Posts in category: ART DIRECTION

The designer-client struggle is real; the memes on the internet are proof. For designers, there lies a dilemma of having to choose between staying professional and putting up with unreasonable client demands. For clients, the hunt for a designer who is both talented and diplomatic seems to be never-ending. However, this is not to say good client-designer relationships don’t exist.

It takes patience and communication to get the ball rolling – smoothly. Here are some tips on how to maintain the no-tension atmosphere between clients and designers.

1. Communication

Communication is a two-way street. Both the client and the designer must remember that. Designers must learn to empathize with clients, as this will help them understand things from the client’s perspective. At the same time, clients must be diplomatic in the way they communicate with designers. Always show appreciation, despite whether you like what has been presented to you or not. Good communication is key to easing all the tension in the room.

2. Guidelines

Having a clear set of guidelines will ensure a smooth workflow. Attempt to agree on the main points prior to execution to avoid misunderstandings along the way. This would also help reduce the back-and-forth process that usually takes place after a designer presents the outcome to the client.

3. Criticism

Challenging as it may be, a designer – just like any other professional in any industry – must accept criticism. The criticism is never personal, it really is always business, quite literally. At the same time, the client must learn to deliver criticism in a professional manner, without personally attacking the designer or their skills. It’s true that feedback usually means more work, but how else can one grow and gain experience?

4. Feedback

Constructive feedback is key here. The point of this process is to communicate the pros and cons of what the designer has presented in a constructive manner. Always thank the designer for the efforts put into the design, and pinpoint the ways in which they could improve what has been presented to better reflect your ideas. Here, it is also vital that the designer maintain patience and passion to be able to deliver the best version of their work.

5. Fees

Unless you want something that looks like it has been made by a newbie, you must be willing to pay for the design you want. Everything comes with a price – you just have to set yours. The price you’re willing to pay must match your expectations. The price offering also works as an incentive for the designer, pushing them beyond their limits to deliver great work.

6. Edits

Some designers charge for post-client-feedback edits, while others include them in their original price. Therefore, it is advised that designers discuss the various options with clients prior to starting work. If you include edits in your original price, make sure to include the details of how many rounds of edits your offering includes. Set a price point for all additional edits that go beyond what is included in the agreement.

Whether you’re a designer or a client, keeping it professional is key to maintaining a good relationship and delivering exceptional work. Invest in business relationships as much as you do in your private ones. The outcome is worth it.

Branding and marketing go hand-in-hand; one just cannot happen without the other. In fact, branding is a marketing practice that aims to bring out your company’s character. It combines several business elements including identity, values, voice, logo, online presence (e.g. website or social media pages), collateral, to name a few. Branding allows you to set yourself apart from other competing players in the industry. It is crucial for the success of any business in any industry.

Why is branding important?

Branding distinguishes you from competitors, making it a vital element of any business. You may be selling a product/service that exists in the marketplace, but branding is what will secure that sale. Branding lets a business tell its story, voice its values, and show customers the value it offers. Branding allows businesses to establish recognition among consumers and attract new ones over time.

How is branding achieved?

On the one hand, you have brand guidelines. It includes information like font, colors, and the overall mood of brand designs — elements that will increase your brand recognition. Your brand’s logo, stationery, website, social media pages, and everything else that represents your business should always be consistent in identity, voice, and spirit. Branding helps businesses attain an unparalleled level of consistency.

On the other hand, you have the content. Just as the brand’s designs should maintain consistency in look and feel, the content should always speak in the same voice. From blog posts to banners and videos, your brand’s content should mirror its identity at all times.

Who to trust with branding?

Because agencies’ fees can sometimes be agonizingly high, several business owners sometimes decide to take matters into their own hands. However, the result would end up like that of bread baked at home by someone with no previous experience. It would not be optimal nor would it be right. Entrusting an agency with your brand may not be cheap, but it does pay off. At least, you’d be able to sleep at night knowing a team of experts is handling something they do for a living.

In a nutshell

With proper branding, you can be sure that your business will have an influential presence. It is worth noting that branding is a long process that does not happen overnight. It costs time and money, but you’ll be reaping the benefits in no time. Trust us.

They can call you 20 times in less than an hour,  but when you message them asking for something, they disappear for 20 hours like it’s normal. They can tell you to throw your design in the trash, but if you politely tell them to rethink their idea, they demand an apology.

The client-designer relationship is complicated, sometimes even more complicated than an intimate one. It comes with a lot of arguments, a series of compromises, late-night phone calls, and weekend interruptions, too. And it’s all understandable because it’s the nature of the work, right? Most of the time, yes, but sometimes clients get a bit too much. Especially when they don’t have boundaries and cross the line … and end up on your bad side.

We’ve always been told to keep clients on our good side no matter what, but there are certain clients that we know we are better off without. There are red flags that you should be wary of when dealing with tough clients. Make sure to let your boss know about these types of clients because sometimes, the hassle is definitely worth the loss.

1. The one who doesn’t want to talk about payments

There are certain types of clients who try their best to avoid talking about the costs they will incur. A client like this is one that is troubling. A client like this is one that will cause problems for you down the line. Always make it a point to discuss the costs early on – as well as the payment options available – to ensure no surprises arise along the way.

2. The one who vanishes and reappears whenever they feel like it

There is nothing worse than a client who demands an answer the second they contact you but doesn’t reciprocate the promptness. Instead, they disappear for hours, sometimes days, without so much as a “hello.” This leaves your workflow in a trap. What’s even worse is the client who disappears when a payment is due. To make sure things always go smoothly, have more than one point of contact from the client’s end in case things go sour. Also, make sure to address all these points of concern prior to getting work done.

3. The one who thinks they know it all

A creative agency, and a designer specifically, has years of experience in the field. Having worked with so many clients in various industries, designers usually have a different outlook on things, a perspective that is worth taking into consideration when brainstorming. But some clients come in and make it a point to preach, rather than engage in an active discussion. Just like any professional, and none professional, relationship, there must be respectable communication streams to ensure all sides of the game are treated fairly. Anyway, that is the only way good results come about.

4. The one who isn’t clear about what they want

Even worse than the client who thinks they know best is the one who is not clear about what they want, yet still makes you feel like you’re in the wrong. That is why clients like this should never be left to openly discuss their ideas. Instead, ask them questions to make sure they translate their thoughts into words the right way. That way, you can lift the burden of responsibility off your shoulders.

No matter what…

You should always have a systematic approach when dealing with clients. A consistent approach is the only way you can ensure fair treatment to all your clients. It will also help ensure smooth delivery and a good client-agency relationship. That way, when that “black sheep” of a client comes along, you’ll know who the source of the problem actually is.

When the word design comes up, many people tend to assume it is synonymous with style. In reality, design spans a wide range of different fields, focusing on aesthetics and function in all its elements. It is part of everything around us — from the phones we use to the rooms we sit in.

Whether in the real world or the virtual one, designs’ importance cannot be overlooked. Curious to know about the different types of design? We’ve got you covered.

1. Graphic Design

Just as a writer uses words to deliver a certain message, a graphic designer does the same, but with visuals. Graphic design is closely related to aspects of a business such as branding, marketing, and advertising — from social media posts and banners to collateral and publications. It is the secret behind almost all forms of visual art we see today.

2. UI Design

A UI (User Interface) designer resembles a graphic designer but for the web. Their main job is to design layouts for webpages that are visually appealing. A UI designer ensures a pleasurable user experience in terms of look and feel.

3. UX Design

Though sometimes used interchangeably, UI and UX (user experience) design are not the same. While UI design has to do with graphical user interfaces, UX design has to do with the science behind it. A UX designer deals with the technicalities of user interface, producing webpages that are easy to browse.

4. Interior Design

Moving on to real-life designs, an interior designer is responsible for sketching indoor and outdoor spaces, in terms of both form and function. In other words, their job is to sketch layouts that make use of available space in a given area and execute them in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

5. Industrial Design

All products start off as a sketch on paper. It could be a car, a watch, or even a toy. Industrial designers provide a balance between a product’s appearance and function.

6. Fashion Design

Fashion design is more than just a fancy way of designing clothes and accessories. It is about choosing the right materials and fabric to complement the design and provide comfort above all else.

Key Takeaways: 

Design is something we cannot do without. It links beauty with function, striking the perfect balance between both in all different kinds of categories of life. Let design lead the way. Everything else will follow.

In the past, marketing was purely up to chance. It was like throwing a hook with bait into the water and hoping you would reel in a large amount of fish. In the business world, this approach has a name: Outbound Marketing. It is a traditional marketing practice that aims to reach the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time – regardless of who the target audience is.

While outbound marketing still exists, it has become outdated compared to inbound marketing which narrowly targets people who are already – or have a strong potential to be – interested in what you sell. The two approaches differ greatly from various angles. Below are some of the differences between inbound and outbound marketing:

1. Medium

Though there are exceptions, outbound marketing mostly takes place offline as opposed to inbound marketing, which is mostly online. Examples of outbound marketing are print, TV, radio ads, or telemarketing. Inbound marketing, on the other hand, involves ads on social media, ads on search engines, or SEO-related reach.

2. Customer-Centricity

While outbound marketing attempts to reap as much attention as possible, inbound marketing aims to target those who are – or potentially would be – interested in the brand’s products/services by personalizing the consumer journey. To give an example, if your brand is selling a sports-related item, outbound marketing is putting an ad on a billboard, and waiting until it intrigues someone so much that it pushes them to the shop, where they will also contemplate a purchase. Inbound marketing, on the other hand, narrowly targets online users who are already interested in sports, raising the chance of a purchase at first glance.

3. Costs

Traditional or outbound marketing can hardly be described as cost-effective. It involves paying a ton of cash whether for a billboard, a TV commercial, or the salaries of telemarketing representatives, all in the hope of making a sale. Inbound marketing, on the other hand, is very focused in its targeting, increasing the likelihood of reaching a potential consumer and ultimately securing a sale.

4. Return on Investment (ROI)

With the traditional methods used by outbound marketing, it becomes rather difficult for a seller to measure their profits against marketing and advertising costs. Conversely, the near-accurate statistics and insights into the audiences’ behaviors and demographics of inbound marketing make it possible to measure your brand’s return on investment (ROI). This enables the seller to know which marketing methods are most effective, which in turn saves both time and money.

In a nutshell

Though the comparison may seem in favor of inbound marketing, outbound marketing still has its advantages. These include the ability to reach a wide audience in a short amount of time as well as its effectiveness in establishing a presence.

Sometimes both methods are combined for more effective results. In the end, factors such as brand goals, audience, and resources together dictate which marketing approach you should be employing.