Finding your first client may have seemed like it, but that’s not the hardest part. That title is reserved for making sure that they’ll like your design – and that your collaboration goes smoothly.
But since it’s your first project, it can be intimidating. Where do you start? What do you ask from your client? How do you ensure you meet their expectations? And what do you do to present your best work possible?
Overwhelming, isn’t it? Don’t worry: if you follow these seven simple rules, everything will go without a hitch – and you won’t lose your sanity in the process.
Set a Realistic Deadline
Obviously, you shouldn’t expect to do a day’s work in a couple of hours. But since it’s your first project, estimating how much time you’ll need is tricky.
Getting everything done will take a long while because you’re still learning the ropes. So, think of a deadline – and then add several days to it. If you finish early, it’s great. But if you need that extra time, you’ll be glad you have it.
You’ll probably need to proactively make time for your project, too. If you’re a student, you can pay someone to write my research paper to focus on it and get rid of distractions, for example. You’ll probably need to say “no” to some other activities, too.
Ask for a Design Brief
In case you haven’t done this from the get-go, do it now. Starting your creative process without a brief is a big no-no.
Asking for a design brief is the best way to get to know your client, as well as what they want to get as a result of your cooperation. Without a brief, you’ll have to do a lot of guesswork – but you’re not a psychic, right?
Here are the seven most essential questions you should ask:
- Background information on the business: who they are and what they do;
- Target market and buyer personas;
- Deliverables: which files you’ll need to provide, their dimensions, formats, etc.;
- How your work is going to be used: in print, on social media, in a mobile app, etc.;
- Whether there are any brand visual style guidelines to follow or assets to include;
- The desired color palette, font type, and style: ask for design examples;
- What text (slogan, tagline, etc.) your work should contain.
Compile a Mind Map & Mood Board
Ideas can’t appear in a vacuum. If you just sit there and stare at a blank sheet of paper or an empty artboard, you’ll only waste your time.
What you should do instead is write down word associations first – the mind map format works great here. Then, open your preferred image search engine and type in those word associations. You can add design-related keywords like “flat” or “vintage”, too.
Here are just some websites you can use for this end:
- Google Images;
- Unsplash;
- Dribbble;
- Behance;
- Designspiration.
If you see an image that has an element that you like, save it and add it to your mood board. It can be as simple as putting it into a separate folder on your computer.
Sketch Your Ideas First
Before you open Photoshop or Illustrator, put your ideas on paper with a pen or a pencil. The reason is simple: it’ll always be faster to jot down an idea with your hand than by using a graphic design app. In other words, if you do it on your computer first, you’ll inevitably lose hours of work.
“But what if I’m not great at drawing?” Your drawing skills don’t matter here: you won’t have to show your sketches to anyone. Think of them as your brainstorming notes.
Once you’re done with your sketching slash brainstorming, set your sketchbook aside for a while. Then, open it and take a fresh look at your sketches. Choose up to five of them.
Create Several Design Proposals
A common rookie mistake is focusing on just one design. But if you do, you’ll be asking your client to say either “yes” or “no” to it. And if they say “no”, you’ll have to start over.
Instead, create several rough outlines for your client; they’ll be your design proposals. You don’t have to spend hours taking care of every detail, though – these outlines are only meant to present your ideas to the client.
Send these proposals to your client. Ask them to select one or several outlines that are the closest to their vision. Only after you get the green light, go ahead and finalize them.
Refine Your Final Designs
Once you’ve finished working on the final versions of your works, don’t be too quick to hit “send”. Instead, close the app and let them be – at least until the next day. This way, you’ll be able to take a truly fresh look at them.
Then, reopen the designs and do a final checkup. Are all of the elements properly aligned? Are there any typos? Do you see any other hiccups or mistakes that need to be fixed?
Never send a file without checking it with a fresh pair of eyes first! You’re guaranteed to miss something – and it’ll come across as inattentiveness to your client.
Know How to Present Your Works
Let’s say, you’re supposed to create an A3 poster. How will you present your works? Just send an email saying “I’m done, find the .ai files attached”?
That’s not the best idea. First of all, your client might not be even able to open a .ai file! To avoid this situation, send images or PDFs instead.
Second, it’s all about the presentation. Don’t ever neglect using mockups: they’ll give your client an idea of how your works can look in a real-world setting. You can find mockups for virtually any type of work online.
Third, it’s never a bad idea to go on a call with your client after you send the email. This way, you can gauge their reaction better and discuss edits. And here will be edits, no matter what.
Final Thoughts
Here’s a final piece of advice. Don’t get too invested in your works. Your client may dislike some of them – or choose another design over the one you like the best. And it’ll hurt if you put your soul into making them.
But that’s an inherent part of the job. After all, your job isn’t to create something you love. You’re hired to bring your client’s vision to life – and different people have different tastes.
