I have been a designer for more than 12 years and have met all sorts of clients. Clients have certain habits that annoy most designers. Designing is not an easy job as some people might think. Designing takes time and effort and a great design is a product of a great relationship between designer and client.
1. Wanting great designs for cheap prices
1. Wanting great designs for cheap prices
Because everyone seems to have Photoshop and know a
designer nowadays, many clients tend to have a bad idea of what design
is worth. While it can be okay to have low prices when you are starting
out, when you are confident enough and your work is good enough you
should come up with prices that make it worth your time.
Many clients also try to outsource their projects
to India and other places where designers work for rock bottom prices,
but you need to stick behind your work and hold out for those clients
who know what you are worth. Let them know why you are the best choice!
- Clients tend to haggle on a designer's fixed price. Sometimes, the client haggles too much that the designer ends up with free products that won't be even used and an amount that would not even cover for electrical (pc / laptop) expenses.
2. Asking you to design on spec
This is when clients want to see a finished design
before they pay. You should avoid doing this as much as possible, but in
times of desperation it could be the only option. Be confident though
and let clients choose you based on your portfolio and not on spec. Be
especially careful of designing on spec for people on classifieds and
forums because it's a common scam in places like those where they
really are not clients, but designers themselves looking to steal your
work and use it for their own projects.
- Yes, it is a scam. I have been designing for 12 years and have met all kinds of clients. Some clients would even say that they have seen these designs elsewhere. Some companies or clients upload designs as their own without the designer knowing it. I had a habit of uploading raw files online and somehow some of my designs have been used and posted in free sites. If this happens, there is a slim chance of finding the culprit. This happened to me recently and i have no control over it since the design circulated across the web. A designer should make it a habit to watermark artworks and NEVER upload a raw file which is editable with programs. Lesson learned.
3. Slow payments
Some clients are notorious for paying slowly or not
at all. The way I combat this is to ALWAYS require a down payment
before I begin work. For smaller project I usually ask for all the money
upfront and I never send the final files until I receive the last
payments.
- The best way to go about this without even having to ask for a down payment is to watermark the images or send a very low resolution image which cannot be used by the client.
4. Not planning out the project upfront
I find it extremely important to plan out a project
as much as possible before starting work. Even if they have a tight
deadline make it clear the project must be fully planned out before you
begin. After all meetings and discussions are done write up an estimate
listing all of the details of the project and your prices and terms.
- It is just a waste of everybody's time... enough said!
5. Not giving you all the copy and images needed up front
This is probably one of
the most common bad habits of clients. I try to stress several times
that I require all copy and images before I begin and this usually gets
them to give it to me on time. Although don't be surprised if you end
up having to design using dummy text and make annoying adjustments later
to fit the actual copy.
- True! - Let's put it this way, how can you sew a dress without the fabrics and accessories? How can a designer finalize a project for a client when some of the pieces are missing? A never ending project editing and revisions... a waste of time again...
6. Not having high resolution images for print projects
This is usually due to the fact that clients do no
understand the fine points of resolution or that they just do not have
any high resolution images available. Try recommend using high
resolution stock photography or illustrations instead, but if they
really must use those images try to keep them as small as possible. If
this happens make sure you write in your contract that the images
provided were of low resolution and may not reproduce well when printed.
- Clients who won't spend for pictorial shoots or copyright images. If a client does not want to spend for a pic, what more spend for a decent design price? If a designer provides a client with a copyright free image, i think the client should spend more for the effort of providing it. Don't forget to state that the The
client holds all responsibilities regarding approval and copyright
(Application) issues (Photos/Wordings) & image trademarks of the
approved project.
7. Forcing you to use poorly designed logos and other elements
Many times clients will ask you to include
pre-existing logos or other design elements within the project you are
working on. You will have to judge when and when not to argue this if
you feel it hurts the overall design. Learning how to negotiate and
inform clients on what you believe is best can be considered an art form
and takes practice!
- Again, a client who doesn't want to spend for a high-resolution image... what more can i say?
8. Can you make that type bigger?
This has always been on ongoing battle between designers and clients and has become a sort of inside joke for designers.
- Clients that trick you into designing a small poster ad and asking you to make it bigger so they can blow it up into a bigger ad. These clients would pay for a small project and print it as a bigger one... Unfair! Make it a point to always send the agreed maximum size of an approve project.
9. Asking for way too many revisions
This one can be pretty easily avoided by
establishing a set amount of revision rounds and initial concepts before
starting a project. Make sure you get this in writing or at least save
your emails where they agree to your specifications. This is most
commonly done in the logo and identity design area of graphic design.
- Always state in your terms & conditions the maximum revisions per project. If the client won't agree, drop it. Not worth your time.
10. Asking for additional work on top of the original agreement
This one can be good or bad. It's bad when they
spring additional work on you and don't want to pay more, but it's
good if your agreement outlines the pricing for additional work.
- Never accept an additional project without payment. Once you agree on doing this, this "certain" client will always ask for the same thing... over and over...
11. Never available to questions or to look at samples
Often clients can be extremely busy and working on
multiple projects at once. As designers it's important for us to be
able to contact our clients to show them samples, revisions and ask
important questions. This one is really up to you guys. You can either
try and deal with it and get the project done or you can let the client
know about the issue and try and resolve it or drop them.
- Designing is never easy. It takes time and effort. In all my years of designing, i have never failed a deadline even if the client gives me just 3 hours to do a large project. That goes to show how professional i am about what i do. I do hope that some clients appreciate the effort designers give to them. If a designer never gives updates or replies after a month, finish the project to show how professional and dedicated designer you are and drop the client when done.
12. Pinning printing costs on you
Many designers handle printing for clients, but I
try to stay away from this. I've seen way too many clients try and
stick designers with outrageous printing bills because of an error in
the final design. I basically say I can recommend printers to you and do
an initial check of the files to make sure they are print ready, but
i's up to you and your printer to do a final pre-press check and make
sure the files are correct, because I will not be held responsible for
any printing costs whatsoever.
- This has never happened to me though, but if it did, i am asking for additional costs. Some designer friends of mine actually fall for this... i don't know why... just saying...
13. Not willing to pay for additional costs
This usually turns out bad if you try to spring
additional costs on clients at the end of the project. Once again this
problem can easily be avoided if you specify upfront what the additional
costs are or might be. This can include stock photography, stock
illustrations, printing costs and rush fees.
- Always give a deadline. Not only for a client but for you as well. I have never exceeded a deadline but if i did, the best thing to do is to tell your client 2 days before. And if a client exceeds a deadline, ask for additional costs. The best way to go about this is for the client and the designer to set a "realistic" deadline that would work for both.
14. Canceling projects
Whether you or a client decided to end a project
you should be covered in some way. Using a contract again is a simple
way to protect yourself. Simply state that if a project is canceled, you
will invoice for work completed up until that point. Some designers
give no refunds at all and some are happy to refund clients if they are
the ones who drop the client because of issues.
- The most common client practice... never hearing from a client, EVER. That is why the best way to submit a design is to watermark it. If the client copies a draft you have submitted, you would have proof that the design was yours. Make it a habit to save all emails and mobile messages sent by a client.
15. Returning Many Months Later for Login Information
I recently had a client from over two years ago
contact me in desperation because he lost certain login information.
Lucky for him I keep good records and I was easily able to look up his
info. I'm not sure what would have happened if I didn't have it, but
having it in my records made it an easy problem to solve.
- Not the designers problem!
16. Asking for files years later
Similar to log in information clients often
misplace files you send them. I always keep files on my computer, even
from projects years ago and I make sure to back up my files on multiple
external hard drives.
- Always send a soft copy to a client once a design is approve. If your client is overseas or not accessible, uploading a "shared" raw file is the best option. Uploading artworks via online is always a gamble. You might not know who can access files via these sites. Some clients send links to other people and the net is NEVER a private place. expect your link and artworks to be seen or uploaded by somebody else... oh well...
17. Legal action
No one likes this one, but it does happen so be
prepared. Always save emails and paperwork in case you need to present
them as evidence. Also make sure you find a lawyer that can help you if
something comes up. Ask family and friends if they know any good lawyers
who would be willing to represent you if a problem occurs.
- Proof. Always keep a copy of the raw file for evidence. Emails, Text messages. And always send a client a copy of your terms & conditions before starting a project.
18. Over controlling
Some clients are very over controlling and don't
allow for much creative freedom. When dealing with an over controlling
client it's important to let them know you are the designer without
sounding to harsh or rude. Just give them your honest opinion on issues
and suggest things when you can without being to pushy.
- If the client is that good, they could get a copy of Photoshop and do it themselves.
19. Lack of research & planning
Sometimes clients want a website or some other
project done, but they have absolutely no idea what's going on. By
this I mean they have done no research or planning before hand, but
still want a complicated website that's easy to update.
This makes things extremely difficult for designers
because we have to explain every last detail several times for clients.
While helping clients is our job there are some clients who really need
to go back to the start and do more research on what they are getting
themselves into.
- Clients who don't have a clue about what they want should just do more research before asking a designer to do a project for them. They should first consult a marketing specialist and if they can't find one, pay the designer consultation fee. Please don't waste our time...
20. I know everything
Similar to over controlling clients, some clients
think they know everything there is to know about design and what your
job entails. They tend to tell you exactly what to do with your designs
and can be very pushy. Sometimes you have to just deal with this, but as
mentioned before don't be afraid to give your input. I mean they did
hire you because you are a professional designer right?
- Like i said, get their own copy of Photoshop and do it themselves. :)
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