Comments on: Dealing with Client Objections & Rejections http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/ An Ultimate Resource for Graphic Designers Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:43:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Todd Michael http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/comment-page-1/#comment-12839 Todd Michael Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:44:04 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/#comment-12839 Hi Jody I'm a graphic artist turned mosaicist. Im trying to formulate a way to deal only with A list clients. I love researching for new projects and making composites. As of yet I do not charge a consultation fee or design fee. Usually someone who's on the market for a mosaic mural knows what andhow much to expect and after a composite or two we move forward. There are those times though that clients disappear or want change after change and then decline. My question I guess or suggestions I'm looking for is advice on charging a fee of sorts that at least helps me to know of their seriousness and aleviates me from designing for someone who thinks they might be interested or perhaps even is shopping for a design that they may show to another mosaicist and say i'd like this..how much? Thank you in advance if you might steer me into a little direction. Artully, Todd Michael Hi Jody
I’m a graphic artist turned mosaicist. Im trying to formulate a way to deal only with A list clients. I love researching for new projects and making composites. As of yet I do not charge a consultation fee or design fee. Usually someone who’s on the market for a mosaic mural knows what andhow much to expect and after a composite or two we move forward. There are those times though that clients disappear or want change after change and then decline. My question I guess or suggestions I’m looking for is advice on charging a fee of sorts that at least helps me to know of their seriousness and aleviates me from designing for someone who thinks they might be interested or perhaps even is shopping for a design that they may show to another mosaicist and say i’d like this..how much?
Thank you in advance if you might steer me into a little direction.
Artully, Todd Michael

]]> By: Jodi Salisbury http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/comment-page-1/#comment-8060 Jodi Salisbury Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:58:04 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/#comment-8060 Janet: Great idea with meeting the client face-to-face to get a sense of their personal style. I envy you for having that capability. I personally have to rely solely on voice or email rapport for various reasons. As you have discovered, having a web portfolio is a great way to develop a visual understanding with your clients. I use my portfolio as the means to determine if the client likes my style. Then I request that they supply 2 to 3 external web links that reflect something from which they'd like me to get inspiration. This way, they know at the onset that the mockup(s) they receive will reflect a marriage of my style with what it is they actually want. I have lost no clients to this method since I started doing it. Thanks for your post; good luck to you! Jon: Wow... what an experience. I once had a client who requested a huge number of modifications. Feeling anxious to close out the project, I continued to make the modifications as the requests came, but eventually our correspondences became fewer and farther between. I sent the client an invoice with a friendly explanation and she responded to say she didn't feel I was "into" the project anymore and that she shouldn't have to pay it since the job wasn't completed. >>sigh<< Well... I guess they're entitled to their opinions, right? I didn't fight it. Fortunately, unlike you, I haven't seen my work in use anywhere. Hagen: Thank you for your constructive feedback. I admit that I was in a bit of a hurry the day when I wrote this and really should have given better consideration to my title or my content. Really the only message I intended to get across was that client objections are inevitable and that we, as artists, need to not always take them personally. Then I was interested in sharing some stories with other designers so we could see that we're not all alone when these issues arise and to offer our experiences in avoid the issues. Thank you for your 7-day suggestion. Laurent: I agree with you. Clients who wait too long to get back to us steel our time. When I schedule a project, I do so with the expectation that it will get done within X-amount of time. So what generally happens is that while a client takes his or her time, other projects come up between correspondences, and I suddenly find myself overwhelmingly busy juggling everything on my plate. I recently implemented verbiage in my contracts that included milestones and anticipated time-frames. It seems to keep clients on-track but there are always exceptions. Thanks for your suggestion about contacting the client in a couple days. Janet: Great idea with meeting the client face-to-face to get a sense of their personal style. I envy you for having that capability. I personally have to rely solely on voice or email rapport for various reasons. As you have discovered, having a web portfolio is a great way to develop a visual understanding with your clients. I use my portfolio as the means to determine if the client likes my style. Then I request that they supply 2 to 3 external web links that reflect something from which they’d like me to get inspiration. This way, they know at the onset that the mockup(s) they receive will reflect a marriage of my style with what it is they actually want. I have lost no clients to this method since I started doing it. Thanks for your post; good luck to you!

Jon: Wow… what an experience. I once had a client who requested a huge number of modifications. Feeling anxious to close out the project, I continued to make the modifications as the requests came, but eventually our correspondences became fewer and farther between. I sent the client an invoice with a friendly explanation and she responded to say she didn’t feel I was “into” the project anymore and that she shouldn’t have to pay it since the job wasn’t completed. >>sigh<< Well… I guess they’re entitled to their opinions, right? I didn’t fight it. Fortunately, unlike you, I haven’t seen my work in use anywhere.

Hagen: Thank you for your constructive feedback. I admit that I was in a bit of a hurry the day when I wrote this and really should have given better consideration to my title or my content. Really the only message I intended to get across was that client objections are inevitable and that we, as artists, need to not always take them personally. Then I was interested in sharing some stories with other designers so we could see that we’re not all alone when these issues arise and to offer our experiences in avoid the issues. Thank you for your 7-day suggestion.

Laurent: I agree with you. Clients who wait too long to get back to us steel our time. When I schedule a project, I do so with the expectation that it will get done within X-amount of time. So what generally happens is that while a client takes his or her time, other projects come up between correspondences, and I suddenly find myself overwhelmingly busy juggling everything on my plate. I recently implemented verbiage in my contracts that included milestones and anticipated time-frames. It seems to keep clients on-track but there are always exceptions. Thanks for your suggestion about contacting the client in a couple days.

]]> By: Laurent JOUVIN http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/comment-page-1/#comment-8041 Laurent JOUVIN Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:56:30 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/#comment-8041 I agree with Hagen. 2 weeks is way to long for an answer. It's counterproductive and extremely inefficient. We all get rightfully busy and clients will not always reply to an email or call back with feedback. I typically make a followup call a couple of days after sending something. No rush, just casually checkin' in. That simply reminds the client you're ready for him whenever he is. Being proactive has been very helpful so far and my clients seem to respond positively to this conduct. I agree with Hagen. 2 weeks is way to long for an answer. It’s counterproductive and extremely inefficient. We all get rightfully busy and clients will not always reply to an email or call back with feedback. I typically make a followup call a couple of days after sending something. No rush, just casually checkin’ in. That simply reminds the client you’re ready for him whenever he is. Being proactive has been very helpful so far and my clients seem to respond positively to this conduct.

]]> By: Hagen http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/comment-page-1/#comment-7981 Hagen Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:02:12 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/#comment-7981 I was disappointed that title doesn't align with the blog. I was expecting some tips on how you managed the challenges you listed. For example, the follow up call back for every customer/sale to enquire about satisfaction. During the call back asking if there was any expectation that wasn't met or a recommendation on how to improve the service next time. I usually aim to have concrete and open questions that are not easily answered by "yes/no". Many will have forgotten about any issues after a week or so, so a call at about the 7 day mark is good. You also have kept the door open for further follow-ups or add-on opportunities. Yes you'll run into the same 4 response types you've noted above, but the ratios will be very different. And you'll probably find that many of the 1-3 customers are just truly busy. But at least you'll have more closure and likely more mind share with the customer. Cheers, Hagen I was disappointed that title doesn’t align with the blog. I was expecting some tips on how you managed the challenges you listed. For example, the follow up call back for every customer/sale to enquire about satisfaction. During the call back asking if there was any expectation that wasn’t met or a recommendation on how to improve the service next time. I usually aim to have concrete and open questions that are not easily answered by “yes/no”. Many will have forgotten about any issues after a week or so, so a call at about the 7 day mark is good. You also have kept the door open for further follow-ups or add-on opportunities.

Yes you’ll run into the same 4 response types you’ve noted above, but the ratios will be very different. And you’ll probably find that many of the 1-3 customers are just truly busy. But at least you’ll have more closure and likely more mind share with the customer.

Cheers,
Hagen

]]> By: Jon Rawlins http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/comment-page-1/#comment-7913 Jon Rawlins Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:22:24 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/#comment-7913 Personally, the worst objection I ever had was where a client wanted a single concept (And it had to be right to his specification), then when sent the concept came back with over 50 modifications completely different to the specification and asked for 6 variations of his changes. As you do, you give the customer what they wanted and by this time was completely over budget but I felt obliged. Then with the 6 concepts in hand give or take the watermark was never to be heard from again. Not sure where I went wrong, but there were a couple of people that were the same. I did later see the template but when confronted the site suddenly because unavailable. Thanks for the great post. Jon Personally, the worst objection I ever had was where a client wanted a single concept (And it had to be right to his specification), then when sent the concept came back with over 50 modifications completely different to the specification and asked for 6 variations of his changes.

As you do, you give the customer what they wanted and by this time was completely over budget but I felt obliged. Then with the 6 concepts in hand give or take the watermark was never to be heard from again.

Not sure where I went wrong, but there were a couple of people that were the same. I did later see the template but when confronted the site suddenly because unavailable.

Thanks for the great post.
Jon

]]> By: Janet Carlson http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/comment-page-1/#comment-7912 Janet Carlson Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:18:38 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/dealing-with-client-objections-rejections/#comment-7912 I'd like to follow this discussion. I have had this experience myself. I concluded that I didn't understand the client sufficiently before embarking on the mock ups. For me, I realized the importance of meeting the client face to face. You can pick up signals by observing how they dress, what their office looks like, etc. I took my inspiration clippings and put them in sheet protectors in a 3 ring binder to show them. They can pick out what they like, what they don't like. That can identify their color preferences, etc. That gives me a reference point of where to start. I have to get into their head and give them what they would like, rather than what I would like to see them have. It is tricky for sure. In the case of my misunderstood client, I was giving them vector graphics, while they preferred raster. A simple misunderstanding like this lost me the client. I was hurt that they didn't give me the benefit of going forward with me. So now, I direct my clients to my web site portfolio in advance of scheduling a meeting. The reasoning is, if you don't like my style, then it is best if you find an artist whose approach you do like. I’d like to follow this discussion. I have had this experience myself. I concluded that I didn’t understand the client sufficiently before embarking on the mock ups. For me, I realized the importance of meeting the client face to face. You can pick up signals by observing how they dress, what their office looks like, etc. I took my inspiration clippings and put them in sheet protectors in a 3 ring binder to show them. They can pick out what they like, what they don’t like. That can identify their color preferences, etc. That gives me a reference point of where to start. I have to get into their head and give them what they would like, rather than what I would like to see them have. It is tricky for sure. In the case of my misunderstood client, I was giving them vector graphics, while they preferred raster. A simple misunderstanding like this lost me the client. I was hurt that they didn’t give me the benefit of going forward with me. So now, I direct my clients to my web site portfolio in advance of scheduling a meeting. The reasoning is, if you don’t like my style, then it is best if you find an artist whose approach you do like.

]]>