There seems to be a good amount of disdain for clients within the creative field.  For some reason the designers, writers, developers and any other content creator often see it as a battle of us versus them. Them being the client, the one asking for the work to be done, the one paying the creatives when the work is done. It’s pretty messed up that the enemy is the one helping us pay our bills and support our families. Yet almost everyone says that they wish they could just create, design, or code without the client butting in; clients should just let them do their thing and then pay them for it. 

Content creators and creatives like myself often feel as though a client should trust us because we know exactly what they need and what they want. Some people think the client should just be thankful I took on their project and that I let them give me their money. If you’re thinking this way, soon you’ll be the one at the bottom begging the clients for work just to get a little bit of money for dinner. 

Come on now, we’re all on the same level here. The client knows their business inside and out and has an idea of what could potentially work to get more people interested in their product and service. They typically only know a little about how to execute that vision and that’s where they need help. The creative knows or should know how to execute it in a interesting and effective manner but knows nothing or not much about the clients business. If these two parties work well together and lean on each others strong suits then they can make something great.

Sure there are some clients out there who are less than ideal and they really don’t know what they want or how to communicate what they need. That’s where I believe the idea of “the client is the enemy” and “we are gods gift to them” came from. Don’t let those few bad clients turn you off; most clients have an idea of what they want and what they would be happy with. It’s our job to try and execute this and lean them towards the right direction.

It’s not a battlefield, think of it as a house you’re building together.

I want two things. A project I’m happy with and the client is happy with and second to get paid. At times, the getting paid for the work I do and time involved might even be a little more important then creative fulfillment and clients happiness. Of course, its difficult to get one without the other.