Following the ‘virtual strike‘ by a bunch of ad agencies in Belgium earlier this month, Twitter has been buzzing with discussions about creative pitching, and how clients treat us in the design industry. It seems we’re all having to deal with unrealistic requests nowadays, and it got me wondering what (if anything) we could do about it.

Having your work undervalued is something every designer has to endure from time to time. If you’ve never had to deal with the issue, count yourself lucky! For most of us, it’s a regular occurrence; that client with the almost non-existent budget, the friend who “just wants a small website” for their new business but “can’t afford to pay anything”, and the know-it-all who reckons they could do your job with their eyes closed (plus a pirated copy of Photoshop). Makes you mad? Same here.

Where the problem lies.
From print design to web development, if you’re in a client-facing role you’ll be used to hearing these comments. And the harder your particular field is for Joe Public to understand, the more you’ll hear them. Web development is a great example. Your average agency client doesn’t have a clue how their website works, and probably doesn’t want to know either.

The problem is, a website is a bit like an iceberg to them. They only see the obvious 10% – not the 90% of clever stuff that’s hidden away below the surface. All those lines of painstakingly crafted code, the carefully optimised images, and the hilarious error pages don’t even cross your client’s mind when you proudly show them their completed website.

I’m sure you can apply the analogy to your particular field. It’ll undoubtedly involve steps that your client doesn’t see, but those will be the steps that make your work great.

So, what’s to be done?
The simple answer is to demonstrate the value of your work. Make sure people know the details of what you do, how well you do it, and why that’s important for them. And if you’re falling short in a particular area (customer communication perhaps?), put it right. Now! With clients facing another year of tight budgets, now is the time to knuckle down and get all those details right. If you don’t, you’re likely to lose out on vital business to other agencies who care more about the details.

Here are a few pointers to help you get started.

Educate your readers.
If you’ve got a website, you’ve got the perfect tool to start teaching potential clients the value of what you do. The trick here is to get the right balance of information. Too much, and they won’t bother reading it. Too little, and you’ve lost your chance to educate them. For my clients I also make information sheets available to them, explaining things (like web hosting) in plain English. For those questions that get asked again and again, it’ll save you considerable time too.

Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
Right from your first contact with a client, make sure that what you say is clear and correct. Underselling your work might be bad practice, but it isn’t nearly as bad as promising what you can’t give. In an agency setting, make sure any information that goes out to a client has been reviewed by the relevant team members. Projects can fall apart before they’ve even started if the wrong promises are made, so if in doubt, tell your contact that you’ll look into it.

Treat their budget with respect.
In my experience, many clients don’t take kindly to being asked ‘that question’, so approach it with caution. Jumping in with “and how much can you spend?” comes across as pretty threatening to someone who’s never worked with a design agency before. Instead, try to let your new client bring up the subject of money. If you must ask  – perhaps to gauge what functionality you can squeeze into a website – then make sure you explain the reasoning behind the question.

Stand in their shoes.
It’s easy to place the blame on the client for not correctly understanding the value of your expertise, but take a moment to see things from their perspective. You’re asking them to spend an amount equivalent to the value of a medium-priced car, but they only have your word to go on that’s it actually worth it. Everyone understands that a car is a complex machine, but it’s only fair you take the time to show a client that their project is no different. It’s their money – they deserve that courtesy.

Drop it like it’s hot.
When all else fails, don’t be scared to stand your ground and say no. Work with the wrong clients, and it’ll tear your business apart. Work with the right clients, and your business will thrive.