
Have you ever met someone and they exuded trustworthiness right off the bat? Relationships are everything and when it comes to designer/client relationships, it’s no different. A good or bad relationship can make or break a project. If it’s a month-long project, it’s going to be a rough, long journey for both the client and designer. If there’s a question of what a good designer/client relationship is, it’s a relationship that’s built on trust and loyalty. Some might question whether a relationship is important when it comes to a project as simple as a logo. I’m here to tell you from personal experience why it’s the most important aspect of any design project.
A good relationship between a client and designer makes you and your client’s life easier, gets projects done more efficiently, and has the opportunity to gain more business for you. When the designer puts effort into their relationship with their client, the client can tell and won’t want to come to another designer. There are specific ways you can build a good relationship with your client:
Communicate: Be upfront with all the details, even those that seem unimportant. Address all your concerns as the designer and listen to all the client’s concerns and comments. When it comes down to it, over-communicating goes a lot further than not. Remember that you have the experience, but the client may not. Ask good questions as a designer and answer the client’s.
Empathize: Put yourself in their shoes and meet their needs design-wise. Don’t just look at clients as another project. Your client is probably a business owner who wants the best for their business. When clients feel heard, trust and credibility are formed. Your client isn’t going to agree with every single idea you suggest right away, so be patient.
Deliver: Keep the promises you made. Whatever you tell your client that you’re going to do, show them that you did it. There’s nothing that breaks trust more than unmet expectations. Don’t just meet their expectations. Go above and beyond.
In short, a good designer/client relationship needs trust and is dependent on how the designer and client communicate, how the designer empathizes with the client, and how the designer meets the client’s expectations.
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