One of the many hats a good art director wears is that of a “therapist.” You must ask a lot of questions to get to the bottom of what the client really wants without disturbing the “patient” and without causing any emotional trauma. After all, some clients are only looking for what’s wrong with a design as opposed to what is right about a design. That is a recipe for disaster. If the first thing that pops into a clients mind is, “what’s wrong with this piece,” instead of “what works?” You’re in trouble.
If you are forced to work with someone who only know what they don’t like, make sure your budget coincides with the client’s expectations. Usually, a client will make a counter-offer to your first estimate, but if you break it down, phase by phase, hour by hour, you can then ask the client where they want to trim from your proposed estimate. People rarely have an idea of the value of your time as a designer, so make sure you break it down for them.
I’ve said it a hundred times, if not a thousand: never start a project with a new client without getting a non-refundable deposit first. New clients are quick to get a designer started on a project because they are on a specific deadline, but they are never as quick to pull out their check books to give you funds you might need to get the project started. Without that deposit, you are helpless to their demands. Some new clients will flaunt their wealth and credibility, but then getting paid is like tracking down an escaped fugitive. Consider yourself warned.
Like a good therapist, you should always ask a lot of questions. And listen carefully to the answers. Some clients will unknowingly reveal themselves as a difficult client to work with, but you have to be listening and paying attention or you will miss the “red flag.”
A “red flag” is a signal that something is not right. Something will happen or someone will say something that will trigger a warning that trouble is near. Pay attention to your gut. Diagnose your situation. If you have more to lose from a project or a job than you have to gain, why waste your time at all? Move on.
