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How the hell can I make money doing this stuff? Asked my perplexed student. He rambled on telling me how his portfolio was strong. He went on to say he’s making great new contacts, he feels he’s got a pretty handle on graphic design, he’s promoting himself actively, but he’s not getting any work. He asked me why. I figured out the reason with one question–are you writing proposals? His reply was no.
As a professor of digital art and design, I provide student development and intense instruction in all areas of computer art and multimedia. As a freelancer and former design shop owner, I provide my students with real world approaches to the business of digital design. I do this in a few ways. Each semester I put on a one-day seminar that presents how to succeed in the business end of graphic design. But, mostly, I give out advice and help new designers with promotion, presentation, and production. My first piece of advice to new designers is to learn the power of the proposal.
Strange as it may seem, many young, fresh designers don’t want to spend time solving problems. And after all, design solves a problem. Like it or not, a designer is a consultant. A consultant can be defined as someone who works or serves in an advisory capacity. In simple terms, the consultant solves problems with specialized expertise. To be successful, the designer must take on the role of consultant.
The consulting process
Acting as a consultant is a process. The process includes creating a detailed document that outlines problems, solutions, and specifically those procedures for initiating the solutions. That document is the proposal. And yes, this is where we talk about important elements including time and money.
Consulting involves more than just saying to the client, “what do you want?” It requires a calculated approach to uncovering problems. After that, you as the expert will devise the solutions and implement the project process to cultivate those solutions.
The best way to describe how the designer should work as a consultant is portrayed with a simple metaphor that we are all familiar with. That metaphor is the doctor-patient relationship. The doctor asks what hurts, but then does some analysis to figure out what is truly wrong. In addition, the relationship should be ongoing. What this means is that the doctor consults the patient eternally. The doctor’s role is to solve problems and institute good health throughout the life of the patient. When we see the doctor, we present our symptoms (problems) and the doctor prescribes remedies (solutions). Those remedies can range from simple advice to major surgery (projects). In either case, we trust our doctor to help us get better. The designer has the same responsibility as the doctor: Diagnose and cure problems. Sometimes the designer is a specialist who solves one enormous problem and then moves on to another patient. That scenario should be less initiated.
How can the designer find out what is hurting? The first step is to understand the clients needs. When you first meet the client, let them speak. They have probably thought about what they think they need help with. They are under the impression that you will simply be working for them. Well actually, your goal should be to work with them and not for them, but that’s the next step we’ll get to. Back to listening. You want to understand the big picture. After the client gets it all out, we need to begin to assemble our prequalification process and research inquisition. It will ultimately come down to a simple bunch of questions. The questions will deal with uncovering the fundamental problems so that you can prescribe the solutions and execute the project.
Let’s make sure we know where we stand and how we can help every client. We are designers. We solve problems. The problems we solve are communication problems. They involve an audience, a message, a medium to deliver that message, and a final product. That product could be in the form of print, on the web, within a CD-ROM, on a disk for use in broadcast, or in a computer kiosk. Wherever and whatever it is, one thing is clear, it solves communication problems for someone or some organization. Those problems most specifically deal with sales, marketing, human resources, financial, advertising, training, and media departments. If we realize that, we can shave time asking the client the same old dull question–so what do you want?
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