Respect

Try this experiment.

Walk into to your local grocery store. Load up your cart with groceries and then go find the manager. Tell him you'll pay him at the end of the month or better yet tell him you'll pay at the end of the month and then ask for a 15% discount on everything, y'know…because of the 'recession' and all.

How do you think this scenario would pan out? Sound silly?

»Watch this video.
It illustrates perfectly what many of us deal with on a daily basis.

Graphic Design is a business and it fascinates me that some folks don't get that. We have employees. We have overhead (I'm going to guess that our overhead is a great deal more than one might think it is). We also have families.

Speak to other graphic designers and advertising professionals and what you will probably find in common is that many of them sense a lack of respect for their work from their clients and potential clients. Speak to the clients and they may say they don't see the value in the service.

While finding statistics on ROI for graphic design is near impossible, you can't look at companies like Apple, Target and Starbucks and say that graphic design has had no impact on their sales or customer traffic. Granted these are huge organizations but they also have a huge respect for graphic design.

As designers, it is becoming increasingly important to educate clients and potential clients alike on the value that our service brings to them. We can no longer be just 'cool artists'. We must become research junkies. If you can find facts and figures about how design has helped a business, send it to your clients and you'll start to see value show up.

©2009 \\ COSMIC \\

Beware of Credentials

A client recently asked me to collaborate with an associate of his on the design of a website for his company. The associate was a web site programmer and Search Engine Optimization expert. As the designer for the project, the partnership seemed like it would be a good fit.

Upon introducing myself and how I would be involved in the project, I received the following response:

I have built thousands of websites and have a degree in MIS from USF and am certified by Microsoft in Analyzing Requirements and Definiting Solutions Architecture. With over 13 years of professional experience I don't need any help.

This was enough to allow me to step away from the project. Why?

First, I have a design process that works and it requires me to be involved at all stages of development.

Second, her claim of credentials was an attempt to possibly scare me off because she felt I might be taking over the project or something like that. I wasn't scared by her training. Instead, I became concerned for the client. Personally, I could care less how much training you have. Show me your commitment to the client and I'll want to work with you.

When someone blasts their credentials at you, it should send signals. BIG ONES. Dig a little deeper and you might discover they are hiding something from you. No matter how impressive their credentials are, it could be a way to distract you from something they are not telling you.

When your design and marketing partnerships are based on commitment and promises, that is when the magic happens.

By the way, if you are someone who is a website programmer and is committed to your clients, I want to talk to you. Contact me through my website (http://www.cosmic-studio.com).

©2009 David Scott | Cosmic: Advertising & Design