How to Read the Mind of a Client in 3 Easy Steps
Apparently, I’m supposed to read my clients’ minds. I’m supposed to know exactly the style, content, and length of every project a client wants taken care of, typically on the basis of a one-line email.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only freelancer who is expected to offer telepathy as a form of client communication, either. Actually becoming telepathic isn’t particularly likely, but there are a few ways to get a better idea of what a client is actually thinking.
1. Ask every question you can think of
Every client has different needs — and it seems like the clients who expect us to read their minds always have a few out-of-the-ordinary requirements. That means asking every question you can think of will pay off: if you can get the answers that will tell you what your client is thinking, you’ve eliminated the guesswork. Even questions that seem like they should have obvious answers can have surprising answers.
There’s one question in particular that I’ve found crucial — asking a client what his goals for a project are can provide an immense amount of information, especially if you’re working with a client who isn’t quite sure on the details of what he wants yet. Goals are often the key to knowing whether the design or copy you have in mind will actually be what your client wants. If a client comes to you asking for a website and offering no other information, for instance, it’s easy to assume that the client wants something that provides his customers a way to find him online. It takes more of a leap to automatically assume that a client wants to sell products through this new website. Knowing that information in advance will make the design process much easier.
2. Ask for work examples that the client likes
I’ve had clients who weren’t happy with a project simply because it didn’t look like a website operated by someone else in the industry — a website I wasn’t even aware of. Simply knowing what those clients really liked ahead of time would have lead me to take a very different approach to the project, rather than having to try to graft a few elements on to my design at the last minute. It doesn’t have to be much, either: a website or two can be enough to give you insight in to what your client likes. I also make a point of asking exactly what the client likes about a particular design or piece of copy.
You do have to be a little cautious of how closely you follow an example your client sends you. I’ve actually had a client ask me to copy a site pretty much intact and just swap in their information. Trying to explain that you can’t do that — especially after you’ve specifically asked for examples that the client likes — can be difficult. But making a point of explaining that having an identical website, brochure, or other project won’t actually help a client set himself apart from the competition seems to do the trick.
3. Provide extra drafts or mock-ups
If you’re still uncertain about exactly where your client wants you take a project, it can make sense to create a mock-up or draft earlier in the process than you might otherwise. On a blogging project I did recently for a client, I wrote up a list of a month’s worth of titles, with a short description of what each post would include. The time spent writing those descriptions was minimal — but wound up saving me a whole lot of trouble and grief down the road, because the concept my client had of what her blog should include was very different than what I had understood from our discussions.
It can slow down a project a little bit when you add in extra drafts or mock-ups: it’s very tempting to just get in there and get the project done, rather than offering a client lots of opportunities for revisions. But offering at least one chance for the client to review what you’re working on early in the process can reduce the number of times you hand a project over to a client only to hear complaints that they hadn’t gotten what they wanted.
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Asking questions!!! The best approach..Not only you learn more about the project but i have noticed clients to come along passionately when they start explaining.
But, you need to be a smart questionnaire, if you ask too many general ones, your credibility and professionalism is in doubt but if you ask the right ones, then BOOM! and your clients sways at the opportunity of working with a pro.
Brilliant advice for those of us without that particular mind-reading gift!
The more you ask beforehand, the more you plan, the better chance you’ve got of getting it right.
Great post! Very good tips. But there also needs to be a fourth:
LISTEN!
You not only need to ask all of the excellent questions in the article, but actually LISTEN to the answers. Make notes (I know I have to), record the client’s answers for when the job actually happens (as in a location shoot), and then work your hardest to accomplish what the client wants, or says they want. Then you can usually also add your own ‘twist’ or creative ideas to the project.
I try not to overwhelm a client with all of my questions in the beginning. I get a sense of the design direction to take by observing and listening well to their visual clues as we are discussing their project. And I will naturally work in questions to help that along. I know that some questions can be reserved for later stages, once you’ve covered enough to define the project and get started initially.
If they are giving too many conflicting visuals (i.e. “needs to be conservative and masculine, but with a funky, hippy-chick vibe”), then I’ll ask for some examples. Most of the time, though, that’s not necessary as the client will tell you exactly what they want if you learn to translate what they say visually.
But I do provide a mockup first to make sure we’re on the same page, then it goes to coding and adding content.
How does #3 not add up to spec work? You suggest doing “extra mockups.” Extra implies you aren’t getting paid for it. If you included 3 mockups why would your provide more? If you always do that it doesn’t really put food on the table which for most of us is the bottom line.
You are correct No ‘assumption’, ask more questions to ‘understand’ clients exact requirements. But before asking questions, please make sure that client understands that we are an expert in our own domain and we are asking those questions to give our ‘Best’. if not, some clients may presume that we are not much experienced in designing.
Good point Curtis… No extra money, no extra mockup.
Moreover, #1 and #2 are made to avoid #3.
Another great post. I’ve been using a client survey that I sometimes hand out to certain clients to help them understand what they want to do and accomplish with a website job. I have categorized my survey into 7 categories:
1. General Information
2. Reasons for Design
3. Audience/Desired Action
4. Perception
5. Content
6. Technology
7. Marketing/Updating
However, I only give this to certain potential clients in order to better understand what they are after.
I’d like input from anyone in terms of my categories or any suggestions that someone might have. My survey spans 3 pages… too many questions? I am willing to send someone the survey to review if someone is willing to do so.
I could never proceed with a project without asking questions, in fact every project that did not ask questions or the answers were one-liner half-hearted efforts from the client, the jobs always failed or became difficult.
I think for point 3, it should imply that you should do mockups, not extra or without charge, the point being that if you do a rough sketch or write up, then it puts both you and the client on the same page. From there onwards you can proceed to produce something good and realistic.
Great advice and extremely important.
I think the most important thing is to get them to talk. And to really, really listen, really.
I find it better to not ask too many questions directly, I try to get the clients to answer those in a more organic way.
Sometimes, I have to hold myself back though, it can be very tempting to go straight to the core. But in the end, the client pays you to answer these questions for them.
Number 3 confuses me a bit.
Are these free mockups and drafts? I think with a little bit of preparation there’s usually no need for this.
A fourth step I would add here is to ask at the end of the conversation, “Who are you trying to reach/serve with this project?” Sometimes a few minor tweaks with a specific audience or customer in mind can really make a project shine.
Great tips here, that’s for sure. I especially like the one about the customer providing as many examples as possible. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or in this case, the customer.
Awesome post….Thanks for sharing your experience and tips.
I think that seeing example of what the client likes is the best approach to knowing what the client wants (unless its a new invention!!). This is especially true for new clients who can be easily misunderstood if you fail to read through the lines with what they say.
Thank you for sharing these insights are useful as a majority agree
#1 Question: Who is the audience?
This one question usually gives me all I need. Clients will go into details about the difficulties they face in their jobs to communicate effectively with that audience. They often send a sample piece to me without me asking once I have asked this question. From there it is so easy.
I rarely have to ask questions other than this one.
There are some great points in here. Something that can work very well is designing a question sheet to either ask your customers or request them to fill out. Over time, you will find yourself with an efficient way to get the exact details you need.
Asking for example sites is a big help to any designer. Usually clients will come to you with something in mind and knowing what that is will cut your brainstorming process in half. Great tip!
Extra mock ups can work for you and against you. Providing a client with too many options often makes it harder for them. If you start by getting all their detailed design ideas and then provide them with one design, you will find less changes are necessary.
I think #2 is important “Ask for work examples that the client likes”. It is the quickest way to get an idea of what the client wants.
A good design brief helps the “information gathering” process immensely, however, I have found that most clients have no clue what a “design brief” actually is, and they certainly don’t know the type of info. we as designers require to be able to deliver the product that they envision – hence the “silence”. They’re simply waiting for you to give them some direction, so what are you waiting for? Go for it, ask questions.
Taking charge and asking knowledgeable questions are really very important, and to do so from the outset is even more crucial. This sets a standard for the client/designer relationship as it progresses onward, and it also (hopefully) gives the client a clue about the type of communication that will be expected throughout the project.
Usually I have found that a direct approach works wonders. I let my clients know from the very start how I work; what they can expect from me, and what I expect back from them, and then I deliver on it. I also educate them on what design and development actually entails so that they feel empowered through the process as well. It’s all in the communication.
I think that instead of moaning that our clients don’t give us enough feedback we might put the mirror back on ourselves and ask if we are in fact handling these situations properly ourselves?
Anne has a good point. I always try to figure out a way to make my process as easy to understand. When I get a client that doesn’t understand what I’m asking, I work towards re-wording how and what I ask. Eventually my hope is to have a list of questions that are extremely easy to understand and will help my process speed up.
I’m interested to know where the point is where the questions become so tedious in their bulk that clients start questioning your ability to ‘understand’ their needs.
The way I think is that too many questions can often be too many and it’s easier to start on a project and rechart your heading along the way.
#2 works best for me
Good advice!
Btw, also usefull for clients. they will know how to deal with the freelancer to get what they want!
Yes, asking questions is great. Also, getting them to provide you with examples of stuff they like.
My last project was a disaster. At one point, in our back-and-forth, I was trying to pry from the client exactly what they wanted. They just said, “well, I won’t know until I see it.” In other words, just keep sending me mockups and I’ll let you know when I like one. Yeah. Not going to happen.
In my case, I am the client… The worst thing that can happen is that my vendor said so much of what he is going to produce… In the end, I see nothing much, and yet I found mistakes in his work…
“I’ve actually had a client ask me to copy a site pretty much intact and just swap in their information.”
This happened to me just recently. Gosh I hate copycats, I really do. It’s just wrong in so many levels and I personally find it really annoying. Worst if the client actually wanted to market themselves as original or innovative ..
But what do you do then, if even after attempting to explain why they shouldn’t do such a thing, the clients simply say, “that would be fine, no one would know”, or the procrastinator’s response “we’ll change it later if we have time” (which of course you know they won’t) or the dreaded “just do it because I’m the client and I rule [your] world”?
Is there really no other way, other than to lower yourself equivalent to a lemming and just blindly follow the command from high above, even though personally you find it wrong?
Secondly, if there is ever a lawsuit involving copyright infringement, would you as the designer be liable for enabling such infringement to take place, or would the responsibility lies solely with the client as the originator?
Thanks for the article, looking forward to read your views on this.
Hey, Monchi. Good points! I have actually turned down work for similar reasons. With writing, I just won’t write reviews about “financial” programs,” spin articles, etc. Don’t sell your soul for a paycheck.
Sorry, but I’m really drowsy and didn’t read the full post.. (will read it laters, this morning).
I’m replying after reading the Post Titles/headings only. Point no 2 and 3 are really good and I use them already.. (more mock ups and asking what he likes).
But, about point no.1. Asking every question I can think of mostly end-up annoying them.. or just making them think, This designer is new/noob/beginner or just doesn’t know what he does. and things like that..
Adding: ’cause most of the times clients act like they know more about designing then us ! :/
What do you do when your client stops the design dead in it’s track in the rough mockup phase, and will not let you progress? Or, begins asking for different/multiple versions/directions when they had agreed previously to liking one?
@YetiMade: then you hand him the contract stating he has to pay for everything ordered, even if not finished. If he wants to go for multiple directions, same thing: contract, contract, contract.