Design is Sales

I used to think good design sold itself. All I had to do was create the right visual, and any reasonable client would say, “Thank you, sir, may I have another,” and pay me handsomely for my work.

Imagine my surprise upon entering the workforce and realizing that “good design” was not universally agreed upon. On top of that, many people I worked with didn’t seem to trust that I knew what good design was, usually for subjective infractions like using their most hated color.

I realized from experiences like this that inexperienced designers struggle to advocate for and sell their work effectively. The following are an excellent place to start:

• Establish criteria for success by creating a design brief before starting work.
• Take the time to understand the client’s brand and business deeply.
• Present design solutions that directly address the criteria outlined in the design brief and make the case by backing up those textual and visual choices with strategy.

Having an objective removes the subjective. The design requirements or brief can be as simple as “It has to make people laugh,” or it could be multiple pages of information that include things like a business overview, target demographics, and competitor information, to name a few. The visual strategy delivers on those requirements, or it doesn’t. It’s no longer a debate about good or bad design, what’s “cool,” or whose favorite color will be used as the background.

This document unites the designer and client around a shared goal. If you are locked in conflict with your clients or design team, the upfront work to rally around a shared list of requirements based on business objectives still needs to be done.

Always connect design choices back to the design brief. We need to explain why, far from a veneer of paint or decoration, design is a strategy made visual — critical for business growth, differentiation, and success.

Once the work has been put in, the burden of proof is on the designer to showcase that the design fulfills the objectives in the brief. The debate should be about how well it does that, and any revisions required by great clients will only strengthen that design.

Need help to find designers who know what they are doing? Here are a few questions to ask:

• Do they ask great questions and take the time and effort to understand your business fully?
• Do they outline transparent processes and proactively communicate at regular intervals?
• Do they push back and disagree when they know a solution suits your business and goals?

You don’t want a pixel-pushing yes man or a prima donna that can’t take feedback. You want an equal business partner that will improve the end deliverable.

If you’re a designer, think about how you could improve your ability to think strategically and communicate the value of design in your client’s language. They are the subject matter experts on their brand and business. Learn everything you can from them. As a designer, your greatest asset is your curiosity. The right questions at the right time uncover opportunities for you and your client.