How To Work With A Client’s Tight Budget
Escapee Speaks:
As I mentioned in a recent article, Is Your Client Clean or Dirty?, I believe that some clients who are perceived to be difficult do in fact have innocent intentions. Unfortunately, bad experiences sometimes make some Illustrators unnecessarily fearful or defensive when they encounter new clients who send up possible red flags.
One example of this is a client who has a ridiculously tight budget when compared to the grand expectations they may have.
Indeed, some of these types of clients are interested in taking advantage of inexperienced or desperate Illustrators. However, sometimes the client is simply unaware of how much time, work, and skill is required to execute their projects, and especially of how much it will cost.
It can be tempting to turn down a project at the first sign of an unrealistic budget, but in doing so, you may be walking away from an opportunity for new business or even a lasting relationship. There are ways to work within a client’s tight budget without compromising your value as an Illustrator.
Here are some simple steps to try and make the most of a client’s tight budget:
Educate
It can be helpful to educate your client about industry standards and about the amount of time and effort it will take to complete the work that they’re asking for. This won’t always persuade them to pay what you’re quoting for the artwork, but it has the potential to start a productive dialogue with the client about coming to an agreement that is fair to both parties.
Offer Alternative Solutions
An under-appreciated form of education is the art of offering alternative ways to meet their communication needs. Believe it or not, many clients have not considered other, less expensive ways to get their message across in a visual way. For example, try suggesting ideas such as a Black and White or 4 color version of their original full color concept. If you begin this conversation, you just might find an idea that works just as well as, or even better than, the more expensive approach they were proposing at the start.
Segment the Project
Sometimes the client is simply not confident enough in your skill or in the creative process to agree to the fair price that you’re quoting. This is understandable given the fact that they are paying for something that doesn’t yet exist, and they may have been burned by a less capable artist in the past.
One possible solution is to offer to complete smaller portions of the larger project for a smaller fee. For instance, you may offer to create comps or initial sketches for a fraction of the total cost. This allows the client to get a feel for what you might bring to the project without asking for free work, and it allows you to receive payment for the amount of work that you complete. The added bonus is that if you impress the client, they just might agree to work with you on a larger scale.
Discuss Usage Rights
Many people who are seeking out Illustrators for the first time assume that they will acquire all the rights to the artwork that you create for them. Suggesting lower rates for a limited use of the Illustration, such as a single printing, can open their eyes to other possible ways to meet their needs, while allowing you to maintain ownership of the work for your own future use. In addition, this opens the door for further usage agreements if the artwork does well for them or they wish to print it in a different size, color scheme, or format.
Thinking Outside the Box
Artists are a resourceful bunch, so I’m sure that there are many other ways to work within a client’s budget. The main point here is to try and be more creative with your business, and open the door to alternative ways of meeting the needs of your clients, as well as the needs of your business.
How do you work with a client’s tight budget? Please share your thoughts in the comments section of this post.
Related Posts:
- How to Educate Your Clients
- Things to Consider When Pricing Your Work
- What to Do About a Problem Client
- Is Your Client Clean or Dirty?
Terrific run down, Thomas, thanks for the excellent series. I’m sure we can all hone our client relationship skills as we move through a challenging economy.
Best,
Sharon
http://www.laughing-stock.com
Great article. And yes, it’s helpful to educate the client on what’s really involved and what they will get for their money. Recently we quoted a price for a wall mural. The total charge is $15,000, and we require 1/2 down to schedule it. The client was hesitant to put 1/2 down, not being sure that the art would be what he envisioned. So I offered to have a sketch of the design completed for him at the price of $500.00, and than if he was confident that we could produce what he wanted, he could give us the 50% down. I understand when a client is nervous to put a lot of money into something that they aren’t sure you can pull off. The sketch fee is our insurance that we are paid for our time producing the sketch, and it’s helpful to demonstrate to them that we can do what it is they need done.
My second suggestion: When a client doesn’t have the budget to pay what we charge, I’ll refer them to an artist that charges less (usually an new artist just out of school). That way I’m helping to solve the client’s problem, and I’m helping out the emerging artists as well. Usually, the client will come back to us when they realize they want a seasoned professional and, aha, suddenly their budget expands!
I love the suggestions in this article. In the past I have been approached by clients who were unrealistic about the costs of illustration, now I am armed with more angles! Thanks!