Escape the Fatal Loop of Cheap Design!

The problem with the current design industry is that everyone with a computer and Photoshop like to believe they can create graphic designs on some level, even if their profession has nothing to do with design whatsoever. They may say, ‘Wow, looks awesome!’ while simultaneously thinking, ‘I paid for that, but it didn’t look that hard to do.’

I’m sorry — the reality of the graphic design industry is you will all meet clients that not only try to micromanage your design process, but who will also insist your work is not that hard and that the price you quoted is far too much for such easy work. When people think they can do what you can do, they won’t value it.

Clients like cutting cost corners

Price has no relationship to cost, as my father would say. Price has a lot to do with how much people value your product, and clients don’t understand you lowered your prices because you wanted more guaranteed projects to make sure you could pay your bills, and not because your standard rate is cheap.

As more and more graphic designers start taking lower priced projects, it drives the cost of doing business down for all graphic designers.

With the slow worldwide economic climate, cutting costs by outsourcing design is a means to an end. Just like any job in the world these days, clients will consider outsourcing their graphic design to low-wage countries. It has never been easier to find cheap designers.

There are thousands of talented people from low-wage developing nations that fight for the right to bid on commission jobs to put money on the table. These clients want to keep their company costs low and will exploit the money-hungry people of second and third-world countries with their efforts thanks to the internet.

Escape the fatal loop of cheap design

Clients have no clue why they should pay your standard rates, and will undercut your rate because they have no idea of the amount of work involved to make their designs.

Successful design is not something measured in a bullet-point list and then checked off as you hit each point. Designers have elements and principles that they follow and use as a guideline, however it isn’t a strict formula to successful designs. We know it’s a creative process that had a lot of work behind it despite the deceptively simple looking end product.

You are worth more than you say to clients

Stop selling yourself so short! What you need to do is find clients who are willing to pay for quality and never be afraid to ask for what you know your work is worth. Take the time to explain to your clients what you do for them behind the scenes of the design you hand them. If they don’t see what value you bring to your work, your worth will be low.

Alternatively, you have the power to change what you are worth, but if a client is in the habit of paying lower prices for design, they’ll be more reluctant to pay a more skilled artist because of the cost. Trust me, the last thing you want to hear from a perspective client is: “The design is pathetic; but hey, it was really cheap.”

Be the designer with standards who doesn’t let someone else undercut you!

This is what a designer does

The International Council of Communication Design asked designers what they think about the role of design in the 21^st century in honor of World Communication Design Day on April 27. They opened the discussion by asking designers to elaborate on the statement “This is what a designer does.” on the Icograda WDDC Facebook group.

If your client turns the conversation around and comes back at you with the question, ‘Well, what do good designers do differently?” What do you plan to say to that? Here are some suggestions:

Designers…

1. Change structures

By David Coates, Facebook

Explain to clients that no one else can do what you do. You’ve taken years to get to the position you are in today, and shouldn’t give your talent and time away so carelessly. Really sell yourself and what you can offer. Change things around, experiment, create something unique!

2. See beyond what you see

By Maria Sanchez, Facebook

Anyone can follow exactly what is on a design brief, but talented graphic designers take the concept and run with it. Your final design isn’t what the client described word-for-word in their design brief, but what you create is a brand. You created a company identity that lets everyone know what to expect from this company by just their logo, stationary, website, etc.

3. Re-define what’s ugly

By Joshua Foo, Facebook

Fashion trends make you look dated, and your client will not be happy when they can’t reach their target market. On the other hand, you can take terrible design trends and spin them into something new and interesting.

4. Problem solve

By Dean Gordon

Find out what kinds of marketing problems your clients have. Most of the time that’s why they are looking for a graphic designer in the first place! Read reviews about the company and talk to previous customers. The more you know about your clients’ markets, the more detailed and valuable a solution you can give them.

5. Get your attention

By: Yinwai Lau, Facebook

Sometimes a customer starts throwing out crazy design ideas that won’t work and designers are there to help guide them along the process and find a design that will best work with their company. Remember the details in the client’s design brief and work around that. All of the information can help create a relevant design for the target audience.

 

Have you gone out of your way to explain to a pesky cheap client what a designer does? Let us know in the comments or at @zilliondesigns!