All Posts, Web Design
This post, like most others is a bit dear to the heart for me. With each new project that gets completed, there’s a sense of jubilation for all the hard work and effort that went into it. You think back at all the revisions and feel like it was all worth it since the client is happy which in turn makes you the designer happy. However what about the true criticism and feedback on the completed project? Were there some missing dots on some “I’s” or “T’s” left uncrossed? Could some of the icons have been better chosen? Different page background?
I personally work with a small group of designers when it comes to my projects. We all bounce ideas back and forth on our projects to get each others feeling on what they see. Sometimes friends can be a bit softer and eventually develop the same eye that you have because they get used to your style. This may not be a good thing after a while because usually each project you are working on is different from others. There’s also a cool website called Forrst were you can post your designs in a way that other members can rate and respond with their opinions and thoughts. It may be a bit humbling in an arena like that because it’s not just your personal peers judging your designs and creations.
Positive feedback is great. Gives you that warm fuzzy feeling all over. Kind of like when you deposit that final payment in your bank account after a completed project. But how many times do you go back and have other eyes on that “great project” you just finished? It’s important to have even a good project critiqued by another pair of eyes. They can identify broken links, spelling or grammatical errors, concept designs, or even browser compatibility issues. All of these and more could be things you missed along the way.
Well, no one really likes negative feedback. It’s hard to hear bad things about your work. It may sound like a direct stab at your creative intellect. So what do you do? You dust off your shoulders and take notes. Write down the comments and criticism and take a real look at your project to see if in fact improvements could be made. If they’re coming from your clients, stay professional. Some clients may try to get you to lose your cool only to get you to comp them for the work or get things completely redone for no additional charge. The last thing you want to happen is you to lose your cool and your invoice at the same time.
There’s always room for improvement. Anyone who says different may be delusional. Fact is we should be moving forward in our capabilities and not remaining stagnant. Every month there’s new codes, new plugins, and new apps developed to push boundaries – so let’s put ourselves out there in the hopes of providing the best product to our customers.
All Posts, Marketing
As the end of the year gets closer most of us start thinking more about our family and what we plan to do for the holidays. Family trips, big dinners, presents right? Well a lot of you are pretty talented designers, so why not come up with some pretty cool ways to reach out to your clients to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving in a truly personal way that’s all your own. It’s a really great way to grab their attention from all the other pieces of mail, email, and rudimentary things they’ll be receiving that they plan to immediately shove aside.
Idea One: Give thanks with a custom infographic about their business and your role in it. Use 3-4 statistic examples or metrics that can be replicated easily from customer to customer so you can quickly replicate your efforts. This gives an eye pleasing approach to some facts but also promotes your service back to them.
Ideal Two: A handwritten letter sent via snail mail. Do we even write anything anymore outside of our name as a signature? Sure we’re used to emails and SMS but can you imagine how a client would feel opening a letter from you on a papyrus style paper or something with really good texture? It’s something I’m sure they’d share with others and the livelihood of it being read fully are much higher than a typed letter on regular print paper.
Idea Three: Offer an exclusive and personally direct special offer to some of your clients. Did you design a logo a few months ago? Why not offer a special deal on business cards or letterhead. But take it one step further and create a mockup already made and ready to print for them. With a watermark of course.
Idea Four: Customer Loyalty program. Track back in your previous or past conversations with your clients and see if you can find any hints on some products or services you offer that they may want. Specifically the things they want that they may have felt at the time was just out of their budget. Offer it to them at a sale or discount. They’ll appreciate the sale/discount because they will remember what the true value or price was prior to your new offer. Make it compelling by leaving a purchase window for 24-48 hours.
Any tactics you’ve used in the past that were beneficial that you’d like to add? Share with us in the comments below. If you’d like a copy of the Happy Thanksgiving graphic, request a layered (un-watermarked) PNG here.
All Posts
If you’ve been in the business of design for over a year you know that each new client you get is going to be different from the last. Some are more hands on and like to micro-manage, others are so “relaxed” they may take weeks or months to get you material you need to get their design project started/finished. The thing is, you never really know until you start working with them.
The Eager to Get Started Client
These are great at first. They’re so enthused by their vision and business;excited about everything that comes out of your mouth and can’t wait to get the ball rolling. Problems could start arriving as soon as you leave the initial consultation visit. Haven’t heard back from them, no responses in email, and deposit is yet to be paid.
The best way to handle these clients is by setting clear expectations – of them as customers. You set the pace on how the project plan is going to play.
The “I Need it Done Yesterday” Client
You get a call out of the blue from some firm looking to get a new website up and running like now. Whether you take on the project should depend on your current workload but you take it anyway because it’s money. Now that you have, they’re nitpicking everything and what should have been a quick delivery turn around is becoming a nightmare on design street.
When dealing with these types of clients be sure to share your project timeline with them highlighting the go/no-go points that require their acceptance and input.
The “I Trust Your Judgment” Client
Now these could be good and bad depending on how many department heads have decision rights. You’ve got a clear road to do what you need to all the way to the finish line of this project. They haven’t really given you much to work on outside of their logo. But when the time comes to show them the almost finished production they’re not happy with just about everything you did saying they “thought you understood what their direction was.”
The phrase “I trust your judgment” should be your red flag that frequent pulse checks and design reviews will be needed.
The Not-So-Computer-Savvy Client
There are a lot of these out there. Care for them like they’re your one and only. Sometimes these clients have all the ideas to make your project a smooth sailing one. Bullet points, flow charts, great selling examples, workflows, graphics. But they’re all in their head – or at least not in a media format you can use. Trying to walk them through file extractions, email, or other types of technology could be a bit frustrating. But there is hope if you’re within driving distance of them.
Start compiling your own dump folder of easy to follow training material to address your most common questions. You’ll find those training docs will come in handy .
I could go on to name a bunch more, but the moral of this story is communication. It’s up to you as the designer to get into the head (or heads) of those in charge of the business to create something that is a worthy representation of their business. Assuming is never a good option, and neither is procrastination. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
