In which I ask for advice
April 23, 2009
Over the years I have had many client experiences and I have lots of advice about lots of things. Which I’m happy to share with you (just ask!). However, there is one situation that I’ve run into more than once and have yet to find the solution. Can you help me?
What do you do when you have a client who doesn’t know what he wants? He’s perfectly pleasant and professional, but when presented with some design options after filling out a design brief and meeting about his project says something to the effect of:
I want you to know that I appreciate all the work you are doing, but the first two logos are not working for me. The third is closer, but I’m not in love with it. I wish I could guide you more about what I am looking for, but I’m not sure what I want. I think that it’s important for me to really love a logo and connect with it, but I am not sure what I can do to help you make it happen. Please let me know what can I do to help the process. Should I do more research?
I have no problem with the client asking this. As a professional designer, one of the things people hire me to do is help guide them toward a solution that they may not have known they wanted. I don’t depend on a client to come to me with a fully realized vision (although some do) and I see it as a big part of my job to draw out the information I need to make the client happy. But in this case, the client is stuck, and I’m not sure what to do to free him.
Suggestions? Thoughts? Opinions? I’d love to hear them.
sounds like me..who also happens to be client of yours :)-
Have you ever thought about subbing out design work? Obviously being a designer.. you know several yourself. I would think after a few design options.. and client still isn’t happy.. a completely different approach might help… You could always put the finishing touches on the project yourself.
My other thought might be.. disregarding the initial client visit alltogether.. and start with 3 or 4 radically different designs.. and take it from there.
Just myu thoughts.. keeping in mind I got back from vacation at 2 this morning… :)
Comment by Chris Chase — April 23, 2009 @ 5:47 pm
Thanks for your insight, Chris. (This wasn’t about you, by the way). I don’t think that I’m at the point of bringing in another designer just yet — I’ve only done the first round of designs. The problem I’m having is getting the client to verbalize his opinions about the logos he’s seen and getting enough information from him to move forward in a direction that he likes.
And I’m not sure about disregarding the initial client visit. I think most designers find the client’s input to be invaluable. I know I do.
Thanks for commenting!
Comment by Leslie Tane Design — April 23, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
Have you considered asking him what logos he likes generally? After you get his answers you might be able to see a theme emerging or he might be able to verbalize what exactly he likes about each logo and you could go from there?
Comment by Joanna — April 23, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
Great minds, Joanna. I actually do that at the start of every project. It’s very telling. I think I’ll revisit his choices with him, though. That would probably help.
Also, you read my blog!
Comment by Leslie Tane Design — April 23, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
I guess my thought is the same…ask them to try to identify 4-5 logos they like and connect with of others.
What is it about the feel of them that they like?
Then shamelessly copy…just kidding. I’m sure a lot of times people express that they want something ‘unique’ or different, but really fall back into what’s comfortable to them and familiar feeling once they’re presented with options.
Comment by Tina Cornell — April 23, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
The solution is actually very simple. I was in the same situation. Today this is one of my best paying clients, always on time and what I present he approves. My secret: To actively listen. Out of our previous discussions/meetings he told me about his very successful wife (trivial information?) working for a highly respected and professional firm.
At our next meeting he again rejected my proposals. This time I asked him very politely if he could take HIS portfolio home (to study it in his own time) and maybe discuss it with his wife. That same day he phoned me back and approved everything. So I guess the wife had the last say. The solution sits right in front of you.
Comment by Adriaan Venter — April 24, 2009 @ 3:48 am
Hi Leslie,
Tina makes a good point for me, and that’s to ask the client why he likes the logos he does. Also worth considering are logos the client doesn’t like, and why.
Comment by David Airey — April 24, 2009 @ 4:35 am
I’d love to know if you do find a way. Last year I had to let a client go elsewhere after they didn’t like any of the many, many concepts I came up with for them :(
Comment by nicola — April 26, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
I’ll echo the logo ideas, except to say that you shouldn’t be surprised if they can’t verbalize why they do/don’t like other logos either. Another tack is to try to find out about other items in their life — home design elements, cars, garden, magazines, etc. — that might provide clues about their design preferences.
Comment by Lynn Savage — June 11, 2009 @ 9:26 pm
This is one of the tougher questions of design. One approach is to keep everything extremely simple (sketches) if a wide range of choices are desired, until the desired concept is nailed down.
Another is to poll the client, as Lynn just said, and drill down into their “style psyche” to find out what kind of shiny things appeal to them.
With this information though, the trick is still connecting with the client’s vision almost like a clairvoyant. You just gotta figure out how to see what they’ve already got a picture of in their head, whether they know it or not.
Listening is key, but there is an awareness/gestalt beyond “merely” listening that has to be tapped into in order for a branding exercise to really hit the sweet spot.
Comment by David Caputo — June 13, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
I find this a tricky part of the whole process too. At the moment I have a job where two people are making the final decision on a logo, which makes the problem even more intense. They both have different sensibilities and approaches.
To help them out, I’ve made sure to try and reinforce the following point. The logo I’m developing for them is not a personal business to them, it isn’t trying to project their own personal views. Obviously they have to like the logo on some level, but for this particular project it is more important that the logo speaks for the company, not for the people that run it.
In this case I sat down with the clients and brainstormed a list of words that they wanted the logo to convey. I keep referring back to this in meetings, to focus their thinking.
As with lots of questions in our business there are no definite answers, just different approaches.
Hope this is useful, and you find a solution.
Comment by Ken Reynolds — June 23, 2009 @ 5:39 am
There’s always a chance of mishap, misconcept or lost direction whenever there would be more than one decision makers. Things would be really diff to finalize and all you can say ended in smoke. I believe people have to admit that this is creative process and should trust on the skilled person to whom they are working with….
Comment by SEO — October 26, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
Out of three concepts, I submit two that are in line with their suggestions and the third is along a totally different vein. It’s surprising how often they they trash their own ideas when they get something they had never thought of.
In the case of sending home the designs to discuss with the spouse–I would imagine the wife merely reminded him that whatever he chose would be a home run because that’s why she married him! Now quit running that nice artist around and decide so we can go to dinner!
Comment by Jodi — November 14, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
Great post and nice commenting. I have enjoyed reviewing this blog and will be visiting it at regular basis
Comment by logo — November 18, 2009 @ 8:46 pm
If you are charging by the hour, you perhaps shouldn’t let it bother you. This happens to the best of us designers. Supposedly, the client came to you because they liked your work. Unless you have totally failed to grasp the concepts that have come out of your interview(s) with them, , then they should take your suggestions, design ideas and concepts very much to heart and assign to you a certain amount of authority.
As far as submitting multiple concepts, I do so myself on rare occasions. However, if I have one that in my opinion is far and away the best one, I often don’t even bother submitting the others. I will push for my favorite as much as if I had a stake in the success of the enterprise in question. And I consider myself not just any person with an opinion, but one with credibility and a proven track record when it comes to knowing good graphic design.
If nothing at all ever satisfies, then keep offering up whatever you can until the client just goes away. Again, if you are charging by the hour and the client pays his bills, then what the heck? It is not your responsibility to straighten out the heads of these difficult clients. Some are just beyond all that.
Comment by roberto — November 22, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
20 years ago I finally realized that so called difficult customers are not really difficult, just not focused. I discovered this while working with a friend who was opening a garage and needed graphic identity everything from billboards to business cards.
My first few efforts identified that he wasn’t just a garage and/or service cener, but he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to be.
Rather than submit more designs I started to ask questions. Based on his answers my questions got more and more specific:
Do you want to get the AAA contract for towing roadside breakdowns?
Do you want to sell gas as well as offer repairs?
Do you want to be affiliated with local police to be called for towing roadside accidents?
Will you offer to do body work and rebuild engines as well as tune ups and oil changes?
Will you specialize in American or Foreign cars?
The more specific my questions got the more he was able to focus on what kind of work he really wanted to do.
In the end he realized he wanted to specialize in engine rebuilds for high end cars and trucks.
The rest was easy.
Sometimes the best way is to just ask questions, sometimes leading questions, and listen to the answers.
Subconsciously the client always knows what they want, it’s just that someone has to bring that knowledge perking to the surface.
Comment by Marvin Doerfler — December 19, 2009 @ 9:27 pm
Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply, Marvin. You make an excellent point that often designers end up acting as business advisers in a way - helping their clients to clarify their business message and scope. Glad you stopped by!
Comment by Leslie Tane Design — December 21, 2009 @ 5:38 pm