Keeping the BS to a minimum
by Tom
When it comes to presenting design, sometimes it’s best to leave the impression-building to the client.
I had a meeting yesterday to present initial concepts to a client for their new company logo. We had a few back-and-forth’s at the sketching phase with the marketing team, so the CEO was reviewing line art versions for the first time.
Since I knew he was very busy that day, I wanted to be judicious with his time. I brought out all 8 concepts at once and neatly laid them on the conference table in front of him.
“I like this. Usually an art director stands and talks about each one for a half hour ....,” he said as he peered over the boards.
I typically don’t just lob the concepts out like that. In fact, I commonly discuss our intent for 15-30 seconds or so before unveiling an idea. This made me reconsider that approach for future presentations.
Each customer is unique in how they like to be presented new information, and this experience reminded me of the importance of considering that in advance. There certainly is room for a bit of showmanship in most design presentations, and the suspense can lead to healthy emotional responses and lively discussion. But leaving the BS out when you are presenting can also help put your audience in a comfort zone that will reward you and the project with more clarity and less frustration.