Money, Ego, Taste

The business of graphic design and advertising is a lot like most other businesses in that it is greatly dependent on relationships. There are really only three factors that affect the success or failure of any designer/client relationship: money, ego, and taste.

Money
Money makes the world go 'round. We work for money. We need to set a price and be paid that price to be successful. As we build years of experience, we are able to command higher and higher fees. This assumes that the caliber of your design also rises. So at some point the work that an experienced professional produces has an implied value. This value is determined through many factors. There are market prices. There are surveys done by several trade publications and organizations. Ultimately, every designer or art director establishes his hourly rate, which is the basis for all estimating.

Most clients are concerned with knowing how much everything is going to cost. With others, I've reached a place of familiarity where costs are taken for granted and not talked about. But regardless of that, it is much more important that a client values what they are paying for. This is the enlightened client, the informed client. They understand that design can't be free and they aren't resentful about paying for it. They acknowledge that design has a value, and that it is something that they need. However, just because a client has a lot of money, that doesn't make them enlightened or informed. They simply have cash to spare. It is better to have a client who is scrapping by to make ends meet and values design, than to have a wealthy one who thinks design is frivolous and over-priced. Just because they drive a Mercedes doesn't mean they value design and want to pay for it.

As a designer, I greatly value the enlightened client. The worst situation to be in is where the client thinks he's paying too much, and you don't think you're getting enough. That is the point when the prospects for a good working relationship are not good. One of the jobs of the designer is to work at enlightening the people we work with. We must communicate the value of design.

Ego
The self-image a person has of himself is something we refer to as ego. I try not to look at it as a stumbling block in a client-designer relationship, but it is always there. Ego must be dealt with. Many clients I've had who were self-made successes, were very reluctant to pay someone else for ideas. They are the success. They are the person who made something out of nothing. They are the one who is risking a fortune. Dealing with the owner of a business can be very tricky. Some like to be very hands-on and micro-manage every single marketing problem.

A completely different situation is when you are working with someone who is detached from ownership of the business. This could be what is known as advertising consultant, a third party. This person puts together a creative team and then deals with the client. Another situation would be where your contact is perhaps a marketing director. They don't own the company. Their interests and motives come from a different perspective. Still, egos are very much involved. So, while each of these circumstances may have different dynamics, there is still a universal approach to handling the problem of the ego.

When trying to sell design or advertising, the best way to deal with people is to get them involved on a creative level. If the person feels that they are contributing to the process, it is much more likely that their ego will be stroked. This is a very simple idea and the best way to do this is to offer choices. In this business climate of tiny budgets a designer may be reluctant to over-invest in hours toward a design, but we have to do what is necessary. If a client sees a progression of thought, they are more likely to nod their head and come along with you. Paul Rand once famously told a client that if they wanted to consider "other" designs, they should consult other designers. He offered "the" solution to the client's design problem. While most consider Paul Rand to be the most influential American designer of the 20th century, this arrogant approach to the designer-client relationship wouldn't work for most of us.

There is more than one solution to a design problem. Develop multiple concepts, prepare multiple layouts, and present your client with options. Present strategies and "reasons why." Talk them through it. Get them involved.

Taste
I tell the students who travel through my design classes that they must work on developing their personal design aesthetic. Not everyone can do this. There are economical, social, and cultural factors that work together to forge a person's design aesthetic. What do we like? What looks good to us? What are we drawn to? I tell my students that the level to which they raise this design aesthetic will determine where they will end up in the working world. If they focus on graffiti, t-shirt art, and tattoos, because that's what looks "cool" to them, they will severely limit their options in the job market. This may border on snobbery and elitism. But, I won't apologize for trying to encourage my students to a high level of sophistication.

We will come in contact with clients who do not share our design aesthetic. Whether it is a magazine offering free design with advertising space, or a company who is completely satisfied with a template website offered by a hosting company, there will be many instances when a designers worth is not appreciated. As a designer achieves success, he also gains a level of respect and validation. We gravitate toward clients who appreciate us. We don't do well with clients who don't.

Conclusion
Money, ego, and taste. To deal with these three factors, we need to establish a level of trust in our working relationships. When a client puts his trust in a designer, he releases a certain measure of his own ego, he agreeably parts with some of his money, and he also accepts and acknowledges the taste choices that the designer has made. When a client trusts you, they feel they are getting their money's worth. They appreciate your contribution to their business.