what a customer think they need vs. what is most effective.

[Fatboy]

I don't agree with this statement. It is the client's reputation that is in play. you and I see bad design every day. We don't know who design or made the sign/wrap. We only know it makes us not want to do business with that enterprise.

Sebastien I could not agree with you more.Another point to remember,who says we as sign writers are right? Give the client what they want , sure give him advice and some alternate ideas but I think that it will be very unprofessional of any one to send business away" just because you believe your ideas are superior." If the Coca Cola logo was up for scrutiny today before their huge success.....would every one have gone for it?

 

[iSign]

Sebastien I could not agree with you more.Another point to remember,who says we as sign writers are right? Give the client what they want , sure give him advice and some alternate ideas but I think that it will be very unprofessional of any one to send business away" just because you believe your ideas are superior." If the Coca Cola logo was up for scrutiny today before their huge success.....would every one have gone for it?

I know I speak for a lot of the others (like, but not necessarily including Jon and Maniac) when I say...

"we are glad there are guys like Fatboy and Sebastian who just don't get it...

...because those clueless loser clients who want crap will keep looking until they find someone willing to jeopardize their shops reputation, by helping said losers to tarnish theirs"

I could go on about why this isn't as simple as "do it & don't put in your portfolio" ...but ya either get it, or ya don't... no need typing for those that do, & not worth typing for those that don't.

OK, OK... I'm gonna back pedal a bit here.. shouldn't name names, because I'm not saying I NEVER print crap... BUT, we have to choose our battles & some crap is only a bit crappy or ineffective... while other crap really could hurt our own reputation... so my brash comments are only speaking to those extreme situations & then I would absolutely fire a client.. and yes, I routinely think my ideas are superior.. so based on that, I will settle for clients who prefer less effective to more effective... but I won't help with some of the pure self destructive sabotage we see from time to time...

 

[Aldir]

For me, time made all the magic.
In the begining I used to accept ALL kinds of works that apeared in my shop, with time I made my effort on giving special attention to designers and architects so they would bring all ready files and my work was more of advicing and finding the medias they want more that doing all the drawing. Nowadays I proudly own a sign shop that is renamed and most of the time we get excelent jobs to print. But if a client do need some drawing to be done, I have to in-house designers to do this to my clients. I does cost me a bit, but make ends meet.

IMHO

 

[Malkin]

...If the Coca Cola logo was up for scrutiny today before their huge success.....would every one have gone for it?

It may not blend in with the current trend of corporate icons & branding, but it's legible, easily recognizable, and has stood the test of time for a reason.

 

[Fatboy]

I know I speak for a lot of the others (like, but not necessarily including Jon and Maniac) when I say...

"we are glad there are guys like Fatboy and Sebastian who just don't get it...

...because those clueless loser clients who want crap will keep looking until they find someone willing to jeopardize their shops reputation, by helping said losers to tarnish theirs"

I could go on about why this isn't as simple as "do it & don't put in your portfolio" ...but ya either get it, or ya don't... no need typing for those that do, & not worth typing for those that don't.

OK, OK... I'm gonna back pedal a bit here.. shouldn't name names, because I'm not saying I NEVER print crap... BUT, we have to choose our battles & some crap is only a bit crappy or ineffective... while other crap really could hurt our own reputation... so my brash comments are only speaking to those extreme situations & then I would absolutely fire a client.. and yes, I routinely think my ideas are superior.. so based on that, I will settle for clients who prefer less effective to more effective... but I won't help with some of the pure self destructive sabotage we see from time to time...

Dear Mr "Spokesperson for the others"

I don't have loser clients.But then maybe I do because it will take a loser to spot a loser client.

 

[Marlene]

I think the key is to reframe the discussion... by learning more about what their business/marketing objectives are, who their target customers are (demographically, psychographically), and how best to connect with them through signage.

since I've been doing this, designing a sign is much easier as I could care less if they "like" the color blue or whatever. you still have to design for the customer, but when you start by showing them that you understand not only how to make a sign but what a sign really does, it makes it all much easier. I usually start a meeting with the customer talking about their business, what it does, what they want to do and who they want as customers. I have a guy that I'm working with that is opening a grill type restaurant. he uses all the local products he can. there's a real push on right now to be a localvor, I zoomed in on that. he didn't want to advertise that as he can't be totally local and hates those who toot their own horn. we ended up with a tagline, "A Fresh Approach to Fast Food" which helps define him and his business without him feeling like he is tooting his own horn, as he said and also not commiting to local products but suggesting that his is better because it is fresh. my advise is to talk to the customer about business, not design. if you can't, go take some advertising and marketing classes as they are a big help.