Let’s Get Personal

Here are the do’s and the don’ts of building solid, long-term relationships with your clients

GOOD BUSINESSES attract new clients. Great businesses keep them. It’s simple, really. Your best client is the one that keeps coming back to you again and again. These are the types of long-term relationships that carry design businesses through tough economic times. A successful design business knows the key to profitability is finding the right balance between attracting new clients, while taking good care of the ones it already has.

Building a Buff Business

Want to get in shape? Consider hiring a coach as a personal trainer for your company

IF YOU’RE currently running a design firm — large or small — you’ve undoubtedly realized that there is a big difference between the work you do in your business and the work you do on your business. While many emerging designers believe the quality of their work alone will help them attract high-paying clients, seasoned professionals know business success is the product of quality design solutions and effective business processes.

Flexing Freelance Muscles

Even in tough times, freelancers can leverage their flexibility and low overhead to succeed

NOBODY said graphic design was a recession-proof business. Clients often cut their marketing budgets in times of economic crisis as they try to reduce expenditures to help weather the storm. As those budgets get trimmed, so too does the revenue of the design community as a whole. As some larger shops and internal departments reduce their staff, freelancing becomes a reality for more and more designers. Here’s how freelancers can not only survive but also thrive in difficult economic conditions.

The Slippery Slope of Spec

In tough economic times, don’t be tempted to work for free unless it’s for a good cause

WHILE speculative work has always been an area of concern in the design industry, you can expect to see a rise in these types of requests as the recession causes clients to cut costs, tighten budgets and expect more work for free.

Watch the Language

When dealing with clients, look out for words that can come back to haunt you

THE LATE Rodney Dangerfield built a successful comedy career while “not getting any respect.” Unfortunately, not many designers work the nightclub circuit. They rely on the respect of their existing clients to help employ staff, pay suppliers and create value for partners and shareholders.

Language is often overlooked as a way to gain and build respect from your clients. I’m not talking about the technical language of design but rather the everyday comments that get thrown around in creative briefings or casual conversations that can (unintentionally) devalue your services.