Why your clients don’t “get” your designs (and how to fix it)

They say some things can’t be taught and can only be learned. And for me, one of those things was learning that clients can’t read your mind.

During the first couple of years of working for myself, one thing that would always trigger an emotional response was when clients asked for revisions or didn’t understand my design choices.

I’d get emotional because clients don’t see the countless hours you spent:

• Researching their industry

• Analyzing their competitors

• Crafting the perfect strategy

• Making intentional design choices

And they can’t and won’t connect the dots between:

• Your color choices and the emotions you want to evoke

• Your typography and the brand personality

• Your layouts and the user experience

But we shouldn’t expect them to, because they’re not designers.

And expecting them to understand your design decisions without explanation is like expecting someone who’s never cooked to taste a complex dish and understand every ingredient that went into it.

As designers, we need to understand how clients interpret what we see.

For example:

Designer: “The extended letter-spacing in this logotype creates visual sophistication and breathing room”

Client: “The letters are… spaced out?”

Designer: “This earth-tone palette communicates authenticity and stands out in a market full of bright colors”

Client: “So… it’s brown”

Designer: “This asymmetrical layout adds movement and a modern feel”

Client: “It looks… off-center?”

Can you see how things might be lost in translation? We’re speaking design fluently, but our clients are still learning the language.

When you don’t translate your decisions, clients have no choice but to fall back on:

• Personal preferences (“I don’t like brown”)

• Random suggestions (“My cousin said blue is trending”)

• Gut reactions (“Something feels off”)

And suddenly you’re stuck in revision hell, trying to implement feedback that has nothing to do with their actual business goals.

And here’s something I learnt the hard way: Every time your client misinterprets your design choices, they lose a bit of trust in your expertise.

Not because your work isn’t good.

But because they can’t see the value of what you’ve created.

They’re not comparing your expertise.

They’re comparing what they understand about your work vs what they understand about others.

To prevent this type of situation happening you need to become a translator.

And one of the easiest ways to do that is to present your design work in a way that clearly connects the visuals to strategy.

If you struggle with this, I created a Brand Presentation Template to help you walk clients through your decisions, explain your thinking, and show the why behind every choice – all in a way that feels polished and professional.

This is important because when you explain your decisions through the lens of strategy, something fundamentally changes.

Let me explain.

Instead of: “The typography is modern and sophisticated”

Say: “I chose this font specifically because you mentioned wanting to attract luxury clients. Its clean lines and subtle details signal premium quality – exactly what your target market looks for.”

Now if the client doesn’t like it, they can’t just say “I don’t like it.”

They have to explain why it won’t attract luxury clients.

The conversation shifts from personal preference to business impact.

Instead of: “The color palette is warm and inviting”

Say: “These colors set you apart from your competitors (who all use bright blues) while appealing to your target audience’s desire for authenticity. Here’s how this will look on your packaging…”

What changes?

If they want different colors, they need to explain why those colors would better differentiate them in the market.

The debate isn’t about favorite colors anymore – it’s about strategic positioning.

This shift is powerful because it turns your design presentation from a “show and tell” into a “here’s how we’re solving your problem”.

And when clients understand the strategic thinking behind your design choices, they stop giving feedback based on personal preference.

They know they’re paying you to solve business problems.

By avoiding this mistake, you stop them from judging your work on aesthetics alone.

You make every feedback conversation about the strategy behind the design.

Hope you found this helpful! Chat soon,

Abi 😊

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