A client might label their designer as either a professional or an amateur. But, did you know that designers classify their clients the same way?

Even if you have limited (or no) experience working with a professional graphic designer, you can still act like a pro.

The key characteristics of a professional client are:

• They are well-prepared.
• They communicate effectively and clearly.
• They trust that the designer is an expert in their field.

The Bailiwick Company wrote a terrific post: Working with Graphic Designers: Get the Most for Your Money.

Here’s an overview of their tips:

1. Finalize copy before handing it over to the design team.
2. Do not make changes piecemeal.
3. Be specific about what you’re seeking in a design.
4. If you’re uncertain about what you want, trust the designers.
5. Identify your audience and your objective.
6. Collaboration is great, confusion isn’t.
7. Let the professionals do their job.
8. The design process should not cause angst.

Read the full article here.

Piecemeal changes, confusing emails, etc. are essentially distractions from the task at hand – to create beautiful, effective work. A process full of distractions is headed for disaster. Expect the budget to take a hit as well.

Share your thoughts in the comments:

What else can clients (or designers) do to keep the project on track and the budget down?

Making beautiful work matters to design legend, Saul Bass*, and it matters to me.

“You can get much more quickly to an answer if you don’t worry about those things [making it beautiful]. It costs every designer money to make it beautiful. It means you have to spend more time, you have to futz with it, you have to noodle, you have to push, you have to pull, you have to try, you have to do. And that’s all money. You’re eating up your budget. But, that’s a commitment you either make, or you don’t make.”

– Saul Bass

Watch the full 2-minute  clip here:

I found this video clip via Jacob Cass’s blog over at Just Creative Design. View his post here.

Family and friends always ask why I don’t just leave a design project alone once it hits that “good enough” level. It looks fine. The client would be satisfied. But, it’s not beautiful. Yet.

Those extra steps are for me. Sure, the client benefits from it … but wanting and needing to take the extra steps between “good enough” and beautiful is why I’m in business for myself. It’s why I come to work each day.

Clients hire designers to take care of the aesthetics. We’re the experts. It’s up to us to make it beautiful.