A few weeks ago I wrote up the 10 Rules Clients Should Follow, so now it’s time for the designers’ turn. Here are some of the things I think all designers should abide by, so that we maintain professionalism and healthy relationships with our clients.
1: Get a contract
The MOST important thing a designer needs to do is get it in writing. Without a contract you might as well be roadkill, since anyone can take your work and run away with it. A good contract should cover both you and your client’s respective asses, just in case. If you’ve never written a contract before, the AIGA has a good start for you: Standard Form of Agreement.
Remember, if a client refuses to sign a contract, it’s time for you to walk.
2: Stand by your word
This goes both ways, for you and the client. On the one hand, make sure you deliver what you said you would, don’t leave the client hanging and ruin your reputation. On the other hand, don’t discount your services just because. Stand by your pricing and your work and you’ll earn some respect.
3: Understand your client’s business
If you were suddenly the CEO of a business, what would you do first? Ok besides spending all that newly found money, you’d (hopefully) be doing some research into what the company does. As a designer, you’re in charge of how the company looks to others, so you’d better know what they do and how they do it. Ask questions that show you care about their business, and not only will you learn something new but when you build that kind of trust, chances are the client will keep coming back.
4: Don’t talk down to the client
Most clients haven’t a clue what the difference is between Helvetica and Helvetica Neue, nor do they know what kerning is, how to set up WordPress on their site or why you can’t just pull images off the internet. Nevertheless, don’t discard them because they don’t know the lay of the land, inform them! Not only will it let them communicate with you in some sort of designer-speak, but it’ll make your life easier when the client doesn’t say ‘I’ll know it when I see it.’ This will save you time spent on revisions, and will make a better client.
5: Keep the client in the loop
Similar to above, keep your client in the loop. If you’re going to need some more time, or the scope of the project has gotten too big, let them know. Just don’t disappear and hope they’ll go away, it’ll ruin your reputation as a designer and you never know where the next client is coming from. One thing I like to do is update them with the little things, just so they see some progress. Communication with the client is key. Keep in touch after the work is done; Christmas cards or newsletters help build the relationship.
6: Never over promise
A lot of designers do this one. The client says oh we need a logo, website and brochure by next week, and you say ok. Why?! It takes far longer than this to complete a logo, nevertheless the rest of the work, and you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot in the end. Don’t over promise! Under promising, however, can sometimes be a good thing as long as the client is happy with the original time frame.
7: Don’t harass the client
Combine your emails or phonecalls, make them short and to the point, and let the client get on with their work. You don’t want the the client to remember you as someone who sent needless emails all day, asking question after question because you forgot to take notes at the first meeting. And, as long as you have a contract, don’t send them an email every hour asking for your check. Not everyone lives on their email, and some people have certain days they do their bills.
8: Keep an updated online presence
It’s heartbreaking to go on a designer’s website, and their latest work on their was from years ago. What have they been doing? Also, are you on Twitter and Facebook? You should be, there’s plenty of work on there, and making connections with other designers can be fulfilling. Keeping an updated website or staying in the loop on social media shows you keep current and you care about how others perceive your business.
9: Take a break
As soon as I get my work done, and check off the last thing on my to-do list, my brain shuts off for awhile and I go do something else. I usually go for a bike ride or drive, something more relaxing than sitting in front of a computer. Another thing to do is take a vacation! Go somewhere you’ve never been, and there might be some inspiration waiting for you. It’s a good thing to step back and take some time off, otherwise you’ll burn out.
10: Have fun!
None of us do this for the money, at least we didn’t start designing because of this. I’ve met some really great people because I’m a designer, and have some clients doing really cool things. So have fun with it! Do something you haven’t done before, start a new personal project or make something to market yourself in a new way.
Your Turn
Have other things to add to this list? Think something shouldn’t be on here? Have you had a bad experience with a designer? Let us know!
Recent Comments