Educating Clients: A Freelance Designer’s Perspective and An Old/New Idea From The Underground
By Tom Chandler on Feb 7, 2007 in Business of Freelancing
Freelance designers are interesting people. I’ve worked with plenty - enough to know that when you find one who “gets it,” you hold on tight.
Sadly, if they really do “get it,” they’ve got a bullseye on their back for the next smart design firm that’s hiring.
Still, they face the same client issues freelance writers do. That’s why this this little gem from the WishingLine Design Studio’s “notebook” (which sounds better than “blog”) caught my eye.
Found via the Designers Who Blog site, this post deals with client relationships - and how to make the most of them:
Design is this big unknown to people. They can usually recognize it or point out things that have been “designedâ€, but ask them to describe the process of getting from an idea to a final product and many wouldn’t have the first idea where to start.
It’s our responsibility to educate clients so that our working relationships are easier and the work more enjoyable — whether it be setting reasonable expectations, clarifying deliverables, ensuring clients understand that we can only do so much without requiring input from them, and making sure that they understand what they’re paying for and why it’s important.
I’d love to assume the stance of an all-knowing, veteran writer on this one, preaching the doctrine of client education, but in truth, it’s an area where I could use some improvement.
The Dreaded Assumption
The problem, of course, is that I get caught in a rut, making convenient assumptions about my clients’ knowledge level.
That’s reasonable with long-term clients, but not newbies.
A lot of new clients ask few questions and seem pretty knowledgeable. Which is no reason to assume they’re on top of the process. They’re probably not.
My Old/New Solution
Years ago (before desktop publishing), I created a one-page fact sheet (complete with racy diagram) of the print production process.
For years I faxed it to new clients, and it was so effective that I failed to create a new one when the technology changed. (Can someone explain why I do things like that?)
Today, I decided a couple contemporary fact sheets might be in order: one for Web site development, one for messaging foundation development, one for simple copywriting… you get the picture.
Is anyone else doing this now (or in the past)? Are you going to start?
[tags]freelance, freelancer, freelancing, clients, copywriting[/tags]
Darn, I was hoping to see lots of action on this topic, as I am in the research and destroy phase with a “Do-it-Yourself Build it All Website” client who wants to partner with writers in their packaging.
I do have a longer q’aire I use when I work with a designer friend (of course) on web projects that looks at plans, goals, needs, outcomes. I may adapt it, but I like the quickie fact sheet idea for starting points.
Lisa Gates | Feb 8, 2007 | Reply
Lisa; I think everyone’s slammed with work. I know I am - to the point that getting a blog post up seems like a major accomplishment…
My “Creative Brief” usually runs at 1-2 pages when fully filled out, but it’s not designed to educate like the fact sheets I described above.
Still, I’m curious. Do you ever use some kind of “presume” or contract-with-myself form with your writer clients?
Tom Chandler | Feb 9, 2007 | Reply
Tom, thanks for the question, and I’m glad everyone’s so quiet with work.
For my coaching clients I do have a “pre-commitment” set of questions I ask to determine readiness. I also have basic guidelines, structures and descriptions of what our work will be.
That said, I have to say most of the training happens in conversation. Even if I give them a fact sheet, it’s not until they’re inside the project (or inside coaching) that the fact sheet has practical relevance. I think it’s the same with freelancing. Clients think they understand at the outset, and then they get into it and discover something altogether different. The value of having this info is as a reference tool, adds credibility and professionalism, and serves as “I told you so” if you have to go there.
I am just getting back into freelancing after a 15-year absence, so all my tools and practices are in the development stage yet again. Lots to learn here, because the world is now flat again, right?
Lisa Gates | Feb 9, 2007 | Reply
Similar to Lisa, I have different sets of questions in PDF form that I send to clients.
A set is chosen depending on what the project is, be it creating a logo, a brand package, an annual report design etc. etc.
This does two things. Firstly it lets the client know that I’m serious in my practices and secondly gives me a big head start on the design process. The more information a client gives me ahead of time, the faster I can arrive at a solution that they’re happy with.
One interesting point was made in the comments on this post, and that was about teaming a web developer up with a copywriter in order to provide a ‘full package’ product. That’s a topic worth a new post I reckon - the service copywriters offer and who they team up with.
David Airey | Feb 11, 2007 | Reply
David; Thanks for the comment and the post concept.
It’s an interesting idea. I used to work almost exclusively with marketing directors, art directors and production talent, but over the last few years the numbers of collaborators has multiplied.
Tom Chandler | Feb 12, 2007 | Reply
I find the same true of writers. As an art director, finding one who ‘gets it’ isn’t easy. This is more a problem when working from the local talent pool. Often times, I find myself going back to someone I trust, even though they’re halfway across the country.
makethelogobigger | Feb 12, 2007 | Reply
It would be interesting to know what constitutes “getting it” from the perspective of a copywriter and an art director.
For example, I love innovative, interesting typography, but hate it when good headlines are reduced to unreadable “graphic elements.”
Stuff like that.
Tom Chandler | Feb 12, 2007 | Reply