Simplified Business Systems for Designers
Designers, you may or may not be my favorite type of client… I won’t admit it publicly 😉 but you do some of the most beautiful work. Work that is a whole lot of damn work! And while your creative juices are flowing, your systems should be working in the backend to keep business on track. To keep it simple, keep it efficient, and keep it on brand, I’m going to discuss some tips for having simplified systems for designers.
P.S. Don’t worry about the tools right now. Focus on falling in love with HOW you make magic happen for your clients.
Qualify Leads
Hiring a brand and website designer is usually the most exciting investment a CEO makes. They want you to bring their big dreams and visions to life, but sometimes the size of the budget doesn’t match the size of the dream.
That’s why it’s important to qualify your leads. Don’t waste your and their time on a discovery call when they can’t afford your services. Don’t allow them to book a call outright. Save them some energy if you’re out of their price range. Instead, have them submit a form to get in touch with you. On the form, you can have them acknowledge your prices and confirm they are comfortable with it. There’s no room to negotiate!
Eliminate Barriers to Entry
In your proposal, tell them exactly what’s going to happen and what it’s like working with you. CEOs will have a lot of questions when they’re considering a large investment. Give them everything they need to know in your proposal. Include these four things at a minimum:
- What it’s going to cost: Is there a payment plan option? When are payments due?
- What the process looks like once they sign: What do you need from them? What’s the timeline? How many edits do they get?
- How long you’ll be working together: When are your deliverables due?
- Why YOU are the designer they need in their life: What makes you stand out? How can you comfort them in this decision?
Set Expectations
We all know how hard it is to get homework from a client, right? 😅 Set clear expectations and boundaries on delivery dates and the project timeline by sending a client experience guide as soon as you receive a deposit. Communicate what will happen if things aren’t submitted on time.
Share the information you need and when you need it. There are lots of things you’ll need from the client before getting started – the brand guide prep form, the copy documents, logins, Pinterest boards, etc. Figure out your process – is it easier to get everything up front? Or do you think your clients prefer to spread it out?
Create a Project Hub
I said I wasn’t going to focus on tools, but this is important to mention. Stop emailing back and forth about your design projects, friend. It gets confusing for you and the client. Digging through an inbox to find deliverables, following up about deadlines, asking for feedback, etc. isn’t efficient.
Consider using a centralized project hub or portal instead. Having a portal allows you to share what you need done, when you need it done, and communicate progress in the most efficient way. Everything is in one place and is easy to find.
Post-Launch
Once you’ve delivered the new brand and/or website, what happens next? Post-launch, provide a resources document with things to know, login information, common terms, brand and website guidelines, etc. The client should have everything they need to continue by themselves.
Also, make sure it’s clear if you provide any sort of support. If you do, make sure these terms are clear:
- What level of support do they receive?
- How long will you provide support?
- How do they request support?
You are amazing at what you do. Don’t let confusing systems and processes drive potential clients away! Put these simple systems for designers in place and watch your business thrive! If you need help, I’m here for you! Contact me and let’s get your systems up and running.
About Solution Integrators
To keep it simple, I’m Ashley, a Chief Systems Officer. I take your complex problems and find ways to simplify them. My goal isn’t just to save you time (saving you time is the easy part!) – I want to fully level up the way you interact, manage, and fulfill offers for your clients. I want to help you provide a cohesive experience. An experience that not only feels like quality but looks that way, too. From onboarding to offboarding – I want to transform each phase of interaction from lead to signed client. Let’s work together!
