Possibly. While some clients are always going to be difficult to work with, there are steps you can take to improve your chances of receiving a brief that contains all of the information you need to do a great job.
#1 – Ask Great Questions Upfront
Before you even get to the point of receiving a brief, make sure you are asking great questions of your client. In fact, this process can even start before you get the job officially. The most questions you ask – and the most specific those questions are – the better chance you will have of getting all the info you need. Think of this as setting the tone for your client. When they see how detail-oriented you are, it will trigger in their mind a response to be just as detailed in return.
#2 – Discuss Some Basic Matters Prior to Starting?
In an effort to simply secure the job, many designers will gloss over important points like deadlines and even budget. Prior to officially accepting the job, hammer out these basic details with your client so there are no questions later on. You won’t need to find information about the project schedule in the design brief because you will have already dealt with that topic earlier in the process.
#3 – Formally Ask for Answers
This approach isn’t going to be necessary with all clients, but in some cases it will be best to simply give them a formal list of questions to answer within the design brief. This list can be given to the client during your initial meeting so they have plenty of time to look it over. The more specific you can make your questions, the better answers you can expect to get in return.
Of course, in order to land new clients in the first place, you will need to have a great portfolio that contains all of your best work. To take that portfolio with you around town, you will need a professional quality portfolio case, like the ones offered at Portfolios and Art Cases. Thanks for reading!
