3 Questions You Should Be Asking Your Illustration Clients

(Illustration by Michael Byers)

Have you ever had trouble figuring out what the heck your Illustration clients actually want?

Whether they’ve worked with an Illustrator before or not, it can often be difficult for your clients to put their thoughts into words. Or, perhaps they’re not even sure themselves about what they’re looking for.

The creative process can be tricky, especially if your client doesn’t think in a visual way or just doesn’t know how to get from A to B.

That’s where you come in.

It’s your job to ride up on your white horse and save the day, helping the world to communicate and inspire through the wonders of Illustration, even when the person who commissioned the work has no idea what they want.

Sometimes you have to figure out a client’s needs for them, so that you can move things forward and meet, or even exceed, their needs.

In order to make this easier, here are 3 key questions that you should be asking in your initial meeting with a client:

1. Who is your audience?

Hopefully, this will be the easiest of the 3 questions for them to answer.

If they’re selling a product or service, or want to add a visual element to a publication, they will probably at least know who they’re trying to sell to. With experience and practice, you’ll be able to tailor your visual message to speak to this target group. If not, I’ll be talking about that more in a future article.

If their answer to this question is “everyone”, then you’re in trouble. In this case, try to get a better feel for their intended message and do your best to determine which segment of “everyone” will be most receptive to it.

2. What do you want the Illustration(s) to “do” or “say”?

Whether they realize it or not, clients hire Illustrators to communicate something that they don’t have the time or skill to on their own.

They may need you to help sell their product.

They may need you to help tell a story.

They may need you to help build their brand.

Try and figure out what their goals are in broader terms than “What do you want me to draw?” so that you can see things from their perspective. With this insight, you’ll probably be able to come up with creative solutions that they hadn’t previously considered.

3. What do you NOT want?

It’s usually easier for a client to tell you what they DON’T want, which will actually help you to zero in on what they DO want. Asking this question at the start will help to limit the risk of revision and rejection when you present your solutions to the client.

Also, when a client begins to look at things from this angle, it can sometimes open up their thought process when they are having trouble describing the project to you.

Playing Detective

In those times when a client is having trouble communicating, you’ll need to take charge of the investigation by asking questions like the ones above. Not only will you be able to get closer to figuring out what they’re looking for, but you’ll also claim your role in the project, which might come in handy later when you make a case for the solution you’ve devised.

Do you ask these or other questions to help determine a client’s needs? Please share your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

Special thanks to Michael Byers for providing the artwork for this article.

About Michael Byers: Michael Byers is a freelance illustrator living in Guelph, Ontario with his fiance and two cats. He spends most of his time in his studio creating whimsical images for editorial and advertising clients. He loves to draw, drink coffee, and collaborate with other illustrators, art directors, art buyers, and anyone else who loves to create.

Related Posts:

• The Secret Art of “Hiring” Your Illustration Clients
• How to Educate Your Clients
• How to Charge a “Pain-in-the-Butt” Fee for Difficult Clients
• How to Spot a Problem Cient
• What to Do About a Problem Client
• How to Work with a Client’s Tight Budget

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