Too Many Cooks Spoil the Logo
Most designers are afflicted with the disease to please.
We'll go to most any lengths, it seems, to please our customers. You need the
nineteenth version of your logo? Sure, no problem. Want the font from design #1
with design #30? Can do. How about integrating this cool effect I saw on someone
else's logo? Well, hopefully most designers will balk at blatant copying.
You and your customers are partners, but you're not equals.
I'm sure your customer thinks they're the boss, but the bottom line is you're
the professional. That's why your customer hired you. To be treated as a
professional, though, you have to act like a professional. And that means
setting limits. Those limits should be in your contract or at the very least
some signed statement from your customer — and they should state in black and
white just how many designs you will create for the money you're charging.
So how much is too much? I suggest no more than three to five
concepts for the first presentation. If you show more, it's like letting kids
loose in a candy store. They're overwhelmed by all the goodies and cannot make a
decision. And if you have "the logo", don't be afraid to show only one logo.
There are times when you know you've created the one. Stick
to your guns, and make your arguments convincing.
What if the customer balks? Remind them that usually the
first concepts are the ones that will be developed into the final logo. That
you've been doing this for x number of years, and it's your experience that they
will find the design they like in just a small set of samples. Explain that you
will come up with many designs, but will only show them the best designs for
their company.
If the customer doesn't like the first set of concepts,
that's okay. Find out what they object to:
-
Fonts?
-
Style?
-
Size?
-
Too feminine?
-
Too masculine?
Then find out what they liked about the first logos. It's
rare that the customer absolutely hates everything you created. It's your job to
pinpoint where you went wrong. Maybe they said they wanted a modern look, but
what they really want is something classic. Maybe your design won't work with
all the different ways that the customer will be using the logo.
The problem with allowing your customer too much control over
their logo is that they think your time and experience isn't really valuable.
After all, any slob with a computer nowadays can throw together a logo, right?
If that's really their attitude, then you're better off without them. But they
may just need to be reminded that you're the professional, and that they picked
you because they liked what they saw in your portfolio.
Once you've collected more information, create another three
to five concepts. If you're customer still isn't satisfied, it's time for more
money — or to agree that you're not the right designer for them. I know that
it's tempting to keep coming up with logo after logo to soothe your ego and
please your customer, but if they don't see something they like after ten
designs, you probably aren't the right designer for them. It doesn't mean you've
failed, it may only mean that your style isn't right for this particular
customer (or maybe they just have no taste). Chances are this will rarely happen
to you.
Customers come to you because you're the professional and you
know how to get their company noticed. It's up to you to act like a professional
and set the proper boundaries. When customers know what to expect, they're more
satisfied with the whole design process.
Author: Judy Litt
Website Acquired: www.about.com
Date Written: 2004-03-03
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