You have just been approached by a potential client. They are interested in a logo for their business or for a product they sell. You want the job but there is only one problem, you have no idea where to begin. Solution, do your homework.

First things first, though.

Establishing the Client Relationship

If you have the client there in front of you and you both have time, ask questions. Get a business card, brochure, anything they can give you that will help you get to know their business better. Are they looking for just the logo or a business identity package as well? Do they have a website? Tell them you would like to do a little research to get a better feel for the company and their needs. If the company is local schedule a tour.

Find out if the company has a logo already or if they need one from scratch. If the logo is for a product, ask them if there is an existing product line that the logo would need to be worked into or if the logo is for the whole product line. If they are unsure what a business identity package is you may be talking to the wrong person and you will need to find out if they are the person overseeing the project or who you should contact. Most likely they just don?t know the terminology but don?t assume.

Ask them what their deadline for the project is. If it is less than two weeks, decline. Two weeks is the minimum amount of time it would take to schedule meetings, do preliminaries and do a decent job. They may pay for a rush job but it affects your reputation if the quality is bad and it doesn?t serve the client well in the long run.  Remember, you may be able to do it in less than a week but you have to rely on other people?s schedules. Go for two weeks.

If you have the client in front of you and you don?t have the time to talk, still get their card, contact information, website and anything else they can give you. Find out when the most convenient time is that you can call them the next day. Make SURE if you tell them you are going to call that you call on time. Always, if at all possible, follow up within 24 hours or less. If you can, do some research before you contact them. The more educated you can be the better.

Whenever you talk to them, whether it is your initial contact or over the phone the next day, set up an appointment within one week if possible. Ideally, give yourself a day to do some research, take notes, make some sketches of your ideas and prep for the meeting then jump right in while the opportunity is there.

Doing Your Homework

The more you know about your prospective client, the better. Go online and research their company site if they have one. Read their mission statement. Study their products and services so you can get a better feel for the company. Take notes, make sketches. Let your client know that they are important to you and that you care enough about the job to want to do it right. Show them that you have their best interest at heart and that you aren?t just in it for the money. You will earn more respect and more referrals that way.

If you don?t agree with what the company represents, if it goes against your beliefs, respectfully decline. There is always another artist willing to do the work. Never sell your soul for a client opportunity.

Making the Appointment

You have made the initial client contact and set an appointment. Now what?

The appointment you set is your foot in the door, where you will make or break the deal, where your ?potential client? becomes your Client.

Keep the appointment. Unless you have lost an appendage, don?t cancel the appointment. If you have to cancel for any reason, make sure you send them a fax or an email and post your preliminaries designs online for them to review. Call them as soon as you know you have to cancel. Life happens and sometimes emergencies can?t be avoided; most people will understand. If your child is in the emergency room and your client doesn?t understand, you don?t need them as a client anyway. Explain the situation and decline the work, priorities.

Dress professionally even if it isn?t required. If they tell you causal, do causal business not beach party casual. Look your best, keeping in mind that people will see you before they see your work.

Your appointment may be in person, via phone or via web conference, but no matter what you treat it the same: give them your full attention as they are at that moment the most important thing in the world.

The meeting should be one-on-one with your client, and whoever on their staff they deem necessary, with no distractions. If the meeting is in your home-office, turn the ringer off or let family and friends know you are in a meeting during a scheduled time. If you are doing a teleconference from your home and you have children, do it during their naptime or find a sitter. If you are in a regular business office, route your calls to your voicemail. If you are meeting them in a public place, pick somewhere you can have a non-alcoholic drink, like a coffeehouse. Don?t try to incorporate lunch with a meeting. The constant distractions from the wait staff and other environmental noise will mess with your focus. Never drink alcohol during a meeting.

Your client should know that, even if you have 20 other clients, that when they are with you they have your undivided attention. Give your client your entire focus. Listen and keep eye contact as much as possible. Show them respect and they will come back for more.

The Design Process

Brainstorming

Doodle. Make notes. Make a word list of associated words. For example, if your client is an architect, your word list would include words like structure, construction, solid, streamline, and concrete. A logo for an architect would be built to last, having a sound structure and good form. You wouldn?t pick a whimsical, curvy soft looking font. You would pick something strong and solid looking.

Let the words guide and inspire you. Keep yourself on track though, don?t disassociate from your main focus. Allow yourself the creative flow, have fun with it. Getting it out on paper is the most important part since you can always go back and edit later.

Billboard Rule

Imagine your design on a billboard. Is it instantly recognizable? Does it stand out? Does it give an accurate representation of the company in three seconds or less? Three seconds is how long you have to catch and keep a motorist?s attention as they drive past your design on the billboard.

Objects in the Mirror May Be Larger Than They Appear

You have the perfect design. You are convinced your client will love it. It?s perfect, no more tweaking. Guess again. Blow it up.

Photocopy your design at 200% or higher. Now go back in and clean up your work. Better safe than sorry and in this case a photocopy is worth a thousand words.

The Pitch

Be Flexible

You have busted your butt and are about to put your best work on the line. Will they like it and beg you to revamp their entire company look, or will the client take a huge red pen and mark changes all over it? How do you handle the stress of possible rejection because, let?s face it, possible acceptance isn?t what is stressing you out.

Go into each and every client project with this attitude: Put your best work in front of them. They will most likely make changes but that is ok. Evolve. Don?t get so attached to your work that you take it personally if they don?t buy the first design you show them on the spot. Build a relationship with your client. Make them feel like they are a part of the process without giving them full control. After all, they hired you to do the work not to teach them how to do it themselves. Adapt and keep doing your best work.

Give Them Options

Prepare three (3) different versions of your design for the client. Give them copies to review with you and keep copies for yourself to make notes on. Make note on your personal copies the pros and cons of each design and keep them as conversational cues.

Showing your client more than three designs at one time risks confusing the client. Review all of your sketches and make notes on each one as to what you like and don?t like. Incorporate everything you like into three solid designs and submit those three. When you pitch these three, make sure to point out the strongest elements of each and how the design reflects their company overall. Feel free to let them know which one is your favorite and why if they ask you.

Take graph paper and an extra mechanical pencil so that the client can make a sketch if they have an idea. Make the client feel like they are a part of the process without relinquishing your control over the project. Lead.

Don?t be afraid to point out any weaknesses you think each design has, yours and theirs, and provide solutions. Keeping things real will show that you are more interested in what is best for your client than pushing your art. A sale at the expense of customer service will ruin a client-designer relationship.

Again, don?t confuse your client. Sit back and listen. Give them a couple minutes to review things first and let them ask you what you think afterwards. When you show your preliminaries to your client, make sure they know that they are not finals. You want to go as close to final as you can, putting your best foot forward, but save yourself a little time in this part of the process. If your client makes changes or selects one then bring final proofs with you to the next meeting.

Make notes during the meeting as to what your client?s reactions were to your ideas, verbal and non-verbal. Note which ones they went back to more than once, what made them smile, ask them why. This shows your client that you are truly interested in what they think and that you are willing to go the extra distance to make sure they are happy with the end result.

Sealing the Deal

Signing on the Dotted Line

Get a signed contract before you leave or have them sign off on your sketches. A good contract will ensure that you get paid for your ideas even if they don?t buy your design. You can show them your sketches but if they won?t sign a contract at least get them to sign off that they saw the sketches. Have them mark them declined, date them, print and sign their name; no initials. To make it easier you can provide those spaces at the bottom of your sketches to make it look like more of a professional option. If there is no contract, the client signing off on your sketches should be proof enough to protect you from possible look-a-likes.

Getting them to sign off on your sketches also helps you keep track of what changes were approved or requested. Make a section for notes on the bottom of the sheet above where the client signs off.

Take two (2) copies of the contract with you, one for you and one for them, in case you aren?t going to be near a copy machine. Make sure both of you sign them both and date them. Once you have a chance to get near a photocopier, make a couple of copies and mail one to yourself. Mark the outside of the envelope with your client?s name and the date and ?Copyrighted Contract - Do Not Open?. Have the post office stamp directly over the seal as well if you want. When you get it back in the mail, make sure it gets filed and no one opens it in order to keep the postal seal intact. The postal service is a government agency and it will stand up in court if, worst case scenario, you have to dispute the contract with a client in future.

Stand and Deliver

Well, you?ve done it. You have just successfully sold your design. Now what? You deliver it in the most appealing and functional way possible. Burn your client?s files to a CD-R disk, making sure to include the following:

1. ?        A copy of your client contract in .txt file format.
2. ?        The client?s design in several high quality formats including, but not limited to, JPEG, PNG and TIFF. Ask if your client would like a copy of the Photoshop version of the design (if applicable) so that they have access to the layers.
3. ?        Any special fonts that were used. If you have documentation from the font foundry granting permission to use the font, or a receipt of sale, include it in .txt format with the font in .zip or .rar format.
4. ?        A PDF proof sheet in black and white of the final design in several different sizes with your contact information and the client?s copyright information.
5. ?        A PDF proof sheet in full color of the final design in several different sizes with your contact information and the client?s copyright information.

Deliver the CD-R with a thank you card. If you can make a card using one of your own designs it will work double duty: showing your client more of your design skills and personalizing your effort even further. Taking the extra step to thank your client?s with a card is one more way you can help bring them back to you for repeat business.