Should designers ask clients for visual inspiration (like a Pinterest board) that showcases their envisioned brand style?
The reason I ask is because it’s a common debate in the design industry—one I wrestled with when starting my brand design career.
Some designers believe it’s a good idea to get the client’s input, while others think it’s the designer’s responsibility to decide the creative direction.
Like most things, there’s no black-and-white answer, but in today’s newsletter I thought I’d share my input in case it helps some of you.
But before I tell you my preference, let me share a story about what happened when a client didn’t provide visual inspiration.
I was working with a client in the skincare industry who, during our discovery call, described the vision for their brand identity as “bold yet premium.”
Younger Abi, eager to please, took this input at face value and immediately designed a visual identity based on this description.
You’re probably thinking, “Yep, that was a rookie mistake” and you’re right. But hey, these are the kinds of things we inexperienced freelancers make on our journey to becoming pros.
As you might expect, when I presented my work to the client, it didn’t match the vision they had in mind.
So, after numerous back-and-forths and too many revisions, we finally reached something she was happy with.
However, all of this could have been avoided if I had simply clarified what “bold and premium” looked like to them using visual inspiration.
Why? Well words can mean different things to different people. What’s “bold” to one person might look completely different to someone else.
That experience taught me a lot. I needed to clarify these terms with visual inspiration.
From that point on, I started asking prospects to include a Pinterest board of their desired style as part of their inquiry. This way, when I jumped on a discovery call, I could discuss and get a clear understanding of their vision.
As you’ve probably already guessed or know (if you’ve watched my design process YouTube videos), I prefer the approach of getting the client’s input.
So, here are some pros I found to this approach:
You gain insight into the client’s vision.
You can assess if your design style aligns with their expectations.
You establish a shared understanding from the beginning.
However, there are also cons to consider:
The client’s preferences may not align with what’s best for the brand (a common issue with startups).
Clients might become fixated on a single style.
Clients may select a variety of conflicting styles.
Through years of experience, I’ve learned how to manage these challenges effectively.
Here’s my approach to each:
When client preferences conflict with brand strategy
During the discovery call, I explain that while I appreciate seeing their inspiration, creating a strong brand requires research and finding the right style—not just following personal preferences. When clients understand this, it’s often a lightbulb moment. It also gives me a chance to demonstrate my expertise and show how I’ll create a brand that lasts.
Getting fixated on a single style
Sometimes, clients know exactly what they want and just need someone to make it happen. That’s fine if that’s the type of project you’re open to (I used to do this back when I charged $100—I call it my ‘pixel pusher’ phase). But now, I educate clients on why research needs to be done before committing to a style. If they’re open to exploring, I’m happy to take on the project. If not, I make it clear that my process involves my expertise in identifying the best style. If they’re just looking for someone to execute, I may not be the right fit.
Picking conflicting styles
When a client sends over a Pinterest board filled with every imaginable style, it signals they aren’t clear on what they want—which is precisely why they need my expertise. In such cases, I recommend starting with brand strategy before diving into design. This approach allows me to thoroughly research their industry, competitors, and audience to identify the most effective styles. From there, I can present them with carefully refined design directions to choose from.
So that’s my input on this topic, but what’s yours?
Do you think it’s best for clients to send over inspiration or not?
Hit reply and let me know! (I may not be able to reply to them all, but I always read them)
Chat next week,
Abi 😊
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