The Client, The Graphic and Website Designer and Mutual Respect

Posted on December 8, 2009 by itees

Let’s discuss the mutual respect that there should be, between a client and a professional designer, or anyone working, no matter the industry.

Setting up and traveling to meetings with clients, who don’t show up, or don’t call to cancel is unacceptable. How about when we write estimates for potential clients, and they never respond again. How about thinking we’ll show a sample design for free to gain a client or do endless revisions, to the point where we can’t wait for the assignment to be done?

What is it about our profession in recent years, that we do not seem to get the respect we deserve?

I hate to say this because I love my computers, (macs of course, I do have a pc but I only use it to check website development, cross-platform) but I think since computers came to our aid in helping us create digitally, it made every worker in an office think they’re a graphic or website designer. In turn, it has watered down our profession.

Recently, I had a meeting scheduled with a client that I just started working with. This is not the first time this has happened but I arrive at the scheduled time, and he’s not there. He’s not on the way, or going to be late, but is on the phone with someone at the business. He didn’t even call me to cancel, or say he’d be late, but forgot, again? Well, my time is just as valuable as his, I traveled to get there, and this made me angry. It makes the assignment an unpleasant experience and now I just wish the job was finished. Now, I’m going to admit, this doesn’t happen very often, and occasionally I have clients who cancel down to the wire. These are not clients I enjoy working with, and will most likely not work with them again in the future, unless they come or just send documents to me.

Writing estimates for potential clients. I do have older estimates that I can open up and alter to fit the particular client I’m writing for, but depending on the potential client, and the assignment, an estimate can take between 1/2 hr – a few hours. Many times, I put it aside and come back to it later or the next day, to make sure it says everything it needs to. I know it seems like a lot to ask, but would it be so hard for someone to just respond? The first issue is, you don’t even know if they received it, unless you mark the email with a return notification. Sometimes, when you’re sending an attachment your email could go into their spam folder, and they might not have seen it. While reviewing designers, is it so difficult to just send a thank you for applying, we’ll let you know, or we’ve selected another? At least then you know they’ve gotten it, and you were considered.

Can you show me what you have in mind? For Free? Sorry, but this really annoys me. The whole point of having a portfolio, a body of your best work to show, is so that potential clients can look through your work and have a clear understanding of the quality of what you would deliver. If they cannot tell after seeing all of your design samples and are willing to hire you, then you probably don’t want them for a client. A designer begins with a concept, and that concept is in their mind, before they touch the computer, so if you want to know what my concept is, you’ll have to hire me to find out.

I will admit that I was tempted on whim to enter a logo design contest on 99designs, but it was because I was new to this site and invited, so when I looked through the samples submitted up to that point, I felt they weren’t the right approach, and a concept came to me immediately, so it wasn’t that difficult to put together what I had in mind, and submit the two color variations. I won that contest and they became a paying client, and hired me for a second assignment. But, I am against this type of website that puts designers working for free, competing against each other for little gain. Imagine if 99 designers enter a complicated assignment like website design, and with all the work involved, only one person can win and get paid. That’s a lot of designers working very hard for free. I think a site like this was created solely for lazy clients, who’d rather not look through those 99 portfolios and just choose the right designer for their assignment.

I had a logo concept in my mind come to me for the green books campaign which I was started by Eco-Libris and is for a great cause. I knew that over 100 bloggers were participating, (being one of the bloggers) reviewing 100+ green books, and it would be good publicity for me if those bloggers used the logo in their review, and many did. So I put it together, sent it along to Eco-Libris and they liked it and used it immediately. It was definitely worth the effort, for a good cause and the publicity it would draw to my work and in addition, my cause with Mary Jo Rhodes, Frogs Are Green.

Endless Revisions. When I write estimates they always stipulate how many revisions will be included but that never seems real to clients, who send their copy changes over and over. I’ll never understand why clients cannot review their copy carefully before sending it along. Whether we’re working on a print marketing project or a website page, the copy has to be loaded and styled. Don’t they realize we must redo it, if they send a new document? Recently I’ve also seen clients tell you the size has changed after you’re finished. This a complete redesign, but they don’t realize what’s involved. Imagine I have designed a book cover which is horizontal format, and after approved, the client now wants the cover in a vertical format, I must redesign the cover altogether.

All I’m saying is that we deserve the respect that we give to our clients, and I look forward to hearing your stories and/or comments.

Graphic Design For Environmental and Social Change

Posted on November 18, 2009 by itees

I just received an email where the ONE.org (organization) asked the members to send in their ideas for a new t-shirt. They received over 500 designs, and the expert (?) judges selected 3 finalists, followed by more than 58,000 people voting for their favorite. The winning t-shirt was designed by Valerie Strecker of Slidell, Louisiana. Okay, my first question is, is Valerie a graphic designer? I just googled her and I cannot find anything about her. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with her design, I’m just wondering if she’s done other things and I as a designer, would like to see them. If anyone can enlighten me, I’m awaiting the comments.

What is interesting to me is a quote by Chalya Shagaya (ex fashion model turned fashion stylist and holds a degree in Justice and another in Computer Information Systems; her company is Stickman Concepts), which cuts right to the heart of the original message I was was trying to convey when I first launched this site in 2006… which was to wear clothing that says something about yourself or helps spread a message, not just a brand or designer’s name. Chalya said,“What we wear says a lot about who we are…the right design has the power to go even further, and spark a global conversation. It starts with, ‘I love your shirt, what does it mean?’ and ends with greater awareness of the role we can all play in ending poverty and disease in some of the most vulnerable place on earth.”

Now, I must say that I’m very upset about this new arena for graphic designers. We are being watered down by a population growth in the industry and at the same time so many companies are outsourcing and driving the value of what we do down. Throw into the mix the new websites popping up where they’ve asked designers to enter contests for FREE, and compete against each other for a small winning fee. This is as shameful as the industry can get. We must start a campaign to close down this practice.

As a designer who has been working for almost 30 years, I know we deserve more respect and I’m horrified with new designers entering the profession each year and what they must think. If the only way for them to win assignments is to compete against their friends and the industry throughout the world for FREE, it’s a sad situation for the design industry.

Being One in a Quarter of a Million Graphic Designers

Posted on November 16, 2009 by itees

I just read an article on GreenerDesign.com and they were writing about being second or third place in a contest and how that can still make you a winner. In the design profession it’s widely known that we enter contests, so we can be rewarded by our peers, because clients rarely compliment, most pick apart or send revisions. They rarely start a response by saying, “wow what a creative idea you’ve come up with”, it’s usually more like, “I’ve rewritten the copy”, or “I’ve decided I want to go in another direction.” To be fair to the clients, they do occasionally compliment.

Meanwhile, one fact that was starring me in the face while reading, and I was so proud of my profession… There are over a quarter of a million graphic designers in the U.S. alone! Now, having been in this profession since the early 80s, I sure have been designing a long time, so I’m wondering why this profession has grown so large? Knowing that the competition will be so tough for each and every graphic designer that graduates, why do they think they will succeed?

One reason must be because every designer has their own style and creativity and will always bring their own spin to a project. Could it also be that being a graphic designer has finally become a profession that deserves respect?

In reading further into the article one thing that also had an impact on me was learning the amount of books, brochures, direct mail pieces, invitations, business cards and more, that are being printed and the impact that has on our environment.

From the website, GreenerDesign:

“These designers have a significant — though often unrecognized — impact on ecological and human health. They have a hand in the creation of 65 billion pieces of unsolicited direct mail every year, not to mention magazines and books, product packaging, and other printed matter. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, the pulp and paper industry is the fourth largest emitter in North America.”

I’m going to continue with my own efforts in trying to make sure that each new piece designed will be printed in an eco-friendly way, if my clients will agree to it and hopefully they will. I may only be one in a quarter of a million designers (in the U.S.), but even one can make a difference. Imagine if more designers around the world cared to make a difference.