No 2 - How can I attract a bread and butter client without sacrificing my style?

Here's the second question from Alex at thinkdust: I want to keep my style of creating work but that does not attract the bread and butter clients to keep the money afloat. So how do I go about tacking this?

There are probably several answers to this question.

I don't think there is anything you can actively do to find a bread and butter client who likes your style. I'm sure they're out there, and I'm sure you will find one, but I don't think you can actively target one. Just keep showing the work you like, on your website and in your portfolio, and eventually clients will get to know you for that style.

You could obviously try targeting clients that already commission work similar to your style.

If you have a style that you desperately want to keep hold of and you don't want clients diluting your style, then the simple answer is to say no. Say no to projects that don't fit your style, say no to clients who haven't bought in to your style, say no to clients who try to dictate your style.

I don't like this approach though, I'm very much a function over form kind of designer. I believe you solve the problem first and the style will probably come from that, rather than applying a distinct style to every solution. However, other people think differently.

Most consultancies have bread and butter clients and shop window clients. In fact most businesses operate like this. There is stuff that you'd probably never show anyone that pays the rent and stuff that looks fantastic but would make you go bust.

We make sure that all potential projects meet at least two of these criteria;

1) the client has the budget to pay our fees
2) the project is one where (we know) the end result will look great in our portfolio
3) the client is of a profile that will attract more clients

If a project only meets one of those criteria, we turn it down. We are working towards all clients ticking all three criteria.

Anyone else got any ideas?

Alex, how did you get on with last weeks suggestions?

Comments

[Nathan Miller]

I would think one would need to change the approach to your work if style has more meaning than content or function. You may want to ultimately sell a particular style of work but that in itself can be a double-edged sword. Especially when you progress design-wise and the tastes of the culture in regards to potential clients changes as well. You run the risk of pigeon holing yourself and potentially losing business as a result of style rigidity. When most of my peers and myself included try hard not to be pinned down by a particular style. Though it does inevitably happen, at least for short periods, not necessarily by choice, but through market demands.

Style is a fickle fair-weather friend and hence something not to become too attached to. You may want to develop a philosophy or approach to design that is ultimately more flexible and accomodating to change. If drain pipe jeans are in, do you stubbornly continue producing flared ones? Sure, it'll probably come back around eventually but can any of us afford to take that risk?

[Ben]

Good answer.

[Blip]

I agree with Nathan, but the point I want to make is more immediate.

If you want to push a certain style, and have an image on the homepage ("welcome to thinkdust") that would in some way represent that style, I would make sure it is the absolute best you could do. I think there is stronger and more meaningful stuff on the portfolio.

[Ben]

Blip, I agree. There is more interesting work deeper in the site.

[Hibachi]

Ha. In the world of photography, this is a very common complaint.

Many pro photographers moan that their clients only want imitative cookie-cutter images. Thus the pros often feel that their own creative work is unappreciated, or that their creative edge suffers because they spend so much of their time doing workaday projects.

Meanwhile, many serious amateur photographers moan that they'd love to be pro photographer and get paid for taking photographs all day. But in fact, some of these serious amateurs are doing more significant creative work, than are the pros who are trapped in the workaday.

The best advice I ever heard on this issue was from Keith Carter: if you want complete freedom to do your art your way -- then keep your day job.

If your day job is a "creative" job like photography or design -- just be prepared that clients want what clients want, and that often will not be in line with what you want to do, in your own way, with your own style.

[Alex Haigh]

Hi guys, yeah thats something I am going to change. What I am doing at the moment is spending more time on work, I currently have some well paid work I am doing alongside juggling the promotional work which I am spending a lot of time on...What do you think I should replace the welcome image with, I must admit I am not that keen myself after seeing it for a while...