Stressed out: Managing demands from unreasonable clients in graphic design

When clients make unreasonable requests or change their minds, it can be difficult to maintain the quality of the design and the relationship with the client. Discover tips for navigating these situations and delivering the best possible results.

Graphic designers?often face challenges when working with clients who don't understand the design process. They have to deal with constant changes, last-minute requests, and unreasonable expectations which can lead to frustration, stress, and burnout.

These challenges are even more pronounced when working with difficult clients who don't value the designer's expertise and are never satisfied with the end product.

Such requests may cause an increase in the stress levels of designers and can negatively affect the outcome of a project and the designer's satisfaction with their work.

Let's dive into the most cursed phrases that designers dread to hear from their clients:

?Can you change the font??

A client may request that the font used in a design be changed to a different font. If the client isn't happy with the initial font choices, the designer can show them how the current fonts accentuate the design best.

Try to reply back here, like:?"I understand that you're not happy with the current font choices. Let's try out a few other options. Here are two fonts that might work better. What do you think?"

Tip: Instead of getting upset about the request, explain your reasoning for choosing the particular font in the first place. Offer to try out a different font, and show the client both design options slide by slide to see which works best.

?You got done with this quickly, can we add something else??

Clients often underestimate the time and effort it takes to create a design. They may ask for additional changes or additions to the project, even if the designer has submitted their final piece.

You may respond like this:?"Adding in this feature will require an additional few days. We are happy to accommodate the request, but this will impact the delivery date. We'll also need to adjust the budget for the additional work. What do you feel about this?"

Tip: Explain to the client that adding additional elements may significantly delay the completion of the project, and if they still want to proceed with the changes, discuss additional costs or timeline extensions.

?Can we change this landscape into a portrait configuration??

Changing the orientation of a design may seem like a minor change, but it can have a significant impact on the design. It can sometimes result in stretching elements to fit the new dimensions – for sure it takes additional time.

Explain the situation in a way:?"If we alter the current design, we will need to adjust the composition, spacing, and layout elements to account for the new orientation. If these adjustments are acceptable, we can proceed with the changes"

Tip: Try to anticipate any changes to the design that might come up later in the project and take necessary steps to accommodate them in the initial design phase.

6 more phrases: https://setproduct.com/blog/most-stressful-design-phrases