“ It doesn’ t matter what we think. Our clients will decide.”
Trevor broke the pause with a chuckle:“ We should print that on the wall.”
The Necessary Evil( and Gift) of Client Feedback
Let’ s be real— feedback can sting. You think it’ s nailed … then comes:“ Can we chat?”
But at Tulip Media, we know feedback isn’ t a setback— it’ s a stepping stone. Done right, it’ s what turns good work into great work. It fuels smarter decisions, stronger partnerships, and sometimes, breakthrough ideas.
We’ ve seen feedback stall progress. We’ ve also seen it spark brilliance. The key? Treat it as a tool, not a threat.
A Lesson in What Not to Do
Across industries, the story repeats. A Client-Partner casually mentions something feels a bit off-brand. Not a red flag— just a passing comment. The team hears it, notes it, and moves on. After all,“ off-brand” can mean anything. But later, that comment returns— louder, and now echoed by the client’ s internal team. Trust wavers.
So how do you stop those early signals from getting lost in the noise? By creating a system that doesn’ t just receive feedback— but actually uses it.
Building Feedback Loops That Work( and Don ' t Drive Everyone Crazy)
If feedback is here to stay, it should be something that makes a team stronger, not something that throws it into chaos. At Tulip, feedback is now woven into nearly every part of the process. Here’ s how it works:
1. Set the Intention First
Be specific about what kind of feedback you need— design, tone, messaging. Clarity saves time and sharpens responses.
2. Make It Easy to Give
Clients have different styles. Some want a form, others a quick call. Meet them where they are to get feedback when it matters most.
3. Ask Smarter Questions
“ Do you like it?” won’ t cut it. Ask things like:
• Does this reflect your brand?
• What feels off?
• If you could change one thing, what would it be?
4. Act On It( And Say That You Did)
When you act on feedback, say so. A quick note like“ We tweaked the layout spacing based on your note” shows clients they’ re heard— and valued.
5. Use Feedback as a Launchpad, Not Just a Fix-It Tool
Some of Tulip’ s best ideas started with a client comment. When one mentioned onboarding struggles, Jessica turned that into a full toolkit— now a standard part of the program.
Feedback doesn’ t just fix problems. It sparks progress.
When Feedback Stings( But Matters)
Feedback doesn’ t always land softly. It can mean rework, revisits, or rethinking. But at Tulip Media, it’ s not just accepted— it’ s valued.
Because when a Client-Partner speaks up, it means they care. They’ re invested. And that’ s the kind of collaboration that leads to truly great work. Feedback isn’ t an afterthought here. It’ s baked in from the start, shaping stronger outcomes and better partnerships.
So when someone says,“ Can I be honest?”— we lean in.
Great work doesn’ t come from ego. It comes from listening, adapting, and building something everyone believes in.
Trevor Arsenault
President
Trevor Arsenault is a seasoned leader with 20 + years of experience in executive roles and senior consulting. At Tulip, he ensures top-tier quality by managing vendor relationships and plays a key role in delivering exceptional service to our Client-Partners.
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