Only Successful Designers Possess These Traits, Are You One Of Them?
With so much talent in the creative market nowadays, depending on your skillset and unique flair to find work is barely enough anymore.
In a WIRED interview, designer Kim Colin said, “There is no consensus about the role of our work.” There’s so much more to being a good designer than being good at designing—and much of it comes from our attitude.
Web design and brand development expert Stephen Palancino from Creative Market has listed the most common characteristics that have helped build the reputations of highly sought-after designers, and they make sense, because reputation is the one thing that’s good for exposure.
Check if you have these traits below, and visit this list for more.
1. Responsiveness
“There’s nothing worse than emailing a designer for information and never hearing back. Many people I’ve worked with have been dumbfounded by the lack of response from freelancers and even design agencies. I understand that life can be busy, and the reality is that some jobs really aren’t worth the time.
“However, not responding to potential work not only leaves a bad impression, but you could be leaving thousands of dollars on the table. Time and again, what was meant to be a one-time logo project has turned into a lasting relationship.”
2. Timeliness
“‘When’s the soonest you could do this?’ Sound familiar? Clients love to know when they’ll be able to get a ‘first glance’ or ‘proof of concept’ on an idea. It’s understandable.
“Creating something new is an exciting process. I’ve found that clients aren’t looking for something within 24 hours (though that does happen) as much as they are looking for responsiveness (see point 1) and reasonable turnarounds.
“Educating clients on industry standards and what a project will take is a great way to set expectations. The more quickly you establish expectations, the more apt clients are to feel as though you’re staying on schedule.”
3. Attention to detail
“I know we’d all like to think of ourselves as having great attention to detail, but I’ll be the first to admit that without a checklist, sometimes I forget the little things (especially when a project is wrapping up).
“Towards the end of a long project, clients may also forget deliverables that were mentioned on day one. Did you include all versions of the logo… social, web, print? What about that webpage that was added last minute… did you remember basic SEO? While everyone is quickly trying to wrap up, you can set yourself apart by doing a double check. Clients will love you for it.”
4. Flexibility
“When something is inflexible, it breaks. No one wins from broken client relationships. Dealing with inflexible clients can be a pain—no question. But the more flexible I can be on my end, the less frustrated I feel and the more at ease the client feels. And an at ease client makes for a lasting client.
“I often have to remind myself that clients are coming to me with their own expectations, desires, and even dreams. What I want and what the client wants may not match—and that’s okay!”
5. Honesty
“And speaking of what the client wants, being flexible doesn’t mean you don’t speak your mind. You’re the designer. This is what you do. If the client wants something that is, well, ugly, and I’m not talking about preference—but straight up ugly—tell them.
“If we withhold the truth from clients in order to spare their feelings, then someone else will tell them the truth. They will either find out from others or the campaign will be a flop.
“Clients need honesty. Even if they may not always like it, being honest now pays off dividends in the future.”
[via Creative Market, images via PEXELS and Pixabay]
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