I am being stubborn
• you turn ____ (specify age)
• you need some cash
• Open whenever
• Open on _____ (specific date)

Open When Letters For Boyfriend / Girlfriend / Husband / Wife

These letters are extremely popular within relationships because they are romantic and exciting! There is something so sultry about opening a letter and reading your lovers words, especially when you can’t see them and spend time with them, like in a long distance relationship, a military family or even just two people with an extremely busy life.

OPEN WHEN …

• you forget why I love you so much
• you are angry with me
• I am angry with you
• it seems like our spark is gone
• you miss me
• it is our anniversary
• you want to know my favorite memory of us
  • if you can, include a picture of the moment you end up writing about
• we have an argument
• you need a hug
  • include something small with your signature smell on it
• you don’t feel appreciated
• you are wondering how to make me smile
• you need ideas for date night
• you feel like giving up on us
• our children are driving you crazy
• you’re feeling nostalgic
• it’s our child(ren)s birthday
• you don’t feel respected
• you’ve been gone for a week
• you feel unattractive
• you want to see pictures of us
  • include pictures of the both of you!
• it is Valentine’s Day
• it feels like we’re drifting apart
• you feel a little jealous
• I’ve done something stupid
• you want to reminisce on the day we met
• you feel a little frisky
• you need a compliment
• we get engaged
• we get married
• we have our first child
• we move into our first home together

Open When Letters For Best Friends

Remember being in school and the joy of writing and receiving notes from your friends? You can recreate that feeling (no matter your age or distance), with these open when letter topics for friends (and even siblings).

• we haven’t spoken in a while
• you feel alone
• you need my advice but can’t reach me
• after we finish hanging out
• I don’t pick up my phone
• you’ve made a bad decision
• you miss our friend group
• you feel like no one cares
• someone tries to bully you
• you’re on your period
• you want to reminisce on our friendship
• you feel like a screw up
• you find the love of your life
• on your wedding day

Open When Letters For The Student In Your Life

Going off to school can be an exciting, but also scary, lonely and hard time. If you want to give the student in your life a meaningful gift that will support and encourage them through the highs and the lows, this is it.
Here is a list of topics to start with-

OPEN WHEN …

• you need to take your mind off of school
• you are stressed out
• you’ve accomplished something you’re proud of
• you miss home
  • include something that reminds them of home
• you feel like giving up on your goals
• you need ideas for non-school hobbies
• you are wondering if you made the right decision
• you need a pep talk
• you have taken a really hard test
• you are tired of eating cafeteria food (or ramen)
  • if you can, include a gift card for their favorite restaurant or some cash for them to splurge on a quality meal
• you are sick of studying
• you are wondering if it will all be worth it
• it is your first day of classes
• you are halfway through the semester (or school year)
• it is your last day of classes
• it is your graduation day
• you have your first interview

Open When Letters For Your Child

As a child, the supportive and loving words of your parents are priceless. A beautiful way to be present in your kids lives, even when you can’t be there physically, is to send them letters that they can open whenever they need your comforting words and guidance.

OPEN WHEN …

• it’s your birthday
• you are wondering whether you are doing the right thing
• you feel like the world is so big and you are so small
• you feel discouraged
• someone lets you down
• you feel excited
• you forget how home feels like or smells like
  • include something that reminds them of home, even if it’s just a clipping of their favorite quilt
• you’ve done something you feel embarrassed about
• you feel abandoned
• you’re nervous about something
• it is Mother’s Day
• it is Father’s Day
• you want a funny memory about childhood
  • if you can, include a picture of the moment you write about
• you’re angry at a family member
• you have a nightmare
• you are getting married

Open When Letters For Mom & Dad

The best gifts for parents are meaningful and heartfelt mementos that can be saved and cherished for years and years.
Writing open when letters for mothers and/or fathers is a way for children of ALL ages to share memories, encouragement and invaluable words with their parents.

OPEN WHEN …

• you are hit with mom-guilt (or dad-guilt)
• you are mad at me
• you see your kid(s) growing up and you miss your little babies
• you are sleepy but need to stay up
  • if you can, include a gift card for their favorite coffee shop or a bag of their favorite energizing tea
• I make you proud
• it is my birthday
• it is your birthday
• you wonder if you taught me everything that I need to know
• it is Father’s Day or Mother’s Day
• you feel old
• you are looking for balance
• you feel like the world is a scary place
• you feel lonely
• you have had a good day
• you need something to read with your glass of wine
• you need a walk down memory lane
• you are worried about me
• you don’t feel beautiful or handsome
• you feel out of energy
• you lose something or someone very precious to you
• you are wondering if you did a good job

Open When Letter Example

Now that you’ve got your topics, you might be needing some inspiration to actually write your letters.

I’m going to share a letter that I would write to a friend for an “open when you’re feeling overwhelmed” letter.

“Hi best friend,

I’m sorry to hear that you feel overwhelmed. I hate that feeling!

First of all, if you need to scream, let it out!
Then, take a deep breath (or ten).
Now, read this quote:
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
-by Harriet Beecher Stowe

You’ve got this!

You’ve always been a superstar.

Remember that time you had 2 tests to take, that formal to attend and a bunch of errands to run for the family? You were freaking out but you pulled through and on top of it, you looked AMAZING at the gala!

You pull through time and time again which is why I am 100% confident that you will get through this.
I hope you know that you’re on my mind and in my prayers.
Let me know what I can do to help.

As always,
Love you long time!
Your bestie!”

Open When Letter Envelope Styles & Inspiration

There are so many beautiful ways to style these letters.
If you are naturally artistic, you will have a great time decorating your open when letter envelopes with different themes, colors and details.

However, if you are more excited about writing the letters than you are about creating nice envelopes (or you simply don’t have the time), you can actually purchase your open when letter envelopes.

Here are THREE gorgeous Etsy listings for your convenience:

#1.

#2.

#3.

This post was all about “Open When Letters” and ideas on what to write in them and how to style them.
You’re all set to write your own beautiful set of letters and share them with your loved ones.

Happy writing!

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50 Creative & Easy Open When Letter Ideas

Open When Letters – Ideas To Get You Started

Wouldn’t it be great to have a love letter ready to go for your loved one at the moment they need it the most? Open When Letters (also called “Open Me When” Letters) are a unique way to help someone at any moment of need! With these types of letters, you can put pen to paper in advance so that when the time comes, you’re ready to be of comfort to someone you love!

_{Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here.}

What Are Open When Letters?

Open When Letters are written messages that you can prepare in advance for someone to open during a specific moment. It is an easy way to give a boost of support and love to someone at the exact moment that they need it!

For example, if your loved one is away, you might write them a note of encouragement and label the card “Open When You Miss Me.” Then, when they are sad and missing you, they can pull out the card and undoubtedly feel better.

Who Should I Make Open When Letters For?

One of the things that we love about Open When Letters are how versatile they are! Here are a few situations that would be perfect for this type of gift:

• Long-distance relationships
• Spouse leaving on a trip
• Military families separated during deployment
• Children away from home for a camp or college
• Missionary service or study abroad

What Events Should I Write Open When Letters For?

You could create a set of Open When Letters for anything, really! You could write Open When Cards for big life events such as:

• birthdays
• anniversaries
• graduation

You could also write letters for more general moments such as when:

• they might need a pep talk
• they need a good laugh
• they are going through a hard time

Open When Letter Rules

When you gift a set of Open When Letters, you usually want to establish a few rules. We even suggest that you write them down and include them with your set of envelopes as part of the gift. Sometimes, people will put these rules in an envelope and label it “Open First”.

Here are a few Open When Letter rules you might consider:

• Open when the letter applies.
• Only open one letter at a time.
• Open ___ # of letters/week or day.
• Don’t peek until you really need it!
• Save the letters to refer to in the future.

Free Open When Letters PDF Printable

You are gonna LOVE our free printable PDF download of Open When Letter envelope labels and card inserts! It makes creating Open When Cards for your loved one SO easy! You can find these FREE envelope labels and inserts if you scroll to the bottom of this post.

Simply download the PDF and print the free envelope covers and card inserts that you most want to use.

Ready for the ultimate list of Open When Letter topic ideas? We’ve included over a dozen of the most popular ideas for you below! Check these out!

Open When Letter Topic Ideas

Open When…

1. You Need to Know How Much I Love You
2. You’re Worried
3. It’s Your Birthday
4. You Need a Good Laugh
5. You’re Upset or Angry
6. It’s Our Anniversary
7. You Could Use a Little Pep Talk
8. You’re Feeling Happy
9. It’s Valentine’s Day
10. You Are Feeling Lonely
11. You Want to Reminisce
12. It’s Christmas Day
13. You Want Me!
14. You Can’t Fall Asleep

As you can see, we’ve already done all the work for you. All of the labels are already filled out with fully prepped Open When ideas!

MORE OPEN WHEN TOPICS

In our free printable PDF download, we have also included blank cards so you can completely personalize your Open When cards. The beauty of an Open When Letter is that it can be customized to ANY occasion and to ANY person. If you want to go beyond the Open When Letter ideas we provided, then feel free to make your own using the blank template! 

Here’s an extended list of other Open When ideas for other occasions you could do in addition to the ones above:

Open When…

1. You’re Excited
2. You’re Ready for An Adventure
3. You Miss Me
4. You Feel Tired
5. You’re Overwhelmed
6. You Feel Sad
7. You Need Some Cheer
8. We’ve Said Goodbye
9. You Feel Like Giving Up
10. You’re Angry
11. You’re Traveling Alone
12. You Need Some Cash
13. You’re Afraid
14. You Need to Make a Big Decision
15. You’re Frustrated with Work
16. You Have Some Bad Luck
17. You Are Sick
18. You’re Confused About Life
19. I’m Driving You Crazy
20. You Have Financial Stress
21. You Need Someone to Believe in You
22. Someone Let You Down
23. You Are Disappointed
24. You Are Stressed
25. Someone Passes Away
26. You Are Bored
27. I’m Angry
28. You Feel Successful
29. You Need a Break
30. You’re Feeling Scared
31. You Doubt Yourself
32. You Need a Hug
33. You’re Having a Bad Day
34. You Need to Hear a Compliment
35. You’ve Made a Mistake
36.  You Need Some Motivation

What Supplies Do I Need To Make Open When Cards?

Making your Open When Cards is so simple. You need very few supplies.

Here a few things we suggest:

• Envelopes – We love these ones because they fit perfectly and are so colorful!
• Pens – We love these gel ones. They are so colorful and smooth!
• Box (optional) – We are fans of gifting these in a keepsake box. These letters will be a treasure!
• Printable Open When Cards & Labels (download for free below)

What Do You Write in Open When Letters?

You might be wondering, “How do you start an Open When Letter?” and “What do I write in the Open When Letters?” Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

We know it can be hard to figure out what exactly to write for an in-advance letter. But here are a few suggestions to help get you started with what to include:

• Share your own experiences! Nothing builds connection and shows love more than a relatable personal experience.
• Make them laugh! Laughter really is the BEST medicine… and can be the perfect way to share your love.
• Compliment them! Affirming words can go a LONG way in brightening someone’s day.
• Write a quote. If the words aren’t coming to you, maybe start with a quote that expresses what you want to say and then you can expand from there.
• Write about a memory together. This can really bring a lot of emotions and make your letter personal.

What to Put Inside an Open When Letter

Besides your letter, you can also get creative with adding in a special item. Always consider the length of time until they might open the letter when making your choices.

Here are a few items you might consider adding to your envelope:

1. Gift Card
2. Balloons
3. Photograph
4. Drawing or art
5. Tickets
6. Bookmark
7. Candy
8. An item sprayed with a familiar scent
9. Jewelry
10. Origami
11. Candles (perfect for a birthday)

Done-For-You Open When Letter Kits

Our readers have LOVED our Open When Letters! They expressed that they loved the idea so much but they wanted MORE printables and MORE help to write their letters. So, we put together two unique Open When Letter printable packs. They help make it easy to put together an unforgettable love letter for the people you love. We have a general version for a loved one and a version specifically with Open When Letter ideas and printables for your kids!

Our Ultimate Open When Letters Kit in our store includes:

• Editable “Open When” to customize your envelope covers
• Coordinating cards that can be typed on directly before printing
• An expansive list of “Open When” topic options
• Sample letters 
• Letter-writing prompts to help get you started
• Pre-written cards to keep things easy
• Box Cover Keepsake
• And more!

We also have an Open When Letters for Kids Kit that is absolutely amazing for all those special moments in your kid’s life! From when they are just learning to read to when they are graduating high school or even going off and getting married, these Open When Cards are a perfect sentiment!

This Open When Letters for Kids Kit includes:

• 35 coordinating labels and cards (including 10 BIG milestones stationery)
• Keepsake box cover to store your letters in
• “Open Me Right Now” card explaining the Open When Letter rules

Whatever way you choose to do this project, we’ve done all the prep work for you to make writing your letters easy peasy.  Now you’re all set and ready to write a stack of meaningful, heartfelt letters to your loved one!

Did you make your own Open When Letters? Now click over to another great idea:

• Reasons Why I Love You Booklet
• Reasons Why I Love You Jar
• Love Notes Template
• Love Poster for Her or for Him
• I love You Today Because Tradition
• DIY Explosion Box
• A Letter to My Husband About Our Relationship
• Couples Nights
• Date Ideas
• Easy Romance Ideas

Free Download

"Open When" Letters

Click to Download

Printables Designed by Erin @ Strawberry Mommycakes Exclusively for The Dating Divas

Read "Ideas, Le Grand Book" - Heinrich Heine - Page 1

Information from the publisher

Published with permission from BIS Publishers

Scientific editor Alexander Isaenkov

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holders.

Copyright © 2018 Oak & Morrow, BIS Publishers

The original edition of this book was designed, produced and published in 2018 by BIS Publishers under the title Pitching Ideas: Make People Fall in Love with Your Ideas.

© Translation into Russian, edition in Russian, design. LLC "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2019

* * *

Foreword

Imagine that you have the best idea in the world. The one that solves the real problem. But you can't convince others to implement it. Dream end! She died before she could be born.

Do you know this? During my career, I presented a lot of ideas - very, very different. Do I not know what it's like when a piece of inspiration that you put so much energy into is shattered into smithereens.

I want this to never happen to anyone else. That is why I decided to write this book.

Who am I?

My name is Jeroen. Someone considers me a designer. Others are an interaction designer. Recently, I have often been called a strategist. But I prefer to describe myself simply as a creative person. I am the one who generates ideas.

My job is to solve problems and create opportunities for brands, products and services. To do this, I have to convince people to implement ideas. Over the years, many of my ideas died as soon as they were born. But I got older and smarter, and most importantly, I did not give up. I stood my ground and developed strategies to give my best ideas a chance to survive and be realized.

Why is the presentation of an idea so important?

All creative people throughout their careers convince others that their ideas are worth realizing.

When I first started working, I had to convince other team members and creative directors that my decision for a given project was the right one. Then I was promoted to senior designer, and my main task was to convince clients to support our ideas, as well as organize the work of the entire team to bring the grand idea to life. Now I have my own company, and I still do nothing but explain abstract concepts and develop strategies for their implementation. I do all this with the help of the presentation, and the result of my work still depends on it.

But that's not all. Even outside of work, I constantly have to convince someone of something. For example, my children: I convince them to eat healthy food, go to bed on time, play along with me when I want to build some cool thing out of their Lego. (My kids are good at persuasion too. Especially if they need something from me!)

Presenting an idea is a skill I've had to develop over the years. But at the beginning of my career, I could not find any book on the art of presenting ideas that would help me as a creative person. I read everything I could, Jung, Aristotle, even a couple of awful salesman books. Over time, I developed my own methods and techniques.

At first, I shared my knowledge in seminars, but decided that it was time to collect them in a book.

And here she is!

Who is this book for?

First of all - for creative people, brand managers and marketers. In addition to creating things (brands, products, services, experiences, spaces, etc.), our main task is to convince others that our ideas are worth realizing.

The book can be used by anyone who believes that he does not always succeed in conveying his ideas, who finds it difficult to find support from others.

I have tried to use real life examples and explain them as simply as possible. But if slang words crept into the book, forgive me for that.

What can I teach you?

I can't answer all your questions, I'm not omnipotent! I just want to share the experience gained over the years of work in my creative profession.

My task:

1. To help you understand what it takes to successfully present an idea.

2. Provide you with the tools and techniques to prepare your presentation.

3. Explain how to present your idea.

Are you ready to become a master of persuasion?

For more information visit my website pitchingideas.com. But read the book first! I hope you learn a lot of useful things and you just enjoy reading it.

Special Thanks

I want to thank the people who helped me create this book. First of all, thanks to the colleagues at Oak & Morrow for their support on this adventure. Special thanks to Sophia Altekamp and Lennart Caland for professional content critique, Caroline van Hoijdonk for guiding the process, and Valerie van Gerwen for the beautiful design. Dave Barton, who helped edit the book and ensured that it was not written in a mixture of Dutch and English. Thanks to Jenna Arts for the wonderful illustrations. Finally, thanks to publisher Bionda Diaz for believing in my ability to write something worthwhile. As they say in my hometown,

Chapter 1.

Do you remember, when we were children we all had a favorite dish and we were ready to eat it every day? For example, I could eat one french fries with croquettes and applesauce (like every Dutchman, I love our national cuisine).

But there was one big obstacle in my way: my mother. She was firmly convinced that I should eat a balanced diet: eat a lot of vegetables and other unpalatable but healthy foods. It revolted me.

I realized that a good strategy would help me achieve my goal. No ten-year-old boy had such cunning. I tried many approaches and hidden tricks to convince my mother to accept my point of view.

"Don't you like french fries?" At first I just asked her if she wanted French fries with croquettes and applesauce herself. As a rule, her answer did not live up to my expectations. Neither dancing, nor smiles, nor plaintive eyes, like those of a cat from Shrek, helped. But sometimes - extremely rarely - my mother smiled and answered: “Really, let's fry potatoes!”

"You never fry potatoes!" I cast imploring glances at her and, trying to arouse feelings of guilt, asked: “Well, why can’t you cook potatoes at least once? You know I love her! What, you don't love me?" My performance deserved an Oscar.

"It's for your own good" . “You had such a hard day! Let's just order some French fries to take home, shall we? You don't have to cook and wash the dishes."

Family Help . I got my brother to agree with me, and then expanded the support group to include my mom's boyfriend. I decided that if we all attacked her at once, she would not be able to resist. But it turned out that she was a flint!

Take it and do it . Not being careful, I just made my own potatoes with croquette and applesauce without permission. I ate quickly, listened to my mother's abuse, and they sent me to bed earlier than usual.

Did the receivers recognize you? Yes for sure! Maybe you acted differently, but you also had to convince your parents of something - it cannot be otherwise. No matter how stupid - or serious - our childhood needs were, we fearlessly voiced them. And we still do it - it's just that now it is perceived differently.

We promote our point of view all the time! It doesn't matter if we're inviting friends to spend a holiday together in Spain, or convincing the kids how great Grandma's is going to be (she'll probably make fried potatoes, croquettes, and applesauce!). We even talk to ourselves, for example, that we deserve a piece of cake or new sneakers.

The main problem here is that we expect complete approval from others. We want our friends, colleagues, children or clients to perceive us as the most creative and talented in the world ... But the reality is different. In most cases, their reaction looks like this:

As creative people, we come up with ideas and use our skills to bring them to life. But when it comes to presenting our idea to others, we often fail. I remember at the very beginning of my career I had a lot of ideas, but most of them were not considered. Not because they were bad, but because I lacked the ability to present them. I realized that I couldn't go on like this, and I decided that I needed to learn the art of presentation (solemn music sounds).

Creative people often have to work in a team and work towards a common goal – to deliver a project that meets the client's expectations (as well as their own). Regardless of whether the client is internal or external, you must convince him that your idea is worthwhile, that everything is perfect in it - from the initial concept to the final result. And if you are not a human orchestra, you will need the help of colleagues in realizing the idea. You will have to convince them to help (and they, in turn, will convince you of something else).

You have probably already realized that presenting an idea is not as easy as it seems. And no one and nowhere teaches people to do it right.

Why is it so difficult? You are a creative person and you have a lot of ideas. You know how to structure them and turn them into concepts. You understand the essence of creative processes and can apply them to your projects. You have talent and skill, you can design and create something new - a brand, a product, a service. You are able to present the end result to the world.

The problem is that it takes a completely different set of skills to get people around you to fully support your idea. That's why I set out to write this book - I really regret that no one told me about it when I first started!

When is it necessary to present an idea?

In creative work, the need to convince someone of something arises constantly.

• At the beginning of a project: when we convince people to approve the project.

• Immediately after approval: when work on the project begins and we propose our idea to colleagues, and then discuss it again with the client.

• On-the-go: when new elements are added to the development of a brand, product or experience; when we try a new approach. Every time we have to convince colleagues that this is the right thing to do.

• When we come up with other big ideas in the process - ones that will change the direction of the project and improve it qualitatively - we have to convince the team (internal client), the project manager (internal client), and the external client that this is the right thing to do.

• At the end of the project, we present the result to the customer. This is the easiest (joke)!

When talking about your idea, it's important to keep it simple and emphasize what your ultimate goal is all the time. But sometimes the presentation doesn't work. Here are examples of what can go wrong, why it happens, and what the consequences are.

1. Too many specifics

Background . The design bureau is struggling with the presentation of the idea of ​​a new mobile application. It is very important for them to get this project, because this is a great opportunity and a profitable client. But the team is having difficulty formulating thoughts.

The application is fully consistent with the brand identity: from the home screen to the login and password fields and other key aspects. In addition, the designers came up with additional functionality and prepared excellent mockups ^[2] to show how the application will look on the screen of a smartphone and tablet.

Is it possible to fail such a presentation? It is only necessary that the client understands what a brilliant idea is in front of him!

What is wrong? There is a problem that I have encountered many times. You proudly enter the room, happy that you have solved the world's most difficult puzzle. But the conversation moves from the abstract field of concepts to the concrete field of design.

Result? The design usually evokes an immediate response - positive or negative. It is worth demonstrating the details to the client, and he automatically begins to find fault with them.

Typical response:

• "I don't like the logo taking up so much space at the top of the screen."

• "I'm not sure the navigation area should use these names."

• “The color of the buttons is somehow different. We never use that color."

• “We wouldn't have written like that” (about the text).

What to do? When proposing an idea, it is necessary to explain the concept in such a way that an image arises in the client's head, so that he feels what can happen. Don't show him specific pictures.

For example, you can show a client a cartoon storyboard ^[3] showing how a public transport tracking application helps the user in a stressful moment. But don't show him specific app design elements. It is important to find a middle ground here: leave enough room for interpretation, but give answers to the most obvious questions.

Too specific (in short):

Reason: You don't fully understand your key message and you're afraid others won't get it either.

Reaction: You are designing too much.

Consequence: You start asking the wrong questions.

Solution: Discuss an abstract idea at an abstract level.

2. Too much aggression

Background . At the pre-meeting, the interaction designer Anna starts a conversation about the importance of doing target audience research. She wants to create a buying persona to guide future design decisions. And asks if it can be done.

The head of the customer company responds abruptly with “no”. And to the question “why”, he explains that they know their target audience well and Anna can contact them directly with all questions.

At this point, Anna's fight-or-flight response kicks in and she goes into aggressive mode - I call this "turn on Rambo". Anna believes in anthropocentric design and begins to defend her position: they say that there is nothing more important than a direct response from users. She believes that she must talk to them and observe them personally, ask them the right questions, otherwise the assessment will be unreliable.

What is wrong? A situation like this is a recipe for disaster. Two people who hold opposite views do not want to give in to each other. The director of the company believes that he has all the necessary information, and Anna is sure that she knows what is best.

What to do? Always respect the other party and their opinion, even if that opinion differs from yours. The smartest move on Anna's part would be to take an interest in the director's information and ask him for more details. Perhaps the quality and depth of his information would surprise her.

At the same time, she would be able to see if there are gaps in the picture. If it turned out that the client did not have all the necessary information, she could try to explain why her approach is more effective; her arguments would have been more reasonable and logical.

Too much aggression (briefly) :

Reason: The other side does not immediately accept your idea.

Reaction: you take a defensive position and start repeating your thoughts without listening to the interlocutor.

Consequences: Interlocutor closes or becomes defensive.

Solution: Always be interested in your listener's opinion. Do not ignore his arguments and doubts. Try to see the situation from his point of view and help him understand yours.

3. My idea is the best in the world

Background . Entrepreneur Lee came up with a new concept of bike sharing - sharing bikes. The idea came to him just a couple of weeks ago, he is enthusiastic and confident that he will succeed. He made a great presentation with the right message, beautiful slides, and took just a few minutes. But as soon as he presents his idea to potential investors, for some reason they turn away. Investors ask Lee three simple questions about the concept, business model, and current market.

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