MYTH: The Work Is Shoddy…My Contractor Doesn’t Know What She’s Doing
November 17th, 2008 | Author: Alice Seba
Have you every hired someone to do work for you and what was returned to you was complete garbage?
Sure, I have too.
Does that mean the contractor didn’t know what she was doing?
Well, in some cases yes…but often it goes deeper than that and it always comes back to communication.
I’ve been meaning to write on this topic for quite some time and it’s something I talk about at Outsourcing Sweetie, but recently this issue came up in some online coaching I was doing with a client. I thought it was a great example of the need for communication, so I’ll share it here. She needed a website header created and she requested one. She said it was for XX website and gave a simple instruction on what look she was going for.
The graphic artist didn’t ask any further questions and set to work. Obviously, at that point, the artist could have inquired further, but sometimes when working with graphics it’s just easier to give a client something to look at, so you can go from there.
Well, the first graphic produced was not to her liking. She simply said it was pretty, but quite plain. She asked if the artist was planning on adding something and that she was looking for a more professional look.
Again, not much detail. Instead, she might have looked at and gave instructions on things like:
- Color: Did she like the colors? Did she want one or all of the colors changed? To what?
- Text: Did she want additional text? In the original instruction, she didn’t even say what text she wanted, so the artist simply put the website name on the header.
- Font: Did she like the font? What about the size? What about the positioning on the graphic?
- Images: Did she like the images used in the header? Was there something in particular she’d like to see?
The more you can guide your contractor to what you want, the better. They aren’t mind readers and they need to know your vision. Tell ‘em exactly what that is.
Posted in 4 Responses to “MYTH: The Work Is Shoddy…My Contractor Doesn’t Know What She’s Doing”
Leave a Reply
"FREE
Online Marketing
Success Kit!"
- Free Report – “Sales Secrets: 3 Simple Strategies for Selling Anything Online"
- Free Audio & Transcript – “Emotional Marketing Success Secrets: Connecting With Your Market”
- Free
Subscription – To “Internet
Marketing Sweetie” with free tips, advice
and resources.
Your privacy is protected and will only be used to communicate with you regarding Internet Marketing-related subjects.
Absolutely right … and I’d go further, way further.
BOTH parties were at fault in your example. Perhaps the client didn’t know how to commission something creative, so less blame on her, but the designer, who should be professional and know to ask should know better.
After all … do you go to a hairdresser and say do you thing and I’ll comment later? Or to an interior designer? Of course not! Why? Because in one example it’s your hair …. it’s going to be too late to change it IF you don’t like it and in the other case, it’s expensive to ‘suck it and see’!
Just like anything, the answers you get are only as good as the questions you ask. The results you get with design matters are only as good as your brief.
Don’t wait to criticize the first roughs .. because now you are already in an adjustment situation and possibly trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. State your case, your desires, your needs up front. You don’t have to know the terminology …use ‘tear sheets’ from anywhere …. clip things out of magazines, off the internet, posters, ads, articles, banners, packaging … anywhere… that demonstrate what you like and what you don’t like!
And as well as all those detailed things Alice has mentioned, don’t forget THE most important one (this is where I should insert a >>more link!) …. the ‘feel’ of it. This is of utmost importance. It’s about the style, the essence, the dynamics of the graphic. Whether punchy, cool, loud, ethereal, sharp, soft, colorful, subdued, high key or dark and mysterious etc etc etc.
Do all THIS and you’ll get a better result that’s more aligned with you and your style and represents what you stand for. You’ll create some more original graphics and begin to create a graphic style, a visual identity.
Isn’t that what you want?
John Gordon
The Infotainer
Twitter: aliceseba
:
Excellent advice. I agree that both are responsible…absolutely.
The hairdresser analogy does put it into some perspective, but it’s not quite the same to me. That is a relationship of a professional and a an average consumer.
In the situation of hiring out, both are professionals and should be working toward a great finished product.
I actually wrote this blog entry about a month ago and reading it now, I see I downplayed the contractors responsibility. Don’t think that was really my intention.
Of course you are right Alice… both are at fault.
The client probably had a preconceived notion that “all” graphic designers have the same skill set and access to professional graphics editing software.
The client should have given some examples of acceptable graphics.
And if the contractor didn’t provide examples of his/her “best” work before accepting the job… then “shame on her”.
Twitter: aliceseba
:
Thanks Debra.
It’s tough when we’re contracting services virtually…and it’s important to get across exactly what we want…even if the contractor doesn’t do their job to drag it out of us.