What a client is principally looking for ?

Gérard Caron, original founder of brand design consultancy, Carré Noir, now offers his expertise in international design to both client companies and design agencies.

Let’s put ourselves in a client’s position. What are they principally looking for ?

1- Ability. This is easy to demonstrate by presenting case studies and finished work.
2- Experience in their business sector. Maybe you don’t possess this ? Strategic thinking can prove are capable of understanding the problem, and a lack of experience in the sector can be an advantage for greater creativity and innovation.
3- A methodology. Each agency has its own method, its own organisation. Very few present their way of working, thinking that the client knows it and that it is less of a sales benefit than creativity. This is a mistake.
The people who are responsible for a company are sometimes young and inexperienced, and they are looking to be reassured and supported in their work.
4- A team : The client wants to be your only client. This is a strength of small agencies who can assure a personalised service.
Big agencies can offer the same by dedicating a team to the project, but do they think of presenting this as an added-value ?
Clients are searching for the best team. This is expressed by the quality of the documentation, the contact, the presentation and the presence of a real agency philosophy which always supports a high creativity level.
And finally ?
5- Respect for the budget !