Journal

It’s hard to believe how much we’ve accomplished in just a decade. From working with companies of all sizes and industries, one thing has remained consistent: finding and working with the ideal client – those who share our aspiration to be the best.

The broad range of clients we’ve collaborated with has kept us on our toes and constantly motivated for the next hurdle. It’s this level of enthusiasm and dedication that keeps our clients returning to work with us time and time again, even long after their initial project with us has been completed.

10 ways awesome clients maximize project success

In order to achieve the best results in every project, it’s crucial to have a team that’s motivated and constantly looking for the next big challenge. To accomplish this, you also need a client who is generous, open-minded, truthful, and courageous in their approach to collaboration.

When it comes to awesome clients, there are certain key attributes that they tend to have in common.

We’ve had the privilege of collaborating with countless clients over the years, and we’ve come to appreciate the unique quirks and traits that each one brings to the table. But what sets the truly remarkable clients apart? To shed some light on this, we’ve compiled a playful ‘Top 10’ list highlighting the characteristics of the perfect client. Have a look and see how you measure up!

1. Dedicates time and effort

A great client values open communication, and takes the time to share their budget and project requirements without holding back to ‘test’ the agency’s capabilities. They are transparent and share insights to help the agency gain a deeper understanding of their goals. They are patient and willing to answer questions, and they put in the effort to create a comprehensive brief that covers all the necessary details.

2. Doesn’t haggle

A good client doesn’t question your costs, they’ve read your well-constructed proposal and understand where your time is going to be spent. Of course, everyone has a budget. So if the costs are slightly off you need to sit down, talk it through, and be open to scaling back or phasing a project in order to achieve a more agreeable cost.

3. Recognizes the value of your time

A great client comprehends that everyone has a busy life, and the best design decisions need time to develop. They promptly reply to emails and attend meetings as scheduled. They respect the timeline discussed from the beginning of the project. A client who appreciates your time will always receive the best possible work from you.

4. Meets the financial obligations

As a business, it’s important to establish clear payment terms and expectations from the beginning of a project to ensure that there are no misunderstandings or surprises later on. A professional client not only understands and respects these payment terms, but they also value the work and time that you put into their project.

On the other hand, clients who ask for free work or speculative work are not only disrespectful of your skills and expertise, but they are also acting unethically. This type of behavior not only devalues the work you do, but it can also harm the industry as a whole by setting a precedent for clients to expect free or underpaid work. A good client understands the value of your services and is willing to pay fairly for the work that you do.

5. Attentive and educable

A client who is willing to listen and learn is a great client. They recognize that you are the expert and have a wealth of experience to offer. By being receptive to your advice and insights, they are better equipped to understand the project’s goals and make informed decisions. This results in better collaboration and ultimately, better work from the team.

6. Gives freedom

A perfect client trusts in your expertise and gives you the creative freedom to execute the project to the best of your abilities. While they may offer suggestions or voice concerns, they do so in a respectful and collaborative manner. They understand that the best results are achieved through teamwork and are open to discussing different perspectives and ideas. This type of communication and collaboration leads to a better end product and a positive working relationship.

7. Is brave

A good client is brave. They put their ideas on the table and will let you run with them. They encourage you to challenge them as they know that you thrive off doing the work you love to do.

8. Values a professional opinion

A good client might continue to challenge ideas – that’s no bad thing – but they should always value your opinion and take the time to understand why you have made the decisions you have. In return, you should do the same. Always take time to understand their thinking and work hard to keep conversations open and honest because you both want the same thing – an awesome result.

9. Trusts

The acid test of a working relationship is trust. A client is paying you upfront to create something that they will love. They’ve entrusted you with their baby so you should show them a level of respect with open and honest decisions. In return they should trust your choices, your integrity, your experience, and understand that you always want the best for a project, but that you can only do the best kind of work with the freedom to make a decision.

10. Say’s thank you

All too often we’re wrapped up in our world of work, finishing one project off and moving on to the next. The same can be said for clients. But one thing that all awesome clients have in common is the ability to reflect at the end of a project. It may have had some ups and downs because both parties were challenged, and because boundaries are being pushed. An awesome client recognises this and understands the time and work that has gone in to creating the end result. An awesome client picks up the phone or drops you a quick email to say ‘thanks’. They don’t want anything else, just to let you know that they are happy. After that you can go home with a smile on your face, ready to face the next day with the same passion as you did the one before.

Oh and if you want to send a crate of beer, that’s fine too!

No one’s perfect

No one expects you to score a perfect ten out of ten, but every little helps. Support your designers ideas, be brave, be bold and you’ll be astonished with the results.

If you’d like to catch up with some previous work that highlights a great relationship between a client and an agency then check out some sites here, here, and here.