graphic design, freelancing, illustration, advertising, web design

Brandishing a large gun in these meetings is a sure-fire way of suppressing criticism. But, seriously, I think your approach is the correct one. It’s imperative that we explain the rationale behind our designs. Also, depending on how comprehensive the initial brief was, it’s good to demonstrate how your design ticks all their boxes (and more).

Of course, it doesn’t always work. However, always making references to the original brief will help to keep things on track. Someone doesn’t like the Pantone 286 Red or the Bodoni Bold Condensed, then politely mention that it’s in the brief.

Btw, I think I’ll cry the next time a client says “make the logo bigger”, or “Why is there so much space?” or “wouldn’t it look better if all the copy was centred?”

I agree with Peter Saville: with reputation and status comes a certain amount of authority that your client’s won’t question.

His point about doing your homework is pretty crucial as well. If you can prove to your client that you have a better understanding of their business and their design needs, it can prove very influential in swaying them against “making the logo bigger.”

I recently came out of a disastrous situation where I gave up against a bullying client who insisted on art directing every detail. I let her do whatever it was she wanted, and in the end she unknowingly sabotaged the project, which came out looking like garbage. She then proceeded to blame me for the results.

I learned from this experience that no matter how bad the client gets, never give up. That’s why you got hired, to essentially prove these kinds of clients wrong.

Although a difficult scenario, the best way I would approach is to explain as best I can why decisions where made and use real examples (especially from major brands) whereby if all else fails, make sure you have it in writing what you proposed so in the event of Peter’s post above. That way you have something beforehand on record.

I’m not a graphic designers but this is my experience as a suit. Most difficult clients know they are difficult. If you take the efforts and troubles to explain why certain actions are taken, they will respect you more. It doesn’t mean that they will give you an easier time the next round, but they will surely give you an opportunity to work with them again.

I agree that there are times when explaining your decision process is worthwhile. However, as in the case of aesthetics, like the size of logo, choice of color, etc, I see very little reason to explain. When logo size is criticized it’s a sign something deeper with the design is wrong. Try to find out that is first. And then if it is only an aesthetic issue, then do whatever it takes to please the client and then fire them when the project is done. It’s important for both the client and designer to have a shared sensibility of what makes good design. And a client who thinks they are a designer can be the worst kind.

I agree that you should try explain to the client why you have done what you have, after all surely what they are paying for is your expertise. Sometimes though you do end up gritting your teeth and doing what they request, as long as you have a record of their changes (and I always keep a copy of the original design) there’s not much more you can do. You just have to make the decision if you want to keep doing their work or not.

It’s 2007, and I still get the “I think this item needs a starburst” comment. I know I can’t be the only one. These are the jobs that I try to suppress the grimace when they say “Feel free to use this one in your portfolio.” Um, no thanks.

There are some clients who will pick apart every design proposal, so I go in loaded for bear with examples and an open calendar. By the same token, I have several clients who sign off on my stuff without hesitation, which although flattering, tends to get us into trouble at the proof stage.

Man, How perfect for this to come up today. Here’s what I got just a couple of hours ago:

“…we could use our logo as the main frame (really large)…”

and

“…I would think that turquoise and coral (or burgundy) colors might work well with the gray and gold of the logo more than the blue and green that you used in the prototype. What do you think?”

Frustrating.

I was hoping for some good answers on this post. Keep them coming. I’ve got to call the client tomorrow.

The truth is, they pay, so I’ll probably do what they want and use my proposed design for someone else.

Maybe I’ll be a little more aggressive with them this time. Maybe not.

Oh, they are always so proud of the final piece… but it’s not my design or my decisions.

[…] Graphic Design Blog » How Do You Sell Your Ideas to a Difficult Client?. […]

[…] come and seek your professional advice. Sometimes they will make it a nightmare dealing with […]

The best way to sell your ideas to a difficult client is to stay calm, focused and concise. One must know their design/brands before going into a meeting.

Understand your designs/brands origins. Why did you choose that colour? Style? Imagery? Size? What does it persnoally mean to you!

As long as you inform the client that designs/brands can be interpreted differently by everyone but share generic themes then you should be able to argue your case.

In my experience, the key is knowing your craft and understanding why certain design rules and best practices exist. Be able to cite sources, statistics, and studies. Be able to tie that information back to a return on investment for your client. The message: good design makes money, and I (meaning you) am a font of information and experience regarding what makes for a good design.

It’s time consuming and won’t always work, but it’s been more successful for me than other approaches. Be very careful not to come across as too pedantic, and to keep the focus on how your design solution will make the client money. I suggest attempting this tactic by e-mail the first few times, so you can re-read and revise your comments before sending them. If possible, run your first few attempts by a non-designer and get their feedback.

Finally, listen to your client. You may know more about design than they do, but they know more about their business than you do. If their target demographic is 50 to 75 years old, poorer eyesight could turn “make the logo bigger” into a perfectly reasonable request.

For some good advice about selling quality design, see this bullet-point summary of a recent talk by Jeffrey Zeldman on the topic.

Sometimes the best thing is to actually give them what they want and make it just that little bit uglier than it should be… then go back to your idea and explain why yours is better. Some clients need to see an ugly idea before they realise why it is not the best choice.

If all else fails, there’s always www.cliencopia.com to vent…