Designers & expectations
Expectations can inspire as well as frustrate. If they don’t match what you want and are capable of, they work against you. That’s why expectation management is difficult sometimes, but also so valuable. Good coordination beforehand (which starts with the first meeting!) is a must for us to bring a project to a successful conclusion.
We'll take you through an example
We notice that clients often have a certain image or expectation about engaging a graphic designer. Logical, of course! It is our job to visualise this expectation and exceed or engage in timely discussions about it.
We'll take you through an example. What we often encounter is that clients expect the delivery of a new corporate identity to include a choice moment. They hope to receive three options, after which they can decide for themselves. Our question then is: why? Based on what criteria do you as a client make a decision for the right elaboration? Usually this is based on feeling and on what appeals most to you: the look.
But there is so much more that should influence your choice. We turn strategic, informed insights into visual translations. That is not an accidental choice. That's a logical translation from strategy to identity. Does this mean our designs don't look pretty? Of course it does, but that should never (only) be the starting point.
So the question is: why do you expect a choice moment when you engage a professional? Surely you can assume that the person with his or her expertise will only give you the most important advice? We are very clear about this: we will give you one design, but that will be the very best. We make the decisions, because we can argue choices based on strategic insights and we can look at them independently. Trust me: a fresh perspective can do wonders for your brand identity.
Presenting three proposals as designers? We consider that a weakness.
After all, the client is paying for professionalism, creativity and experience. Designers suggest this more often, but we feel it is then purely covering up their own incompetence: ''If I give three options, there is bound to be one that appeals to the client.'' In our view, the customer doesn't even have to like what we make. What matters is that it appeals to the target group in the right way. That's what we do it for.
When you give a customer choices, how far do you go with them? Making choices means making compromises. This way, a design loses all its power. That can never be the intention. Trust us, the concept behind the corporate identity and the strategic insights incorporated in it. Then you will really make an impact with your new corporate identity!
How do you handle expectation management?
Interesting?
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