May 22 , 2024 Posted by admin
Congratulations! You have started a new graphic design project.
You are prepared to have a session with your client.
But wait, there is one thing you need to work on before you get signed in.
First, you must ensure that you and your clients are on the same page throughout the project.
A major graphic design project can provide long-term access to new opportunities and support the development of a powerful brand identity.
After all, your client will be a source of referrals for others.
But sometimes, even the most experts can encounter issues if they are not on the same page.
A client’s feedback can turn nasty on the spot for specific reasons, such as multiple revisions, client dissatisfaction, feedback delays, or even increased project needs over time.
Thus, you must put strong limitations in place to safeguard your working relationship and time.
Clarity in the project from both sides can help you follow proper project workflows and provide appropriate guidance if any misunderstanding occurs.
When putting all the expectations from the clients on the table, you can be aware of when to express “no” gently, ask clients to pay extra for anything that requires more effort, and how to deal with or escape any challenging situation.
This blog will review seven vital terms to agree with when dealing with clients before initiating the project.
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7 Ways for Clear Design Project Expectations
1. Confer your deliverables
You receive a client project brief. You read it, and you gained clarity. But in actuality, the thing is different; although the benefit seems simple, the client’s expectations are a bit high, and he/she assumes that you should be aware of it.
There, you need to dig into these simple, brief words.
It is vital to be specific when working on a design project. The number of designs and variations clients want must be delivered on time.
Let’s take a scenario in case clients need to build a logo. You need to analyze their expectations. Regarding the current day, most of the brand has various logo versions of their logo for both digital and physical use.
Check their needs regarding size for legibility. What colors do they prefer, and how many colors do they prefer? What type of log do they want (wordmark, abstract, combination, etc.)? Do they want to add brand accents, ornamentation, patterns, or animations? Do they expect a manual explaining how to use their brand?
A session between you and your clients is a defining era for eliminating misunderstandings in creating a logo. You must agree on all the terms you use to give your client about the graphic design project and agree that both sides should be from the very start.
Thus, by listing all the project needs and expectations from the start, you can charge for extra cash if needed.
A clear list of what you’re supposed to deliver from the beginning can help stop the project from growing too much later.
2. Approve file formats
Improper communication regarding file format can lead to severe consequences for designers, and this can be worse if the project is in its final moments.
Make sure to discuss with clients what file format they want.
Let’s take an example if you are dealing with a non-profit customer. The clients demands a brochure template that can be edited.
You discuss all the matters, finalize the project, and deliver it. You are also done with the revision.
And in the final moments of wrapping up the project. You deliver the client an Adobe InDesign file that can be edited and ready for the final proof of purchase.
However, a few times later, clients contact you to get clarity. The client isn’t aware of what Adobe Suite is and how it works, and the file must be in Word as the client is only aware of the Microsoft Word application.
Now, you have to re-form the whole template in MS work.
So, ask them what file format they want in.
The point is that most clients are not familiar with the file format, and you need to guide them. Therefore, discussing all these points at the start will help you deliver the project on time, per the client’s mindset, and you don’t need to put extra effort into the last moments.
3. Set a revisions limit, and try for maximum
When you ask about the experience of designers dealing with clients, they tell you that dealing with a design project is full of stress. At the last moment, the client requests the last revisions, then this last one, and again one last small change.
We know that clients want perfection in their business logos. But certain things have limits. When getting client feedback, it can be best to set boundaries so clients learn how to work with clear guidance.
You can build a “payment package” that includes the number of revisions you allow per the package you choose so they know how to deal with you.
Infuse the number of project proposals and the number of revisions you allowed with clear details.
You can charge extra for exceeding revisions.
Setting limits on your revisions, clients should think very carefully before putting a burden of revision on you.
4. Timelines
Time is everything, no matter what you are doing. Failing to discuss the timelines in advance can put you off track.
Improper alignment around working schedules, due dates, and time estimates can ruin the project.
Always discuss all the product delivery time estimates, including how long it takes to deliver the project. In a meeting, discuss the time the client expects and the time you assume it takes to finalize the project.
Always give time more than you feel you need help with the project.
When the project ends, specific revisions occur, and your project takes longer to complete than expected.
You can re-negotiate prices only if both of you learn that the project is now outside the parameters.
Questions to ask yourself at the beginning of a project:
- When does the project begin?
- How much time does the project take?
- What are the project’s milestones, and what is the duration of each milestone?
- Does the customer want you to present at a particular time? Are there any set work schedules or particular working hours?
- When will the project be won? Is there a particular date for finishing it?
- In case of revision, how much time each revision takes?
By asking these questions, you can clear up everything regarding the project scope and value yourself.
During the discussion on the time estimates, expect to have challenging debates if required.
For instance, if your client gives a review late, you can describe the consequences of delays, which can, in turn, affect the project delivery dates and milestones.
If your clients request a major change in a logo design, inform them that your project is taking longer than expected. This is a chance to discuss whether their requests are reasonable or if you need to adjust the cost.
5. Pricing strategy and payment structure
After finishing the timeline and deliverables, it is time to review the project’s payment structure.
Begin by checking the detailed list of designs you must give the client.
What does each list cost? After that, view your timelines, such as the time required for a project to finish and the worth of that time.
It’s up to you what pricing strategy you use. Either you wish to convey your prices with bundles and packages, or you want the client to learn the value of each cost separately in detail in your price listing.
Take time to learn those pricing structures, and then come up with a choice that suits you.
After you set a project price structure, now assume the “what ifs” factor means that clients want more revisions than you mention in your pricing structure. What if the clients want to discuss the project again, and you think it is taking the time you expect per your given pricing? What cost can occur with these “what ifs” scenarios?
You can add a “what if” solution as an add-on service in your pricing strategy. You can initially guide or inform the client if this “what if” scenario occurs.
6. Termination and cancellation
Everyone deals with actions that we won’t expect. In business, you may be short on budget, a client refuses to pay, or the timelines you set become too overwhelming. These happen, and you must be ready for all of them.
So, imagine what action to perform during your project if your client starts walking away. If your contract is finished before the date you set or expected, how much would you get paid for it? Or, in case you have a policy to receive payment first, and the client project cancellation demands a money refund.
Let’s say you are dealing with a stubborn client, and the project is not going the way the client expected. In turn, the client ends the contract before the mentioned date.
You call the client and ask if there is any chance of receiving the payment, but the client responds that you failed to deliver what I expected. Or if the client pays first, he/she wants a full refund.
Then, you check the contract to see if any clause states how much you owe in case the project ends early. If not, then you cannot do anything about this during the negotiation.
So, before this occurs, you may face such scenarios; learn from them. From now on, look at your pricing structure and add a clause that mentions how much money you should receive if the project ends early via client cancellation.
In your negotiations, mention when a client can cancel the project to get a full refund. Or, in case you receive the payment last, mention the percentage of the amount that the client must pay based on how much of the project has been finished in case the client cancels the project before the deadline.
Some logo designers ask for a fee at the start that you don’t get back if you cancel. Others split the payment and get a percentage of the total price at different milestones.
Whatever set-up you apply to payment receiving, make sure to make the payment plan in written form and deliver it to the client so that you have a policy to show to the client if things go wrong.
7. Confidentiality
Lastly, you must note down the client preferences either to keep the project confidential for a certain time or sign an ND (Non-disclosure agreement).
In your agreements, ensure to mention when your work is kept confidential and when it is made public.
The client may want to show work at the special event, but until then, the client wishes to keep your work private. Or maybe the project has sensitive data, so there is no chance of making it public and keeping it confidential forever.
Your portfolio shows how you sell or trade your products or services, which helps you attract clients. If you have put enough effort into the project but can’t make it public in your portfolio, you should consider how much that privacy is worth and charge from the client to keep it private.
Chat with us For Clear logo Design Project Expectations
Conclusion
Refrain from jumping in on the spot when you deal with any fresh, ingenious project. Just relax and give yourself time to discuss your terms so the process goes seamlessly.
As a professional designer or a design service provider, you must protect yourself from misunderstandings when working with clients.
Logo Magicians’ teams expect this blog to be a valuable source of guidance in acquiring, serving, and retaining clients for a long time.
If you want to perform graphic design, website or app design, and do digital marketing of your website with us, visit our main page, fill out the form, receive a confirmation, and have a session with our experienced graphic designers with all the terms negotiated with us.
Your assigned final result will 100% admire you.
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