It’s not secret that we as designers, either web or graphic, have a love hate relationship with many of our clients. Many of them just don’t understand the process of the business, what good design looks like, or how not to act like an idiot. But, in their defense, it’s not all their fault. They just don’t know.
That brings me to my main point, educating your client.
I was browsing the web looking at a wide array of web design firms, personal portfolio sites, and freelance designers pages to see how designers were achieving this, if at all. It seems that many freelancers are under using their web site. Many simply use it as a web design portfolio and put some contact information.
Occasionally some of the designers had a blog in which they would, on occasion, post helpful little post about color schemes, designing a logo, etc. While this is a good start to helping educate your client, it’s just the tip of the ice berg.
By spending some time to create a decent FAQ section or a blog that has quality information about the design process, terms, standards, and things of that nature, you will start to create a more informed client. Not only will this help you avoid potential headaches, but it also makes you like more of an expert in your field.
Take Visual Scope for example; they are a Seattle web design firm that is much like every other generic web design company out there. Their website has a web design portfolio and information about their web site design services.
While they are very run of the mill looking, they have something going for them. They have an information page that helps educate their clients. There’s no fascinating information here, no link bait, nothing profound; but to the average Joe who knows nothing about web design, this is informative wealth of information.
This all goes back to the point that by educating your client you are making yourself even more of an expert in their eyes.
What have we learned? That by educating your client you save yourself arguments, headaches, potential suicide, and make yourself an expert in your field (even if you’re not). So spend a day writing a few articles or blog post educating your clients, what have you got to lose?
