You’ve been on the hunt for a fabulous new designer. You’ve googled, emailed, called and met a few until finally you meet the designer you’ve been searching for. You might be thinking that the hardest part is behind you. Surely, finding a designer who a) was suitably skilled, b) excited about your project and c) within your budget means that it will all be easy sailing from here! Hmmmmm, not necessarily!

There are a few things that you need to keep in mind (and practise) when it comes to dealing with your new found partner in design. Actually, it really just comes down to one word:

C O M M U N I C A T I O N

These days, in a world where communicating is so simple, we sometimes forget the basics. Let’s go back and remember what this word actually means (courtesy of www.oxforddictionaries.com):

communication

Pronunciation:/kəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

• the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing,
  or using some other medium
• a letter or message containing information or news
• the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings

Simple really, isn’t it. Communication is about sharing information.

Good communication will result in you building an amazing, collaborative relationship with your designer. Poor communication will most likely end up with you not getting what you wanted. Now, I’m not going to sit here and put it all on your (the client’s) shoulders. A client/designer relationship is the epitome of a two way street – there needs to be great communication from both sides. So to help you out, I’ve written a few points below that will help both the client and the designer to build a successful relationship.

CLIENTS

• Be open and honest with your designer. If you’ve got a couple of designers working on concepts for you, tell them. You never know, a little competition may just produce some out of the box results.

• Be clear, but concise about your vision. Know what you want. Choose your words carefully to describe what you are after.  For example, using the words ‘bold’ and ‘vivid’ will most likely  produce a different design result to describing your vision as ‘dark’ and ‘intense’.

• Understand that good design takes time. Nothing takes five minutes (and if it did I’d be a bit worried!). Determine reasonable timeframes at the outset with your designer.

• Be able to make a decision. When your designer presents you with options, you can take your time, but ultimately you need to make a YES or NO decision and own it. As always, communicating your reasoning behind your decision will help everyone move forward.

• Give a little praise along way. Always give credit where credit is due. We hope you will gush when you see your design work, but even a simple ‘thank you’ or ‘great job’ will do wonders for the relationship.

• Pay your invoices on time. No business likes to chase clients for money, so your designer shouldn’t have to either. If your payment is going to be late, a quick phone call or email to explain is more believable than ‘I thought I’d paid that’.

• Trust your designer. A good designer will never lead you down the wrong path. Listen to what they say and trust that their ideas and recommendations come from years of experience.

DESIGNERS

• Build a solid foundation with your client. You can’t expect to produce fantastic results based on a 5 minute phone call and a sketchy creative brief. Take the time to understand your client and their business.

• Explain your process to your client. Give them an idea of how you attack a new job and give timeframes regarding updates, proofs etc.

• Make sure you listen carefully to your clients. In the early stages of a client relationship you need to learn everything you can about them and their business, so keep your ears open.

• Give advice when it is warranted. Many clients have very firm ideas about what they want and how it should look. As the expert, you may have some suggestions that are not necessarily in line with their current thoughts but would benefit the project.

• Avoid using industry jargon. Most clients won’t know or need to know what the dpi, ppi, native file, cmyk or bleed is. Keep it nice and simple when asking for information or explaining a design item.

• Try and give examples whenever possible. When discussing ideas it can often be hard for a client to visualise what you can. If possible email them an example that demonstrates what you are talking about or give them the url link to check out an idea online.

• Always put everything in writing. No doubt both you and your client are super busy and are working on more than just this project. To ensure that there is no misunderstandings along the way, it is important to document any discussions you may have had about the project and email them through to the client.

Finally, an important point for both client and designer to remember is to be PROFESSIONAL with each other. When discussing your project either over the phone, via email or face to face, act professionally and treat each other with the respect you both deserve. Over time you may get to know each other on more personal, friendly level – but in the early stages of your relationship remember that everything that you do or say can impact initial perceptions.

A relationship between a designer and a client can be so rewarding and inspiring – and I know this because I am lucky enough to have amazing clients. Just remember the number one rule – COMMUNICATION – and with any luck you will be as lucky as I am.

soniakeen
Hi, Sonia Keen here, owner of iCreate Solutions. I am also a graphic and web designer, passionate about helping your business succeed with outstanding design that helps your business grow.