Laurel's Design Deli

Form vs. Substance

2012-02-14T18:19:00.000-08:00

Recently, my area’s only daily, the Peninsula Daily News, was purchased by a Canadian newspaper conglomerate. In an interview, a company representative was very clear about their mission: “We are not in the business of putting ink on paper. We are in the business of providing our readers with timely, relevant news and information that can make a difference in their lives.”

I found this statement striking because it expressed the company’s laser focus on what its product really is. It reminded me that all too often we confuse what we’re getting with the means by which it’s delivered – the classic form vs. substance dilemma.

Those of us in the design world push against this daily. Many of our clients assume that we produce pretty pictures, shiny brochures and flashy web sites because that’s what they see. This is partly because the processes we use are invisible to clients, who only see the end result. This affects other professional services as well.

The confusion also exists because we often don’t define our product with as much clarity as the newspaper described above. We have to do a better job of conveying our true product: thoughtful and strategic marketing tools that communicate our clients’ value. I think a way to clear this up in clients’ minds is to describe our services and products in terms of the benefits they deliver, not in terms of what they are made of.

So attorneys might describe their product as a thoughtfully structured estate plan that protects one’s heirs, not as a 5-page will. An accountant might position tax services as a means to preserve capital and stay out of trouble with the IRS, not as a filled-out 1040. A doctor delivers life-saving diagnoses, not 10 minutes in an exam room.

With the growth of online do-it-yourself/quick-and-dirty options for professional services, it is more necessary than ever for us to clearly state our value in the form of our services' benefit to our clients. Otherwise they will have little basis for choosing between WebMD and their primary care provider, H&R Block and their accountant, or CrowdSpring and their designer.

Time Management the Luddite Way

2012-01-23T11:43:00.000-08:00

I seem to be off to a rocky start with my 2012 goal to write blog posts regularly, so some thoughts on time management seemed appropriate. Even with all the new devices and apps for managing time, we can still feel overwhelmed with the sheer volume of our To-Do’s, relative to the amount of time we have to do them in. Planning is the best way to avoid where-do-I-start paralysis, and keeping it uncomplicated is always better than overthinking. Here's a dirt-simple method that has stood me in good stead for years. In essence it is a semi-fancy list.

At the beginning of every week, I take a piece of paper out of my printer and fold it into thirds and again into half. I then have 6 squares. Five are labeled Monday through Friday with their respective calendar dates, and the sixth is where I put a list of job tasks that have to be worked on that week. I then prioritize those in order of how soon they're due by numbering them. Then I look in my day planner for meetings, deadlines, etc. and write them down with their hour times in the appropriate day box. I include things like when I'm going to go to the Y and anything else that is important (like a doctor’s appointment). I now have the whole week spread out in front of me and I can see at a glance how much work time I have (provided I don't goof off playing Minesweeper and reading blogs). As things come up, I erase and revise. Easy peasy. Takes about five minutes, nothing to install and it never crashes.

Yes, I know it is paper-based and seems dorky, especially when everyone else is tapping away on their devices. But the short act of doing this gives me a sense of order and control that makes it easier to get to work. All I have to do to get going is that one thing at the top of the list - take that, paralysis! The physical act of writing makes it real. I have a simple visual I can carry around in my pocket for fast reference, and it boots up really fast. I find it empowering and calming at the same time. Consider giving it a shot.

How to Hire a Designer

2012-01-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! One of my resolutions for 2012 is to post more regularly on Laurel’sDesignDeli, and to that end, today I’m sharing a post I read recently by Steve Guy on the Spark Design Professionals Forum on LinkedIn. Steve shared his thoughts on what he would look for in hiring a freelancer. It seemed to be oriented toward agencies hiring outside help, but I felt his excellent points were applicable for businesses hiring independent designers as well. So as you contemplate new projects for the coming year, these guidelines will prove invaluable.

I am really grateful for Steve’s permission to repost his essay. View his work at http://www.grafk.com/

If I were considering hiring a designer, here's what I'd look for:

1. Technical competence - Can they do the job? Ask them what software they use, what type of computers or printers? Are they reasonably current?
2. Creative talent - Does their portfolio inspire confidence that they can do a project for a client they've never worked with before with excellence?

3. Do they understand your business, or can they learn? Most importantly, are they willing to learn? A really good designer will not only learn about your company, but with time be able to give you recommendations based on their knowledge. You can find out if they are this type of designer by asking simple questions about their past projects, such as how they managed them and where they got their ideas.

4. Does the designer have a feel for sales and marketing? Unless your business IS an art show, this is NOT an art show, so your designer needs to understand that your primary goal is to grow your business. We all have an artsy side, but business needs often trump artistic considerations. A great designer understands the balance between the "art" and the "function" and is able to reconcile the two to your advantage, not his/hers.

5. How adept are they at technology sharing? Do they use DropBox, YouSendIt or similar to give you access to large files? Can they use GoToMeeting or similar to share their screen with you while on the phone, so you can see their work and discuss it in real time? The advantage of technology like this has made working with designers nearly seamless for those who embrace the tech.

These questions are best answered by direct inquiry and a review of their online portfolio, or by soliciting a pdf showing specific examples of the type of work you need. Often companies fail to let a potential contractor know the nature of the work needed, leaving the freelancer shooting in the dark when sending samples. The more specific you are about your needs/wants, the better chance you'll have of finding the right person. Also, designers’ full capabilities are seldom limited to what’s in their portfolio. Look carefully at their creative process and their ability to adapt, and you may just find your ideal candidate, even though they've never done "your exact type of work" before.

While the above is important from a fundamental standpoint, the following points are equally as important in finding a match. Every freelancer has their business ups and downs. Obviously if they are connecting with you even at your behest, they can take on the work now. But:

What about three months from now?

What is their typical work load?

Do they sub to other designers when there is too much work and not enough time? Ask how they managed multiple projects at the same time to completion.

Working with a designer should not be like a bad marriage. It is like any other relationship in that it will have occasional challenges, but you would be wise to consider the following:

1) What is their basic personality? Is the designer uptight, inflexible or easily rattled by last minute changes? All designers have had clients who pushed to the max on that one, but in general, a relaxed "no problem" attitude is best.

2) Does he/she have a good handle on how to give feedback to the client (you) when your design edits cross the line into bad design? This is REALLY important. Designer’s egos should not be tied to their work, and they should be open to multiple revisions. But, and this is a big one, you also need to have someone with enough experience to know how to tactfully give you feedback when your latest modification "in their professional opinion" breaks fundamental rules of either design, marketing, or presentation (or all three). Much success in this area is found in designers who have a wide range of experience in corporate accounts, small business and individual work. Designers with this experience will have had much exposure to many personalities/companies, giving them the skills to handle this type of feedback. This is a key component of the working relationship that will have a serious effect on how successfully you work together.

3) Lastly, are they fun to work with? I don't mean they take three hours of your day every time you talk on the phone re-living their last trip to Las Vegas, but do they have personality? Are they the type of person you'd like to have a drink with? Do you share a similar since of humor? These are the qualities of people who are easily liked, and as such tend not to be a PITA to work with. It cannot be overstated how important this type of chemistry is to a long-term working relationship.

I hope this helps and gives you some ideas in your search! Good luck!

Making My Peace with Age(ism)

2011-12-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

Got invited to do a guest post on Kevin Bryce's Fresh Garbage blog about my take on the aging issue and how it affects the design world:

"Graphic Design is unique among the professions in many ways, and one of the most striking is the lack of gravitas accrued by practitioners as they gain experience. With lawyers and accountants, for example, their perceived value increases in relation to their years of practice. In the field of design, however, it is well understood that if you are much over 40 or 50, the likelihood of being hired by an marketing or advertising agency is remote. One could almost say it is inversely proportionate to the number of years one gets beyond the magic four-o." Read the rest here and be sure to comment!

Back in the Saddle

2011-11-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long hiatus - it's been a busy month (hallelujah), and I have been responding to a lot of posts here and over at the CFC blog about crowdsourcing. This topic just keeps getting more and more traction. The news du jour is that I did a podcast with Ilise Benun of Marketing Mentor a couple of days ago on the subject of CS, and it's available for listening here. I hope you'll give it a listen and then chime in with your comments below.

Crowdsourcing: Confronting the Deception

2011-10-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

Independent creatives continue to bemoan the effect of crowdsourcing on our ability to make a living, and the main driver seems to be a toxic confluence of globalization and recession. I have recently concluded that a big chunk of the persistence of crowdsourcing (CS) rests on the Deception of Equal Value. Clients unconsciously assume that crowdsourced "design" is equal in value to the services of experienced professionals, both in the design’s quality and in its ability to do the job for clients, i.e., sell their stuff.

The CS sites encourage this deception with their slick come-ons, and unless we proactively take this bull by the horns, clients will remain in the dark and keep buying CS crap. Some of the sites go so far as to imply that professional designers are ripping off the business community. We ignore this at our peril. Letting CS sites control the messaging around design is a huge mistake.

We have to reclaim control of this communications lapse. Just as some have no clue about the difference between a certified accountant and H&R Block, many businesses have no idea what it takes to create a marcom piece that attracts and converts successfully. Not only do they assume that $100 graphic doodads are equal in value to professional, strategic designs, they assume that those doodads will deliver the same results. If we professionals don't tell them the difference, how will they know?

And herein lies an opportunity: many of us have clients who provide services. They, too, are being hit by their own versions of crowdsourcing. The Deception of Equal Value is a challenge to all professional service providers. Ask your lawyer how she feels about online DIY contracts. Ask your doctor how he likes it when patients self-diagnose with WebMD. Globalization and CS has come to all the professions, like it or not, and it is having the effect of commoditizing a lot of previously specialized work. Creatives can lead the way in demonstrating how to deal with this.

So it’s up to us to communicate the meaning of true value, to and for our clients. It can feel tedious, but explaining gets easier the more you do it. As many have pointed out, this also means that we have to sell ideas and not just products. If we demonstrate our own value case, it shows we can make the same case for our clients.

[Caution: Sounding even a little annoyed at having to explain will be noticed on some level by your client and will not help make your point.]

Of course, there will always be people who shop solely on price. They will be with us whether the economy is bad or thriving. I continue to believe that there are enough clients who rank value over price that we can all survive. But it will take effort on our part to find them, connect with them and demonstrate our long-term worth beyond the project level.

Good News on the Logo Front

2011-09-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that last week I learned that three of my logos were awarded recognition in two competitions! The venerable GD:usa annual awards chose these two:

LogoLounge, an online portfolio and tool for logo research, discussion, inspiration and reference chose this one for inclusion in its 2012 book of logos:

I really appreciate this recognition - there are a ton of great designers out there and I'm thankful to have been included with them. Definitely a good week!

Advice from Anne

2011-09-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

The last comment on the previous post was from Anne C. Kerns, AIGA who closed by referring to another comment she made in reply to the plight voiced by Anonymous in Joplin on the original crowdsourcing post. Mysteriously, it kept disappearing, so because I thought it was excellent advice, I am making it available as a regular post. Thanks for sharing your insights, Anne!

I am a self-employed designer. I don't do spec work or contest work. If I work for free, it's because I choose to donate my services, unique outlook, and skills for a cause or organization I support. (When in doubt, refer to www.shouldiworkforfree.com)

@Anonymous near Joplin, MI:

I am sorry for your situation. If you have time to do contest-type work that doesn't pay, then you have time to do the things that can change your situation.

Why not put all that thought and research into developing a business model where you pick an industry, develop a portfolio, and then pitch it to actual paying clients.
or
Redesign some poorly-designed materials and pitch those to those businesses.
or
Pick a problem in the world. Design a piece that educates or advocates. Pitch it to the organizations that address that problem.
or
Go to the library and check out some marketing and self promotional books.
or
Ask to borrow another designer's marketing and self promotional books.
or
Call the institution you graduated from and find out if there are networking events, or job hunting advice, or career fairs.
or
Find a business mentor. Barter design services.
or
Partner with another un- or underemployed graphic designer and support and coach each other with real ideas, not complaining. Same time every week. Set goals.
or
Write and illustrate a children's book and sell it on Lulu.com or Amazon.
or
Make illustrations and sell them to a stock image company.
or
Make illustrated portraits of people (or children, or pets) and start a web business doing custom portraits.
or
Start a unique creative project, put it on the web, tweet about it, and watch it spread like wildfire. Many personal projects have turned into paying work or books -- dailymonster.com, postsecret.com, stuffwhitepeoplelike.com, typographyforlawyers.com, dailydropcap.com, thisisindexed.com, gapingvoid.com
or
Come up with a Kickstarter idea and write an awesome proposal to get it funded.
or
Do more than just one of the above.

You obviously have internet access since you posted a comment on a blog, why are you limiting yourself to Joplin? You can work for clients anywhere these days.

Good luck -- make your own.

Yet More about Crowdsourcing

2011-09-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Today I received a thoughtful comment on my original crowdsourcing post of 8/1 from Shopsanity, a start-up that famously crowdsourced its logo, only to find that the design had been stolen. The writer still seems to think crowdsourcing has its place, especially for small businesses that don't have $200,000.00 for branding (what ShopSanity thought it would cost). My response ran pretty long, so I am making the exchange this week's post. Read on:

Shopsanity said... The doctor example doesn't feel right. The "right" design for a business is an aesthetic choice made by the buyer and its customers, where the "right" diagnosis in medicine can often be a scientific certainty. 100 well trained designers might come out with similar, although still entirely unique, brand identities for the same client. That's the beauty of design and of any creative field - the creative possibilities in the final design are endless.

That's, unfortunately, also the draw of a design contest site to a small business owner. They're making an aesthetic choice in the end, and irrational as it may seem for the design community, sometimes aesthetic choices face the cold reality of financial capability. Quality correlates (imperfectly) to cost, and sometimes, small businesses are willing to degrade quality to get lower cost and a design isn't. That seems to be a fine choice on both sides - if I were an artist and could afford to only do what I considered to be worthwhile art, I would only do that. I wouldn't frown on the people who couldn't afford my choice.

I completely agree with @Rochelle above: "I believe that the design profession (and many others) is at great risk of becoming commodities. As such, it's incumbent upon all serious designers to provide services that justify the fees they charge. " "Quality" and "experience" are good selling points, but they don't solve the issues @Rochelle raises.

Finally, crowdsourcing is a great way for designers like the commenter above who lives near Joplin where the design firms shut down to get work when they don't otherwise have it. It seems like the design community could be supportive of those designers in that life situation while still selling the value of superior service they can provide.

@ Shopsanity – I appreciate your point of view. However, your diagnosis analogy reveals a misunderstanding of what designers sell to their clients. If it were simply a matter of aesthetics, picking out a logo design would be pretty similar to picking out a pair of shoes. Everyone is their own best judge of what they find attractive. But the most important service a designer provides is not aesthetics, but guidance through a strategic decision process that profoundly affects business success. A logo is first and foremost a tool that supports a company’s goals. Designers sell ideas. Aesthetics is a by-product. (See the post by Dave Bricker.)

What Logo Design Really Takes
Creating a logo requires research, analysis, concept generation and high-quality execution. A merely pretty logo, with little thought behind it, has none of this. The issue with crowdsourcing sites is not that they're low-priced, but that they pass their products off as equal to custom design created professionally. That is a much larger disservice to clients than it is to designers, because it is deceitful. At least designers can recognize the dishonesty - clients are far less able to see it. And since many logo mills sell their wares by implying that professional designers are rip-offs, it is no wonder that we take offense.

The Deception of Equal Value
When my client talked to the VP at the crowdsourcing site, he led her to believe that they were selling her something equal in value to what I had designed for her. She was able to understand my explanation because she has to contend with the same deception in her own profession. All professions are being commoditized and it is up to individual professionals to make their value case. I too am in total agreement with Rochelle. As I stated in my follow-up post, “I think that for designers, client education and marketing design [services] have to be synonymous . . . it also has to do with the disinclination of many designers to bother explaining their worth. We need to get over ourselves.”

Respect vs. Ranting
A lot of the noise about crowdsourcing design is unproductive ranting. Everyone has to make ends meet and get the most value for their money. In my small town, my clients are also friends and neighbors. They respect what I do, and I respect that their budgets are limited. We meet at the place where I can deliver work that adds value to their business for a price they can handle. Creativity is applied to finding solutions that meet their business goals as well as my goal of making a living.

Regarding Anonymous in Joplin, hers is a hard case. But I don’t think it will help her situation to sweat over design projects that have a high probability of no payment and being ripped off. Promoting the idea that working for free is a good thing for the worker is exploitative, as is cashing in on false promises of a pay-off. That and the deception of equal value is the true fallacy of crowdsourcing design.

Branding Is Not An Afterthought
On your blog you say, “… as a startup software company, investing in brand isn’t our priority. Building software is.” So apparently you aren’t crowdsourcing your code, even though it would save you money. Viewing branding as less worthy of your investment sets up a false dichotomy. Which leg of a three-legged stool is the most important? If your branding is inferior, those perceptions will accrue to your product, no matter how great it is. Think it over.

Working at Ground Zero:

2011-08-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

How to educate clients who are new to buying design

Last week, Faithful Reader Ellen Emmerich shared this post:

“There are clients who truly understand the value of great design. They've learned on the job working with designers and other creative professionals. Unfortunately, there are less and less of these well-trained and sophisticated clients whose job description usually includes the word "marketing" . . . Then there's the client who's maybe a small business owner or an entrepreneur. What fun it is to work with them when they're closely invested in the collaboration. On the flip side, they may have no experience with buying design . . . It is up to the design community to educate them. Easier said than done.”

Too true. I work in a very small market area, and I often get inquiries from people who are not only new to buying design, but also new to being in business, with only a vague idea of how to market their companies. Since I don't consider ignorance a punishable offense, I have come up with ways to find out what they need and explain it in simple terms.

The key is to put the emphasis on what they need as an outcome, not on what you offer. Leading with a list of your services will mean nothing because inexperienced clients have little way of knowing what they need. A litany of strange terms will only induce confusion. And as we all know, confused people don’t buy. So our job is to understand their goals, and then explain what they need to get there.

There are a couple of ways to approach this. If they are truly new to doing business, the initial meeting should be face-to-face. They will likely be at sea as to what they need, even if they say they want a specific product like a web site or a brochure. Instead of saying, “OK, one web site coming up,” ask what they expect that product to do for them. Explain that web sites and logos are marketing tools and that they should expect these tools to deliver certain results. Using their business as an analogy is helpful: if the new client was a builder, you could say, “I could sell you a great band saw, but if what you really need is a miter saw, the band saw will do you no good. We need to figure out which tools will best serve you.” They will usually get it.

They also need to identify their customer. Often clients will say the equivalent of “anyone with money,” but it’s crucial for them to dig deeper. This is where you explain that you need this information to craft the best possible marketing tools. Using the builder analogy, if they want to build garages, they should not be trying to sell to people who only ride bicycles. Clarity about who will buy from them will help you create tools that deliver the outcome they want. This may sound simplistic, but when your client is new to business, explanations need to be clear, non-patronizing and in the context of his/her business.

The other way to deal with educating clients about design is an online approach. On my site I have three pdf downloads on the Process page. These help qualify people who have a higher level of needs awareness, but little or no idea of what it will take to create the tools they need. When I get a call from new prospects asking for a logo, I have them download the logo process pdf. It has three parts: the purpose of a logo, the process for creating one and a list of questions that the client needs to complete in order for us to proceed on its development. It is bit shorter than two pages and written in clear language.

This pdf accomplishes several things: it defines the nature and use of the logo as a business tool, it explains what it takes to develop one and what role the client plays, and it starts the process by asking several strategic questions. By the time clients have gone through it, they have started to answer some of the questions and are well on the road to engaging my services. It lessens the possibility of inaccurate assumptions about the logo’s use, its importance to the client’s business goals and what it will take to create a successful design. It also helps in justifying my fee and in making clear the client’s role in design development.

I have similar pdfs for web sites and for brochures. I developed these over time through experience, both my own and others’. Feel free to use them and adjust/rewrite as needed. In this economic climate, client education is more crucial than ever and can be the deciding factor as to whether the project goes forward, so I hope you will share your own approaches.

Crowdsourcing Redux

2011-08-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who commented on last week’s post about my excellent crowdsourcing adventure. The majority of you thought my response to my client was right on, but there was a vocal minority who seemed to think the issue was about me being allergic to competition, and a couple saw fit to lecture about the free market. Such as Anonymous: “So you're upset that people who bid lower prices usually (but not always) win the gig? Competitive pricing - imagine that. There are designers out there, some just as capable as your kind self, who see design as a business and are willing to treat it as such. Free markets and all that. “

Sigh. Another person who doesn’t get the difference between price and value. If the highest expression of the free market was price, we’d all be living in refrigerator boxes. The most insidious aspect of crowdsourcing design is the assumption that all little graphic doodads are created equal, especially in their ability to support clients’ businesses and help them become successful.

It is not the responsibility of clients (or crowdsourcing sites, for that matter) to somehow magically know the true value of design. Crowdsourcing has been able to make inroads because we as a profession have not done an adequate job of making our value clear. Rants about how “unfair” logo mills are only underscores what can present as an entitlement attitude: “I’m a great designer so you owe me (respect, awe, a job, lots of money, etc.).”

As a business person, I have to say that if someone tried to sell me software using that rationale, they’d be shown the door. If I’m going to spend several thousand dollars on something for my business, I need some assurance that this investment is going to pay off. The beauty of the free market is choice, and if I want to be chosen, I have to respect my clients’ choices by explaining why they should hire me.

A responder named Vitaminizer said, “A good client knows the value design brings to business, appreciates good design, knows the price . . . It's our job to attract them and work with them. We shouldn't be surprised that there are clients out there who want everything for $5. We also shouldn't waste time explaining that, to put it in a different design context, Old Navy clothes are bad quality. Instead of educating we should spend time marketing our services to businesses that appreciate the value of design.” (My bold.) So Vitaminizer, tell me this: since clients start out knowing as much about design as you might know about quantum physics, where will they learn all that stuff? And if they don’t know it, how can we successfully market to them? What basis do they have to understand our value to them?

I think that for designers, client education and marketing design have to be synonymous. As Marcelo Alvarez Bravo commented, “The big problem of the perceived quality and value has to do with the education of customers and also the inexperience of the designers to argue correctly.” I would add that in addition to those two aspects, it also has to do with the disinclination of many designers to bother explaining their worth. We need to get over ourselves.

Crowdsourcing has made inroads into the design profession partly because we let it. The push-back has to include the ability to explain clearly (and with no jargon) what design brings to the success of any organization. And no one is going to do that for us.

PS to Anonymous in Joplin: You are perfectly right, and your dilemma is a sad one. Some version of it will happen to most of us soon, if it hasn’t already. I had my own scares in July. One of the responders seemed to have a partial solution. Shewchuk said, “There are many more crowdsourcing platforms out there that vet their community (via portfolio review) and actually pay the hand-picked crew to participate in a design project that best fits their skill set and talent. The final solutions are guided by creative directors and the winning creative output earns a premium . . .” So Shewchuk, can you share the links to those sites? They don’t sound like they crowdsource if they are picky about to whom they assign work.

Crowdsourcing in My Face

2011-08-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

I recently had an experience that brought home the crowdsourcing nightmare currently infecting the design world. For those unfamiliar with this plague, crowdsourcing design is where you go to a site advertising logos or web sites for ridiculously low prices by setting up a “bidding” or “contest” situation. It’s the latest form of working on spec, something no self-respecting designer does. A client who had hired me to create a logo stumbled on a crowdsourcing site and sent a very unhappy email. I have been asked to share the experience on my blog. It’s going to be long - sorry. Here's a shortened version of the initial email, abridged to protect the client’s privacy:

Sorry that I haven't gotten back to you sooner. I'm in quite the conundrum over this and have been trying to settle on a solution . . . Within a few weeks after we began the logo process, I stumbled upon (crowdsourcing site) and thought it a great opportunity to give (another) logo a whirl to see what they came up with. I guaranteed the contest, wrote the creative brief and within one week received 47 logo designs based upon my brief, ten of which were so great that it made it nearly impossible to pick the best! For $200, I received a package of 17 different variations on the design I selected in every conceivable format. During the contest, they contacted me to talk about my product and I asked them how they were making a living at these prices, given what I was paying for the [original that LBD did) logo. The exec told me that for $2500 in this economy, I should have received both companies’ logos, all their marketing materials, plus two fully designed separate websites which included blogs, a shopping cart and SEO optimization. In fact, in the end they did end up doing all of this but the [original LBD] logo for $1800 and I am thrilled with their work and attention to my needs and damn it, why didn't I know this before?

So I am going to sit down and sort this out over the weekend . . . Once I do, I will send you the remaining balance of what I owe you. I made a commitment to you and intend to follow it through, but had this been my business, damn, I clearly would want to know this was happening.
- The client

Here is my response:

I am very sorry about your dissatisfaction with our work on your (original) logo. Because of your experience with (crowdsourcing site), you sound as though you feel that you paid too much for it.

(Crowdsourcing site) is a design crowdsourcing site, of which there are many. They broker hundreds of design projects and their process is fairly typical. Customers post projects and designers bid on them. Usually (but not always) the lowest price wins.

They make money by treating the profession of design as a commodity. It’s a volume game – if they post enough jobs, the little they make from each one adds up. This is possible because the designers who created your other 46 designs and whose work wasn’t chosen received nothing for their efforts. That happens far more often than getting an award . . . and is why crowdsourcing is considered by many to be exploitative.

A consequence of crowdsourcing is that quality suffers, not only in the final logo but in the thought that goes into it. If a designer’s odds of making any money is fairly low, there is little incentive to put much craft and originality into the entries. It becomes a numbers game for the designer, too – many keep folders of different kinds of logos and use them repeatedly, changing small aspects to refresh the work. Some users will even scrape design content from the web, change a color or a font, and put it up as an entry. There have been an increasing number of copyright infringements due to logos from crowdsourcing sites that were knock-offs of other people’s logos. (Crowdsourcing site), in their Terms and Conditions, makes it very clear that they have no responsibility for that occurrence: (3. ORIGINAL DESIGNS AND INFRINGEMENT ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. (Crowdsourcing site) is not responsible for the Content of any Design and has no obligation to screen, edit or review Designs for patent, trademark, service or copyright infringement.

So if someone claims that your design work infringes on theirs, you are on your own, even though (crowdsourcing site) makes a big point of saying that they require their designers to guarantee that their work is original. They have no means of ensuring compliance other than to ban an offending designer from their site.

It also happens that many of the designer participants are from countries like Pakistan and Romania. In those economies, $100 is big money, if they are lucky enough to win, and therefore more of an incentive to take the chance of ending up with nothing. There are good designers in those countries just as anywhere, but their cost of living is a lot lower than here. The reality is that globalization has come to the professions. This isn’t just happening to designers – it is also happening to attorneys, psychologists, and various healthcare providers.

For example: suppose I consulted with you on a medical issue, got some good advice, and then stumbled onto the same advice at webmd.com. I might feel as frustrated as you are now – why did I pay all that money? Here’s why: you spent many years acquiring your degree and decades of experience in delivering quality professional services (as did I). When I get counseling from you, I am working with a known quantity focused solely on me, who brings all her education and experience to bear on my problem. I am dealing with a person who is completely accountable for her work, and the fact that I could have dug up the information on the web is irrelevant. I could just as easily have dug up wrong information, but how would I know?

The other reality is, when any service becomes commoditized, standards inevitably diminish. The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), the top professional organization for designers, posts their stance on crowdsourcing here.

(Client:) The exec told me that for $2500 in this economy, I should have received both companies’ logos, all their marketing materials, plus two fully designed separate websites which included blogs, a shopping cart and SEO optimization.

That sounds a bit self-serving. You would not get those prices from an experienced independent professional, but you would from another crowdsourcing site. If you want to check that out, here is the FAQ page for David Airey, a well-known logo designer. See #1 for his prices. And here are some other crowdsourcing sites so you can compare your price from (crowdsourcing site): 99designs, designcrowd, the logo factory.

(Client:) In fact, in the end they did end up doing all of this . . . for $1800 and I am thrilled with their work and attention to my needs and damn it, why didn't I know this before?

Apparently up to now you were unaware of crowdsourcing. If you are thrilled with their work, then it was a good experience for you.

You will need to be the final arbiter of what logo you use, based on your own criteria, preferences and business goals. It is not possible to create a logo that everyone likes, so the most important judge of your logo is you. The one I designed for you is very good and completely unique to the business. We both put a lot of effort and thought into it. You own all rights, you have a complete set of files and you have no copyright fears. The only way you might see it elsewhere is if someone steals the image off the web. It was created using a thorough and professional process, and I believe it will add considerable value to your business.

I appreciate your frankness and I am sorry that you are not happy. I hope I have given you some useful information. I appreciate your integrity in keeping your commitment. Please let me know what you decide to do over the weekend.

Regards, Laurel

Whew! I sent it off with little hope of a happy outcome. Her response, however, was excellent – she got it! An excerpt: “. . . What I find interesting in reading these articles you were so kind to take the time to send is EXACTLY what we are fighting against in (her) profession, similar to what you pointed out. In this economy, many customers are looking for "value" and (practitioners) are constantly operating from a somewhat losing framework in that information is abundant, and a dime a dozen . . . There are good designers crowd sourcing, I'm sure, and then similar to (her) profession, there are A LOT of bad ones.

It is vital that you know that I love your work and this had nothing to do with your quality or the time we've had together on this project. I really needed a further explanation, as you were gracious enough to give me, for what this crap was all about.

Let's get this project done and out of your hair! Can you invoice me this week? Thanks for taking the time to offer me a short course!

Clearly she is a great client. I am grateful that she gave me the opportunity to tell my side of the story. This has taught me that a good way to push back when crowdsourcing rears its ugly head is to make an analogy with the client’s business. No one likes to have their work devalued and their ability to make a reasonable living degraded. It is also clear that this will continue and that it will affect all the professions. I encourage you to craft your own response for the inevitable time when you, too, will find crowdsourcing in your face.

Back from Chicago and Boy Are My Arms Tired

2011-07-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

Whew! Getting back into the regular swing after even a short time away is challenging. I spent two days in Chicago at the Creative Freelancers Conference (check out the blog), and another day at the Chicago Art Institute's museum (to die for). It was definitely worth the time spent getting ready before and catching up after. Good thing this blog is billed as sporadic.

My experience this time was a bit different than last year’s. This time, as a second-year returnee, I had friends to greet and a familiarity with the tone and energy of the event. Both of those were great, as before. What was different this time was my greater awareness that there are really two audiences for CFC: people new to the business of being an independent creative, whether transitioning from a regular job or just out of school, and those of us who have been doing it for some time. This was addressed to a certain extent by the second day’s morning sessions having two tracks, but some of the material left me with a feeling of “been there, done that.”

Not that a refresher course isn’t a good thing from time to time. And certainly input from new presenters can offer new perspectives on standard principles. I took exhaustive notes, and in transcribing them saw that I came away with more usable input than I had realized at the time.

I am sad to report that my roundtable about staying in the game as a veteran designer was roundly ignored by all but two people, one of whom was random because she came in late and just sat down at the first place she found. Of course it had a terrible title ("Too old to be a designer"). Who would want to sit at a table with a name like that? At any rate, it was a bust. Sigh. A designer in my age bracket said that she thought the median age at the conference was about 29, which probably isn't too far off the mark. I did notice some rather overt cruising, which had escaped my notice last year.

The rest of the day was one session after another, so I didn't have time to dwell on it. Until the last session, when they were doing a wrap-up and had prizes for certain categories. One of them was for who had been freelancing the longest. You won't have to guess who won. I was the sole survivor at 31 years, standing in a sea of 200 other sitting freelancers. It was a bit daunting. I did get a bunch of great swag, however, which didn't include a walker. So all’s well that ends well. I will review my notes and plan my next steps over the rest of the summer.

"Nevertirees"? Sign Me Up!

2011-06-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry to have missed posting the last week and a half. My excuse for this lapse of discipline is an uncharacteristic cold. It may be steaming in other parts of the world, but not here in the NW. Between sneezes, I thought about the upcoming Creative Freelancers Conference in Chicago and my plans for facilitating a roundtable discussion about the challenges of continuing to get work as an older designer. (I posted about this on May 2.) This has been the subject of much angst and debate among the scores of respondents, with many identifying themselves as “seasoned” veterans who have no desire and/or no ability to retire. Others had sad stories about how ageism was exacerbating the difficulty of getting hired in a bad economy. The thread has been picked up on various other sites, with more people chiming in. Turns out there are a LOT of people wondering how to write their next chapter.

So when I ran across an article, “Nevertirees” Change the Retirement Landscape,” on the Workplace Magazine site, I was interested (but not surprised) to find that this issue is not limited to the creative fields. Some excerpts:

“The world’s wealthy are attaching new meaning to the concept of retirement. According to a report in the Barclays Wealth Insights series, wealthy workers prefer to continue working for as long as they are able. In addition, they expect to start businesses and take on new projects in their later years.

“The report, The Age Illusion: How the Wealthy are Redefining Their Retirement, is based on a global survey of more than 2,000 high net worth individuals who were asked to share what retirement and later life means to them. Sixty percent of respondents indicated that they intend to continue working well into their senior years. Furthermore, the concept of nonretirement is expected to grow over the coming decades, with more than 70 percent of respondents under the age of 45 stating that they will always be involved in some way in the world of work . . . [my emphasis]

“Matt Brady, Head of Wealth Advisory, Americas at Barclays Wealth says, ‘. . . This report reflects a different attitude, with people wanting to continue to challenge themselves well beyond the traditional retirement age. Indeed, many “Nevertirees” prefer to be actively engaged and challenged and are not bound by their age with regards to continuing their working life.’”

The Barclay report attributes this sea change in cultural attitudes partly to the economy, especially in the past few years, but also to increased healthy life spans. “This poses many interesting questions, both for individuals and for businesses. How should people plan for and lead the later stages of their life in a way that fulfills both them and their families? How can businesses make the most of the corporate memory that older workers often retain?”

So is the “tradition” of retirement on its way out? For those of us in the creative professions, an added challenge is the pervasive youth bias in marketing and advertising. How do we stay in the game? I am hoping for a robust and insightful discussion next week at the conference, and I will report back to you on my return.

Click here for the full Workplace Magazine story.

Click here to view or download Barclay’s The Age Illusion: How the Wealthy are Redefining Their Retirement.

Volunteering for Fun & Non-Profit Addendum

2011-05-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

On May 16 I wrote a post about volunteering as a way to market your business. I received an query from a reader on another forum as to what to do when the non-profit client benefitting from your donation of services has endless changes and extra requests. Good question! This is a bit stickier than with a paying client, because you can't exactly add on an upcharge as you would if there was money involved. Here's how I responded:

When It Looks like the Karma is Going Sideways

Sometimes, in spite of all your explanations about the limitations of your donation as set forth in your proposal, you’ll be faced with the expectation that you will keep plugging away at the project until “everyone is happy with it.” When that occurs, you can do one of two things.

You can call a come-to-Jesus meeting and refer the client to your original agreement, reminding them that an offer of donated services is not the same thing as indentured slavery. Your proposal notwithstanding, because they are so devoted to their cause, they may have no idea that they are making unreasonable demands. This is another opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and train your non-profit how to be a good client. Whether this is possible depends on the individual circumstances.

The other alternative is to look at the repercussions of bailing vs. sucking it up and finishing the project. It could be that the PR fallout from not finishing might be worse than not having done the project at all. Either way, this situation requires a judgment call on your part. Since all situations are different, you will have to decide what it is worth to you, whether you draw a hard line or see it through to the end.

Recently I was faced with this situation, and decided to suck it up and finish. I was quite sure the intention was not to wring every possible drop of free work out of me. It was rather the result of inexperience on the part of the client and their trust in me to help them get what they needed. I also saw an excellent opportunity to have my halo polished publically by some very happy campers. I ended up spending twice as much effort on the project as I had intended, but the result turned out to be one of the best logos I have ever done. Needless to say, I have put it in all my online portfolios and in a design competitions. Hopefully the karma will include some professional recognition!

Inertia in the Marketplace

2011-05-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ways to describe what graphic design really is that it’s a form of pretty potent behavior modification (see my post of 2-7-11). Designers combine words and pictures to persuade and/or inspire the viewer to behave in ways that benefit the clients of the designers. That usually means “Buy my stuff.” Pretty straightforward in its intent, if not in its execution. We’re a pretty manipulative lot, at least when we’re effective. And in order to be effective, it is well to remember the two basic behaviors that marketing is always trying to modify.

When you want to persuade people to take action, you are asking them to do one of two things: 1) either start doing something they’ve never done before, or 2) stop doing something the way they’ve been doing it and begin doing it a different way. This distinction is crucial in crafting your approach. In both cases inertia has to be overcome.

In the first instance, getting people to start doing something that they’ve never done before requires a compelling case for the new thing. Up to now the need hasn’t been perceived because the object hasn’t existed. In this case inertia = no perceived need. How the iPod was initially marketed is a good example. Potential buyer inertia was overcome by positioning the product as surpassingly cool, partly by offering its market a way to enjoy music in unprecedented ways.

In the second case, to get past the inertia of sticking with the comfortable same-old, a strong case must be made for why switching to Product A will be better than continuing to use Product B. This can be based on cost, convenience, quality, efficiency, or any number of characteristics depending on the product’s market. Above all there must be a strong incentive for risking the discomfort of the unknown. Here, inertia = preference for the familiar. So the rivals to the iPod now have to explain why you should buy their product and not the iPod.

I am not sure which type of inertia is harder to overcome. But I am very sure that we need to be aware of which type we are addressing, and craft our approach accordingly. Otherwise our marketing will fall on deaf ears.

Volunteering for Fun & Non-Profit (and “Free” Marketing!)

2011-05-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

As businesses, we are continually challenged to find and engage with our target markets. And as small enterprises, we have to do this as cost-effectively as possible, being without the big marketing budgets of corporations. A great way to do this is to volunteer.

I live in a small community where it is possible to connect in ways that may not be possible in larger areas. However, there are certain principles that can be applied at any scale, including online.

1. Choose strategically as well as ethically. There are two things to consider in choosing how to volunteer. One, of course, is to pick a cause that reflects your personal values. If you support organic farming, you could join the board of the local farmer’s market. If you support community outreach to at-risk populations, you might volunteer for the YMCA or United Way. Service clubs like Rotary are highly effective at doing good and have many business people as members.

The other consideration is strategic. Most organizations have boards whose members are listed on their web sites. Look at the board lists of the causes you want to help, and look for people for whom you would like to work. Volunteering is a perfect way to showcase your worth while supporting a cause your prospect cares about. But your support has to be sincere – phonies and opportunists will eventually be outed, resulting in negative marketing. Sincere support is first, your marketing agenda is second.

2. Volunteer for tasks that require your abilities. This is a golden opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, professionalism and integrity to potential clients. You will be judged the same as on a paid job, so treat it accordingly. Show up, do what you said you would do, and be accountable and available. Don’t assume that because you are working for free that the job is any less important to your reputation or matters less than your paid work.

3. Define the assignment the same as you would paid work. Set it up in front with a formal proposal that has a defined scope, timeline, etc., just as if you were being paid. This does two things: it sets limits as to what you will do pro bono, and it educates your fellow volunteers as to what such a job entails. It would be very bad if your philanthropy resulted in misperceptions about what it really takes to provide products and services. It’s up to you to prevent that by being clear about the assignment’s details and boundaries.

4. Execute as though the gods were watching your every move. This is your chance to show the pillars of your community not only how excellent your work is and how professional you are, but what a joy you are to work with. People tend to hire those they know and trust. This is how you show that you are that person. People also tend to hire those who they feel have similar values.

5. Do not neglect invoicing! It’s another opportunity to educate your future client, and also gives your group a valuable tool for fundraising. Non-profits are always chasing grants. Often grants require either a hard or soft match for the funds they hand out. A hard match means the group has to match the grant in dollars. A soft match means the group can provide a match of in-kind products or services. This has to be documented, however, and that’s where your invoice comes in. You submit an invoice as you usually do with its actual price, and then add a note that says “Discounted 100%” (or 50% if it’s a partial pro bono). This will not only allow the group to use your donation as a soft match, but it will also make them fully aware of the value of what you gave. This will ensure that when Mr. Fellow Board Member comes to you for his business that he doesn’t have any unfortunate assumptions of what it will cost. And it will also make you look like a hero for thinking of it. They will thank you.

When It Looks Like the Karma is Going South

Not all non-profits are ethically squeaky clean. Recognize when your benefactees may be sliding towards exploiting you. This can happen for a number of reasons: when a non-profit is starting up because someone is trying to create a job at no cost to himself; when the board has no respect for anyone’s time or abilities but their own; or the executive director, ditto. It’s up to you to see when this is happening and deal with it in a way that is not damaging to your business. No cause is worth feeling used and resentful. But - even if the group you volunteered for turns out to be less than ideal, you did a good job, you made new connections, and now you can return refreshed to your regular clients.

Weasels Are the Exception, Not the Norm

The vast majority of people and groups are wonderful. Besides the chance to make meaningful and satisfying connections, volunteering offers opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills in ways that are not always available to a small business. In volunteering, the very least you will gain is getting to know some great people, and the knowledge that you have used your talents to make the world better.

I Was Completely Distracted by This

2011-05-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

I had every intention of writing another post this week, filled with more trenchant observations (or at least some snarky comments) on the intersection of design and business, and then this came to me in a forward. Its sheer beauty and wit completely threw me off my rails. See for yourself: http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item3384
The campaign's been out for a while, but I hadn't seen all the different versions pulled together in one place. It just blew my socks off - it will probably do the same for you. Enjoy!

My Excellent Guest Blogging Adventure

2011-05-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

I often comment on posts on a favorite blog of mine called the Creative Freelancer Blog, a part of the Creative Freelancer Conference site. I attended the conference last year for the first time, got a ton of good information and really enjoyed the professional fellowship. Recently I posted a question that I'm sure has been on the minds of many professionals on the wrong side of 50: how do we stay in the game as we get older? In the case of graphic design, there seems to be a definite youth bias in hiring, whether it's for employees or for independent contractors.

Much to my surprise, the post got dozens of responses and more are still coming in. It's apparently a burning question for many, especially since the economy took a dive. The stories are fascinating and the ideas for coping are all over the place. Take a look and see for yourself: too-old-to-be-a-designer?

Hopefully you'll be inspired to add your own two cents, whether you're a designer or not. Actually, especially if you're not a designer - tell us what you think!

Cake Inscriptions Gone Horribly Wrong

2011-04-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

Apropos last week's post about mangled names, Alert Reader Francine Rose sent this photo as further proof that a feeble grasp of language can sabotage the happiest of events. Thanks, good buddy!

In Defense of Boring: Watch Out for “Clever” Names

2011-04-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

One of the most exhilarating parts of starting a business is to dream up a name for it. Or it’s one of the most excruciating – depends how comfortable you are with words. If you aren’t, you may default to something generic like “Joe’s Yard Service.” In my early days as a business, I would have greeted such an approach with a big yawn. BO-ring. But sometimes boring can be your friend – read on:

When my then-associate and I planned our business launch, we agonized over the name issue. It had to reflect our values and unique flavor, and make us stand out from the herd. We finally had recourse to the dictionary, and found our perfect name in the A’s: anaglyph. An anaglyph is an image created by combining two points of view. How perfect, we thought – we’re combining our unique points of view to create images for our clients! So we became Anaglyph Art Services.

As time went on, we found that people had a hard time spelling and pronouncing it, didn’t know what it meant and generally found it obtuse. We kept using it because we loved how well it reflected what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it. After a few years my associate left, but I kept the name because, I reasoned, my work reflected the combination of my viewpoint and my client’s. Still perfect!

However, the afore-mentioned problems with “anaglyph” continued. People continued to misunderstand, mispronounce, misspell and generally mangle the name. But as years passed, I got used to it and more than able to tune out signals that it wasn’t working all that well. Until one fateful day when the phone rang: I picked it up and a quavering, little-old-lady voice said, “Hello? Is this Analgram?”

Well. Talk about a wake-up call.

Without dwelling on the logistics or definition of an “analgram,” I lost as little time as possible in changing it. As it happened, I was about to move to a new town and would have to get new business materials, so it was a perfect time to become Laurel Black Design. Here’s who I am and here’s what I do – no mystery, no embarrassing or bizarro misinterpretations. It may be boring, but at least it’s clear. In the years since, I have tried to add meaning and interest to it by producing un-boring work.

So when you decide on a name, go for clarity first and clever second. That way no one will ever ask you for an analgram.

What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Had to Find Out the Hard Way:

2011-04-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

Never sell your product or service to someone who doesn’t understand its value.

This happens when we make assumptions about the customer’s knowledge level. It is our job as businesses to make sure our customers understand not just what they are buying, but how it will benefit them and why it is valuable. People don’t always know what assumptions they have because the assumptions are unconscious. Sometimes these are wishful thinking; sometimes they’re based on a customer’s previous experience that has nothing to do with you and your offer. So we need to identify a customer’s knowledge gaps or run the risk of bad surprises, especially at invoice time.

A new client once asked me to design a business card including a small illustration. At the time it was about a $200 job – not huge, so I didn’t feel a formal contract was needed. I thought we had a good understanding about the project parameters, and got to work. When I had a draft ready, I faxed her a proof (that’s how long ago it was) and waited to hear back. When time passed with no response, I gave her a follow-up call. She said, “Oh, we’ve decided to go another direction with this project, so we won’t be needing your work.” I said in that case I would send her a bill for the work I had already done, and that’s when it all hit the fan.

She was incensed that I would have the nerve to bill her for anything when all I had produced was a fax. I explained that I had spent some time designing the card and creating the illustration, but she insisted that I had delivered nothing of substance and that she owed me nothing. When I continued to disagree with her, she became very abusive and even threatened to sue me if I tried to pursue the matter. At this point I realized that she was a) nuts, b) had absolutely no intention of ever paying and c) had every intention of being as obnoxious as possible or whatever it took to make me go away. Not worth $200, so I let it go.

What I learned was that I should have made certain that this person understood what exactly she was buying and what its value was. I assumed that she knew that what designers sell is design, not pieces of paper with ink on them. She assumed that she would get a physical thing of some kind – or maybe she had found someone else to do it for less money and just lied through her teeth. Since then, I have made sure that clients understand not only what they are buying, but how design will help their businesses.

Some have told me that they assumed that graphic design is like architecture: the design is part of the proposal process and what they actually pay for is the project execution. (Notice how the word “assume” keeps recurring?) These folks need to understand that when creative services are sold, those are the end product, not a means to another end, like a house. And it is also my job to make sure clients understand that they’re not just buying little graphic doodads to dress up their business materials and impress their friends. They are buying visual marketing tools that that will powerfully support their own business success.

What are the values that you need to make sure your clients understand? How do you convey the purpose and worth of your services?

Features & Benefits Revisited

2011-04-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

I received a very thoughtful email from a reader of the March 14 post about features and benefits that I thought well worth sharing (with a bit of abridgment for space’s sake). My responses are in black.

I read your blog post [and] I understand and agree with your premise; however I felt you could have taken it further. The examples in the blog didn't connect for me. In order to work, the features being sold/promoted need to have a perceived benefit to the customer. Using a features/benefits filter is a great idea, but first you have to be clear on the customer viewpoint so you are able to identify the benefits to that customer . . .

. . . No one will ever totally nail how benefits are perceived by anyone because perceptions are fluid. Even within one individual, what are perceived as benefits will change from day to day. The goal is to do your best and keep trying to understand the needs and perceptions of your market. You do that by nurturing an on-going awareness of whom you’re serving.

Some choices, like fashion, may often be made emotionally. Others, like choosing a lawyer, are made to meet a perceived need.

Needs and emotions are not in separate categories; rather, they tend to feed and color each other. Many people view fashion purchases as needs-based. Even with something as apparently pragmatic as choosing a lawyer, the emotional component is still huge. Any time a person is choosing a professional service, the rapport between the client and the professional will be as crucial to the success of the process as the skill level of the professional.

It is a fine line that must be walked in tying the features to the benefits lest the customer feels his needs are not being heard and/or addressed because the "benefits" are being sold apart from the features - benefits not desired and/or viewed as false by the customer.

If you mean that benefits are often marketed with little or no basis in or relation to the product’s actual features, I would call that bad marketing. The ironic effect of bad marketing is that people will find out that much faster that the offering is crap. A sort of built-in karma.

Honest communication is the key, as I see it.

Absolutely. People in general are not stupid. Sooner or later charlatans will be exposed.

So I think it must be understood and acknowledged that customer-centric marketing as you define it, with the emphasis on benefits is potentially exclusionary - especially if benefits are pre-conceived and/or "targeted".

Emphasis on benefits is not exclusionary because the emphasis does not ignore features, but uses them as a basis for asserting benefits. When people read a list of features, they subconsciously interpret the features into their own internal list of benefits – how they perceive what’s in it for them (self-interest). Benefit-centric marketing does this for the customer and brings the benefits up to consciousness. Often features are used to bolster the assertions of what the benefits are. You can’t really make a strong case for benefits without referring to the features.

And on that note, I’d like to share a great quote from David H. Sandler I ran across that neatly sums the subject up: “People buy on emotion, then justify with logic.”

A Sensible Approach to Marketing: DIY vs. Handing It Off

2011-03-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Marketing is a vast subject and the very thought of it can feel overwhelming, whether you want to do it yourself or hire it out. There are many books and web sites around that purport to help you through this quandary. Some are more useful than others. I have recently looked at Guerilla Marketing, a famous marketing series for small businesses that began in the 80’s and has become a publishing semi-empire for its creator, Jay Conrad Levinson. He has a lot of good tips, but he does the marketing community a disservice by insisting that a layperson can DO IT ALL. Excuse me – I’m a designer and I know that clients do not have the expensive programs required, the knowledge to use them or the training that is needed to create marketing pieces that work. That’s why I have a business that’s operated and grown for 30 years.

There is a reason why I have an accountant – I could theoretically do my taxes myself, but it would take days and I would screw it up. Professional services are well worth it, and as a professional service, naturally I recommend hiring someone to help you. Unless you have a strong background in marketing yourself, you will be pitted against an army of professionals who will eat your lunch. Let those who have a passion for it (like you have a passion for what you do) do what they do best.

However, hiring a professional does not mean that you can sit back passively and let someone else steer your boat. You will need to give direction and keep the goals and vision of your business front and center.

When you decide it’s time to hire marketing help, make sure you have done your homework, and know what you want for an outcome and what level of resources you can invest. Interview any firm you’re considering thoroughly before committing to anything. Get a detailed proposal and ask a lot of questions. Make sure whoever you work with is reputable and has a track record. You can spend the farm on marketing with no result if you are not careful. But when you partner with a great firm, you will get the best value for the investment of your time, energy and money.

The Logo Part of Branding: Why Process is Crucial

2011-03-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

A company’s logo is just one part of its brand, but since it conveys the brand visually, relevance and meaning are crucial. I have been guiding clients through logo development for years and when the process is conducted properly, there are three phases: research, concept development and execution.

Often a client will want to go straight to the concept phase, usually because it is the most easily understood step. Starting there is a really bad idea because research, concept development and execution are like the legs on a three-legged stool. If you remove one of them, the whole thing falls down.

· If you have great research and great concepts, but the execution is poor, no one will get your great idea or the thought behind it.

· Similarly, all the thorough research and great execution in the world won’t make up for inferior concepts – it will just make their badness more obvious.

· And if you have great execution and fantastic concepts, but the research was shallow, sloppy or not done at all, you will miss your mark completely.

During the first phase, the client and the designer conduct research to define the client’s market, competition, client goals and other client-specific issues, to provide a sound conceptual and practical basis for the design direction. This necessarily leads everyone through a review of the organization’s brand positioning and promises. This phase is absolutely key for establishing benchmarks to identify relevant concepts. The end result of phase one is the creative brief, a document that defines the way forward to create the logo.

The second phase is concept development. Using the results of the research phase, a range of concepts are developed in thumbnail form and jointly reviewed by the designer and the client for meaning, impact, creativity and the factors specific to the client’s goals.

The third stage is execution. Choosing from the concepts of phase two, one or more are chosen for further development into a finished state of design. These “comps” are evaluated using the benchmarks developed in the early phase, and a final design is chosen. By this point in the process, all those involved are deeply familiar with the company’s brand, what it stands for, how it needs to be positioned in the mind of its market, and what its messages are.

When a proper process is used, a company’s logo will be a thoughtful and effective symbol of its brand. There really are no shortcuts.

Features & Benefits:

2011-03-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

What Are You REALLY Offering to Your Customers?

As the economy (hopefully) continues on its tortuous path to recovery, its progress will be paralleled by an increase in competition. Product/service differentiation is key to holding your own in the marketplace, so it’s time to get crystal clear on what your business really offers.

A useful way to do that is the Features/Benefits Filter. Buying decisions are based far more often on benefits, which are perceived emotionally, than features, which are perceived rationally. Example: I am buying some shoes. Their features: made of brown suede, 3” heels, non-slip soles and they lace up. Benefits: really stylish oxfords that make me feel competent AND attractive. The features (and price) are important, but what’s really selling me are the benefits. Without them, the features don’t move me and I probably won’t buy.

This exercise can be applied to services as well. Example: I need a will, and therefore a lawyer. Features: really up on current estate law, and has a convenient location and a reasonable hourly fee. Benefits: peace of mind knowing that my affairs will be handled per my wishes, and I will not be leaving a big mess for my family. The benefits of doing my will are far more engaging than the mechanics of the process, so I will actually do it.

To sum up: Features describe the product. Benefits describe what’s in it for the customer. For your marketing to be customer-centric, and therefore effective, benefits need the emphasis. Try applying the filter to your own offering from your customers’ viewpoint – looking at it through their eyes will tell you a lot about how to adjust your marketing and better position your business.

A laundry list of product or service features is a big ho-hum; clarity about the benefits you offer will strike an immediate note. Lead with those and you will reap major benefits for your business.

Let's Play Pretend

2011-03-08T21:22:00.000-08:00

Putting Yourself in Your Customer’s Shoes

Let’s Play Pretend is an exercise I ask my clients to do when we are in the process of creating marketing tools. Yes, it sounds like “Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” but it’s really eye-opening. Any organization, large or small, needs to understand its value to its customers from the customer’s point of view. One simple way to figure that out is to pretend you are your own customer and experience your business from that viewpoint.

An example: All too often, when you read the brochure or web site of a business you’re considering, the messages are all about them and how great they are, and not about how they can serve you and solve your problem. We’ve all had the experience of going to a web site to find answers to a particular dilemma, only to be confronted by a wall of text that must be slogged through to find any answers.

It’s as if you went to a fitness center and asked the front desk receptionist about available programs, and the receptionist said, “In a minute, BUT FIRST you have to read our mission statement, all our staff bios, our company history, our membership policies, how we bill and what happens if you pay late. And then I’ll tell you about our programs unless it’s time for my break.” A sane person would turn around and leave. And that’s what people do at web site landing pages when the page is all about the business and not about how it can help them.

If you’re in retail, here's another example. Stand in front of your store pretending you're a customer and see what strikes you. Are you excited to go in? Or do you notice a tired window display, trash on the sidewalk or an illegible sign? Once you’ve entered, are you happy to be there? Or do you see a confusing layout, sloppy employees or poorly lit displays? Hmmm . . .

It is hard to bring these issues into awareness when you’re immersed in the day-to-day minutiae of running a business. In customer mode, you'll see both the good and the bad more clearly. Playing pretend helps you fix the problems and build on the strengths.

For those of us who offer professional services, service quality, delivery and satisfaction must constantly be monitored. We survive on word of mouth, so understanding how our clients experience our services is a matter of business life or death. Since we tend to become blind to what’s constantly around us, the trick is to cultivate fresh eyes and ears, and this is how playing pretend will help you. It’s a free source of good information, and it serves to remind us of who should be front and center in our business consciousness: our customer.

Buying Local?

2011-03-01T15:37:00.000-08:00

Recently I have noticed a heightened interest in Buy Local programs. Certainly during economic recessions, low-hanging fruit merits a close look. As a professional service in a small market area, I appreciate being considered when there are projects to bid on. But creating a “buy local” campaign has other aspects that need some thought.

The virtues of buying local are many: local dollars have a direct and immediate effect on the health of the local economy, benefiting everyone in it. The multiplier effects of money spent locally are well-known. Local businesses are far more likely to support community charitable and improvement efforts. What’s not to love?

What often gets overlooked is that no one OWES anyone else their business. The main downside I have noticed about such campaigns is that they tend to sound whiney. “You should hire me because I’m your neighbor.” Well, not really. I make purchasing decisions based primarily on my own self-interest. If it turns out I can get my needs met locally, great. But it’s not the main criterion. And I know that when a client is considering me for a job, the fact that I’m close by is nice, but not the main determinant.

What matters the most is how a business’s value is perceived. Put another way, we have to earn the business we get, regardless of where it comes from. No one should think they should get business based on their address. A thoughtful Buy Local program doesn’t ask for that – instead, it asks for a level playing field: “Give me a shot before you assume that you have to go out of town to get what you want. And here’s why you’ll be glad you did.”

The online world has made national and global competition a daily reality for everyone. We have to be able to compete on merit with Achmed in Morocco, Da Liu in Atlanta and Bridget in New Caledonia, and make a compelling business case no matter where we’re marketing. So I will happily pitch a company in Omaha, but I can also expect to bid against a firm from there for a project here. Expecting to get preferential treatment from your buddy at your kid’s soccer game is not realistic. Making sure he knows that you offer great value respects both his prerogatives and your professionalism.

So it’s really about CHOOSE Local and making your case to the local market with the same effort you would make to any prospect. Nobody owes us anything but a fair shot.

Walk Your Talk!

2011-02-14T21:32:00.000-08:00

In a conversation today with one of my favorite fellow designers, a less than favorite subject came up. We were comparing notes about clients with an Achilles heel I’ll call quality blindness. These are the folks who want high quality marketing pieces, but are unwilling or unable to deal with the dichotomy of having champagne taste on a beer budget. We can all relate to that – after all, we’re in a recession and everyone needs to pinch pennies. But what’s troubling about these clients is that while they expect to get the big bucks for their own work, they won’t acknowledge that other professionals also deserve to be paid for the value of their services. It translates to “I should be paid what (I think) I’m worth, but not you.” HellO??

And the irony of it is that they need the quality marketing design in order to get the high-end work. Some dots aren’t being connected here, notably the ones that would help them understand that if their marketing looks cut-rate, prospects will assume the same of their services. Bye-bye high-end jobs.

So there’s two ways that this talk needs to be walked:

1. Businesses that want clients willing to pay for high-quality work had better position themselves as firms that deliver quality and deserve to be paid accordingly. For that they’ll need high-quality marketing materials, which aren’t available at bargain-basement prices.

2. So if businesses want the kind of marketing tools that brings in that level of work, they should be prepared to pay fairly for the quality of the design that they’re receiving, just as they expect to be paid fairly for their work.

I guess you could say we’re talking about the Golden Rule here. Or maybe karma. Respect cuts both ways, doesn’t it?

What Graphic Designers REALLY Do (and it's not art)

2011-02-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

I often encounter confusion among clients new to buying graphic design about what it is they should expect from me and the work they’re buying. Sometimes all they have is a vague notion that they’re going to get little pictures about what they sell, and that these pictures should be attractive so people will look at them. They tend to associate this process with art, and may think that design and art are the same thing. This is understandable since both art and design are visual in nature. But their functions are completely different.

When asked some years ago what the difference was, Milton Glaser (an icon of contemporary design) said something like this: the function of art is to intensify one’s perception of reality and create new languages of meaning. But the function of design is to communicate, and for that we must use known symbols.

Pretty deep (although not an exact quote). I read this at a time when I needed an Ah-Ha moment in my work, and Mr. Glaser came through. Coming from a fine art academic background, I had been trying to suss out how the two disciplines are related. I now had my answer. It has helped me understand the difference between artistic goals and design goals, and that I will be both a better artist and a better designer by always being clear about which is which and not confusing them.

This understanding has also kept me from becoming one of those dreaded stereotypes of the commercial art world: prima donna designers who disregard their clients’ ideas, insist they know best, and work in the vacuum of their own ego. To them I say: listening to your client is not a sell-out. It’s the only way you can create effective work. Work that is not effective is a failure, no matter how cool it is.

Here are some other designers’ takes on the difference between art and design:

Creative without strategy is called ‘art’. Creative with strategy is called ‘advertising’. – Jeff Richards

It is no secret that the real world in which the designer functions is not the world of art, but the world of buying and selling. – Paul Rand

Clients are the difference between design and art. — Michael Bierut

Here’s my take: it is the job of graphic design to combine words and pictures to create an image that will inspire a particular behavior. Specifically, I am supposed to create communications that will motivate people to behave in ways that benefit my clients. Usually that means “Buy our stuff.” It can also mean “Buy into our social cause” or “Vote for us.” What designers REALLY do is nothing more nor less than behavior modification. Designers are all closet Skinnerian psychologists.

I have found that sharing this viewpoint with clients is clarifying for them as well. It helps clients understand what they are really buying, and gives them a benchmark for evaluating its usefulness. This in turn helps me do better work because they are able to give me better direction. This is where design really differentiates from art: design is all about communication. Design puts aesthetic expression at the service of the client, not the creator. And when good communication exists between clients and designers, the communication between clients and their markets will be much more successful. For my clients, that’s the whole point.

Doing it Right the First Time: Why Sequence Can Make or Break Your Marketing

2011-01-31T10:31:00.000-08:00

Recently I met with a start-up (let’s call him Mr. B) to discuss a project, and immediately ran into an all-too-common speed bump. In his eagerness to get the business up and running, he had decided that his top priority for marketing was his sign. So he went to a sign painter who made him a fairly generic sign. Then Mr. B decided that he needed an ad in the newspaper. The newspaper designed an ad for him that (no surprise) bore no resemblance to his sign. Then Mr. B thought it would be a nice touch if his employees wore matching T-shirts, so he went to a screen printer and had some made up. Again no surprise, the T-shirts bore no resemblance to the ad and the sign.

At this point, Mr. B called me about a web site. He showed me his sign, ad and T-shirts, and wanted to know if I could somehow meld all of these things into a coherent design that would help market his business.

Sigh. I had to be the bearer of bad news: none of it was worth salvaging, because none of it represented the true essence/ value of his company. It was just a hodge-podge created by people whose jobs are to make signs, sell ads and print T-shirts, not create effective marketing tools. Mr. B. had made a classic mistake of a start-up: no visual marketing strategy.

Signs, ads and web sites are expensive. But they cost the most when they don’t work. And when they’re based on a bunch of unrelated images, they really don’t work. So before spending a dime, think through the process. Marketing planning is a huge subject, and needs plenty of attention before and after launch, but the part I want to emphasize here is the importance of sequence in developing the tools you will use.

ALWAYS START WITH THE LOGO. This is the piece that drives the design of everything else. People experience consistency as reliability, definitely an important brand attribute. As your market becomes more familiar with your business, your logo will acquire more and more power through consistent and frequent use. This builds trust, recognition and mind share in your audience because people feel comfortable with things that are familiar. And when they feel comfortable, they are way more likely to buy.

The next step: create your business materials. Business cards are a critical tool for networking – an inexpensive way to not only share contact information, but to make a statement about your business in a highly compact and memorable way in less than 10 seconds. Letterhead and envelopes are part of this step as tools to present yourself professionally. Probably because so much is done online, offline correspondence is becoming more effective.

Whether your next piece is a web site or a brochure depends on your business and how you tell people about it. Either way, the style of these pieces must be driven by the logo, as should your advertising in any medium, your sign, your fleet graphics, employee apparel, advertising specialties such as cups, and anything where your business presence will appear. This sequence needs to be determined before you leap ahead to have individual marketing tools designed, and a market-oriented designer can help you figure this out. This sequence is just as important as establishing your logo as the basis of your visual marketing tools. So don’t make Mr. B’s mistake – have your logo designed before you do anything else, make it the source of all that follows, and create your marketing tools in the order that’s best for you.

Climbing Out of Our Professional Silos

2011-01-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

Being terminally curious, one of the things I love about being a graphic designer is the opportunity to learn about other people’s businesses and organizations, and getting to see what their world is all about. This can be intense, since most people who care about their work are focused almost to the point of obsession – of necessity, this is where their attention goes. You could say that they spend most of their time in their professional silos (a marketing term for areas of specialization).

It’s great to hang out with enthusiastic people and help them get their message out, but I have noticed an increase in a certain tendency since the recession took hold. Perhaps because of anxiety about a dicey business climate, people seem to have less inclination to climb out of their silos and visit other people’s. Recently in one of my groups, the dialogue turned to a business sector that was not represented there, but that I had some familiarity with. I was startled to hear otherwise smart people make incorrect assumptions about that sector, and then come up with solutions for the problems they assumed existed. They seemed to have no sense that their assumptions might be wrong or needed to be verified. Yet none of these people would appreciate a stranger unfamiliar with their business telling them all the things they were doing wrong.

I believe this was a result of their being completely immersed in their own challenges, focused on their own silos, with little time for understanding the big picture. But that’s exactly why we were meeting. The value of such a group, on or off line, is the opportunity to see how your business fits into the larger scheme of things and where synchronicity can occur. We need to take a vacation from our silos every so often because none of us operates in a vacuum. Silos are good things because they allow us to really focus on our work, but when they become reclusive Comfort Cocoons, then we’re in danger of being trapped by our own limitations.

The take-away? When I want to know what goes on in classrooms, I should ask a teacher. When I want to know what’s up with land use regulations, I should ask a planner. When I want to know what goes on in the forest, I should ask a forester. When I want to know how ink gets on paper, I should ask a printer. Spending time in someone else’s silo, besides being fascinating, may shed some light on our own dilemmas. It will certainly make us more valuable professionals.

Welcome to my blog and my first post!

2011-01-13T18:24:00.000-08:00

It seems fitting that I should begin by sharing a bit about myself. One of the main things about me is that I live and work in a rural area in Washington State, the Olympic Peninsula. It's a great place to do those two things, and I am living proof. But the challenges are a bit different than in the city. Read on:

Urban Refugee Syndrome (URS)

I identified and named this common affliction shortly after establishing my design practice. It demonstrates that if you want a first-hand lesson in karma, move to a sparsely populated area. Although I didn't contract URS myself, it didn't take long to notice sympotims in others.

It begins when a business or professional person moves from the city to the country for the first time. If he or she has URS, this person will unconsciously assume two things: that he or she is one of the first ever people to have had the brilliant foresight to flee urban blight, and that it will be impossible to get the kind of support services of the same quality he/she used to enjoy in the city.

This patronizing attitude, even though unconscious, will be very apparent to the locals, and it will not create goodwill.

It will also keep URS sufferers from finding business services locally because they won't look. This unfortunate state of affairs will continue until the newcomer has been in the country long enough to be on the receiving end of URS. At that point (hopefully), the dots will connect and the former new person will evolve into a valued member of the local business community.

My first experience of URS was with a guy who needed a logo for his salmon wholesaling business. As I was reviewing my portfolio with him, he pointed to one of my pieces and said, “I couldn’t possibly get work like that here. I would have to go to Seattle.” I was dumbfounded. Whose portfolio did he think I was showing? I had just left a design position in Seattle, but apparently when you move from Seattle to the Peninsula, all your abilities fall off the ferry into Puget Sound as you leave the city behind.

URS can be forestalled fairly easily.

Rural professionals have to be hyper-aware of how they present right from the get-go. How you dress, what your web site and office look like, your business materials, how you answer the phone, all that stuff, has to be top-notch. My tag line is "Perception is everything," and when it comes to establishing credibility with a URS person, perception is absolutely crucial.

By managing these aspects, you tell clients how to perceive you. You torpedo those unconscious assumptions before they even gain a toehold. And you are also telling them to expect to pay you what you're worth.

One of the worst URS assumptions is that since services in the country must be of less value than those in the city, they should be cheaper. Do not reinforce this stereotype by thinking that because you live in a small town, you can get away with showing up in a sweatshirt and jeans. If you look like you only need $10/hour to live on, that's all you'll get.

The take-away: Do not assume that people will automatically know how great you and your business are -- you have to tell them by demonstrating your worth in every possible way.