The Young Designer’s Guide

A new client can be a tricky thing. You never know going in what it will be like. Kind of like dating. They could be your dream client, loving every design idea you create and trusting your abilities. On the flip side, you’ll run into clients who will haggle over cost.  If you give them an inch they will take a mile, or worse yet they think they can design and you end up feeling like technical support. The best thing you can do is prepare yourself and stay within the scope of your project.

Here are some tips on preventing freelance nightmares:

Revisions—I’ve learned the best way to quote time is include a block of time for revisions. Not rounds or phases. That is too ambiguous. Some client may want a lot of little changes or overhaul of the design. Quoting a set time and stating in the contract that a certain amount of time is alloted for revisions gives them an idea of what they have to work with. To protect yourself from endless revisions, add in a clause stating “If time needed to complete the projects exceeds more than 10% the quoted time the client must grant written approval before any work is done.” If you are upfront about it then clients usually understand.

Scope— It’s VERY important to fully outline the deliverables in the contract. That way if they start adding in little things, for example an extra web page. You can reply, “Sure, that’s no problem. I’ll email a work order for the additional work.” Make sure to always get it in writing even if it’s an email approval you save in your records.

Deposits— Always get at least a 50% deposit before you even touch your keyboard. There are bad people out there who may try to take advantage. This way you’ve gotten part of your compensation. May you never have to go to court. (Most often it’s not even worth it.)

Rights— My philosophy is if you are paid to create custom grahics for someone it is theirs to own. Just make sure to include a clause that stats you have right to use the work for promotional use. Your credit is included on the piece and if it is a print piece at least 5 copies of it for your portfolio. If it is a website I recommend including a software licensing clause that they own the site, they can modify it as they wish, move it, but can not sell your programming for profit. You build a template, they can’t turn it around and start selling your template. Mention that you have the rights to reuse the code in your future projects. It makes no sense to remake the code from scratch.

So They Think They Can Design— One way to steer clear of directions such as, “Make this blue, that bigger, and add a border” is by telling them “Let me know how you feel about the design. Is it too dark or not professional enough and I will work on it.” Sometimes you can nip it in the bud, but certain clients happen to be control freaks by nature. Then you may have to end the relationship. I always tell clients that it’s better to let me explore the possibilities and we may end up with something better than you could even imagine.

No matter what type of business you are in, when meeting with current or potential clients, the importance of good listening skills cannot be underestimated. In fact, utilizing active listening skills can set you apart from others - just like branding or keep-in-touch campaigns. Consistent application of these eight Best Practices in Listening will allow you to engage your clients, learn and understand their needs, and achieve stronger results.

1. Take written notes. Because the mind has creative ways of rewriting history, don’t rely on your memory to recall important points and details. By taking notes, not only will you look more prepared, but you also will have accurate references to go back to. After the meeting, it’s a good idea to rewrite your notes while the meeting is still fresh in your mind.

2. Never interrupt. Remember that you are meeting with your clients to listen to their concerns and to gather their information. By allowing your clients to finish their thoughts, you will avoid causing them to lose their train of thought, and perhaps - disclose important information you need to close a deal. Even worse, interrupting might make you come across as impolite, impatient or possibly even rude. If you have a question, jot it down and wait until your clients have completed their idea before you ask for clarification.

3. Give verbal and visual cues. Stop, look and listen. These simple rules we learned as children still apply today. Focus on your clients. Remove typical distractions such as cell phones and PDAs. Look your clients straight in the eye to let them know you are paying attention. Once they have completed their thought, then you can give them affirmative responses, such as “I understand” or “I see.” It might even be helpful to repeat back what you have heard to clarify what they have said, and show that you truly are ‘hearing’ them.

4. No mind-reading. Remember, you are meeting with a client to listen and gather the information that you will need in order to provide solutions. Therefore, no matter how inconsequential or irrelevant their comments might appear, every word your client is saying is important - to them. If you are unsure about the meaning behind their comments, don’t try to guess as you will probably be wrong. Get clarification.

5. Be curious. In order for you to maximize your time, effort, and success rate, it is crucial for you to be an active listener. This means asking your clients powerful questions in order to help you get a clearer picture of their problems. This deeper understanding will allow you to better solve their challenges and concerns. One idea is to prepare a list of open-ended questions designed to get your clients to “open up” and share relevant information with you.

6. Deal with imprecise words. It is critical that you understand precisely what your clients are telling you. Remember that even one misinterpreted word can lead to a great amount of wasted time and effort. For example, do you know what it means when your clients say, “we have a good process,” or, “I am satisfied with my current suppliers”?

7. Leave brochures at home. There is a time to sell and a time to listen - and it is imperative that you distinguish between the two. When you are with a client for the purpose of gathering information about them, it is not the best time to talk about yourself. Keep the focus on your clients.

8. Don’t answer unasked questions. Stay focused on the issues at hand by keeping your answers brief and concise. Some clients will make bold statements in an attempt to prompt a response (and/or possibly a concession) from you. For example, “your rates are high,” and, “you don’t have experience in my industry” are not necessarily questions you need to justify or answer.

Best Practices of Listening is a subject I review in more detail in both my seminars: Best Practices in Personal Marketing and Communicating Your Way From Zen to Wow. If you would like more information on either of these fun, highly interactive programs, please feel free to contact me at 847-945-7573 or rob@engelmanmanagement.com.

Remember, listening is a skill utilized to gather important information. It is also a marketing opportunity for you to understand challenges and frustrations facing your clients and prospects. Strong active listening requires practice, effort, and patience. Good listening skills will help you gain respect, trust and confidence from your clients, thus allowing you to become more efficient, valuable, and able to effectively solve their problems and concerns.