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Dear Client: This Book Will Teach You How to Get What You Want from Creative People
In this practical, easy-to-follow guide for the client in a creative collaboration, Bonnie Siegler, an eminent graphic designer, directs the reader with a light hand through the pitfalls that often occur between client and creative professional. Her advice is nonjudgmental, with a sense of authority derived from working with clients such as Oprah and Saturday Night Live.
Each concise chapter of this prescriptive book will walk you through the different phases and experiences of the creative process, such as how to communicate to a design team exactly what you want (adjectives are your best friend), which words or phrases to avoid so as not to stump the designer’s creativity (don’t say “Make it bigger”), the importance of designating one decision-maker, how to be open to something you didn’t imagine, and how to establish clarity of purpose. With informative and amusing stories of good and bad clients, How to Work with Creative People is a game-changing and approachable handbook for achieving a productive and enjoyable relationship with creative professionals, and is sure to join the canon of breakout visual business books such as Rework or The Power of Habit.
Each concise chapter of this prescriptive book will walk you through the different phases and experiences of the creative process, such as how to communicate to a design team exactly what you want (adjectives are your best friend), which words or phrases to avoid so as not to stump the designer’s creativity (don’t say “Make it bigger”), the importance of designating one decision-maker, how to be open to something you didn’t imagine, and how to establish clarity of purpose. With informative and amusing stories of good and bad clients, How to Work with Creative People is a game-changing and approachable handbook for achieving a productive and enjoyable relationship with creative professionals, and is sure to join the canon of breakout visual business books such as Rework or The Power of Habit.
208 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2018
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March 10, 2020
Are creative people that different from me (and/or you)? Siegler says that in some ways they are and you might be sabotaging your project by ignoring that fact. Siegler considers herself a creative person and this book is, at least, how she wants you (as client) to treat her.
"A clear understanding of your primary business objectives is crucial. And the time to identify them is before you involve us. Seems obvious? I can’t tell you how many first calls with potential clients I’ve had that ended without a discussion of the underlying purpose of the design work to come. Start by making a list of what you want to achieve or accomplish. Are you trying to increase sales—or make your brand cooler? Do you need your product to stand out on a shelf—or project an image of luxury? Is the idea to increase web traffic—or buzz? More than likely you will have many dream objectives, but no design can meet every one. Choose the most important one, and then prioritize the others in order. How long should the list be? If you have more than three priorities, you really don’t have any. This thinking will be incredibly helpful to whomever you are working with, and they’ll think you’re amazing for being so organized about your objectives. Jon Stewart attributed the success of The Daily Show and its contributors to “a clarity of vision, but a flexibility of process.” That combination allowed magic to happen while a clear focus was maintained. This is a pretty good start for all creative endeavors."
Here are most of the points that she wants to share:
No. 1 THE THING ABOUT CREATIVES
No. 2 BE HONEST
No. 3 KNOW THYSELF
No. 4 MAKE ME ICONIC
No. 5 HAVE CLARITY OF PURPOSE
No. 6 WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?
No. 7 CARE ABOUT EVERY AUDIENCE
No. 8 DECIDE WHO WILL DECIDE
No. 9 DO NOT SEND OUT AN RFP
No. 10 A BRIEF CASE FOR WRITING A BRIEF
No. 11 TELL ME THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION
No. 12 GET BUY-IN
No.13 EXPERIENCE ISN’T EVERYTHING
No. 14 THOSE AWKWARD FIRST PHONE CALLS
No. 15 THE IMPORTANCE OF MEETING IN PERSON
No. 16 GET A PROPOSAL
No. 17 CALL REFERENCES, FOR GOD’S SAKE
No. 18 INTRODUCE EVERYONE AT THE MEETING
No. 19 DON’T SCHEDULE MEETINGS ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER SO THAT WE’RE BOUND TO RUN INTO EACH OTHER IN THE LOBBY
No. 20 BE UP FRONT ABOUT MONEY
No. 21 THE VALUE OF CREATIVE WORK
No. 22 FLAT FEES, FULL HEARTS, CAN’T LOSE
No. 23 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
No. 24 GOOD, FAST, CHEAP
No. 25 ALWAYS SIGN ON A DOTTED LINE
No. 26 TELL THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T GET THE JOB
No. 27 BEST PRACTICES WORK BEST WHEN THEY ARE FLEXIBLE
No. 28 DON’T WORRY IF YOU DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT
No. 29 WHAT IF YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA?
No. 30 SHOW-AND-TELL
No. 31 CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN
No. 32 WHITE SPACE IS YOUR FRIEND
No. 33 LET THE CREATIVES DRIVE THE FIRST PRESENTATION
No. 34 BE A FAIR JUDGE
No. 35 QUESTION EVERYTHING
No. 36 BE OPEN TO THINGS YOU DIDN’T IMAGINE
No. 37 DON’T SAY THAT, SAY THIS
No. 38 BEWARE OF GARANIMALS
No. 39 AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT GIVING FEEDBACK
No. 40 I NOTICE / I WONDER
No. 41 IT’S OKAY TO LOVE SOMETHING RIGHT AWAY
No. 42 WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU KIND OF HATE WHAT YOU SEE
No. 43 SO YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT BETTER?
No. 44 WHAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK?
No. 45 GIVE ALL FEEDBACK AT ONCE
No. 46 WE DON’T CARE WHAT YOUR SPOUSE THINKS
No. 47 ON FEAR AND INSECURITY
No. 48 WHY FOCUS GROUPS SUCK
No. 49 DON’T LET DATA DRIVE YOUR DECISIONS
No. 50 BE CONFIDENT, NOT ARROGANT
No. 51 PICK YOUR BATTLES
No. 52 THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
No. 53 ACCEPT THAT EVERYTHING IS EMOTIONAL
No. 54 TALK IT OUT
No. 55 PLEASE DON’T PISS ON THE CREATIVE
No. 56 NOTHING TAKES A SECOND
No. 57 DON’T ASK TO SIT WITH US WHILE WE MAKE CHANGES
No. 58 DON’T FALL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH
No. 59 IF IT’S JUST NOT WORKING
No. 60 WHEN CREATIVES ARE ASSHOLES
No. 61 DON’T BE RUDE TO MY STAFF (OR YOURS)
No. 62 SERVE LUNCH DURING LUNCHTIME MEETINGS
No. 63 ABOUT PRO BONO WORK
No. 64 GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE"
Do you need to read the book now? Here is a sample from one of these points: This is from No. 8 “Decide Who Will Decide” “The plague of groupthink is not limited to creative work, but I can assure you that it is both particularly egregious in—and harmful to—creative collaborations. Because decisions around design, copy, video, and the like are subjective, people with little expertise tend to feel more confident sharing an opinion. And because each person will naturally have unique preferences, any decision made by committee will necessitate compromise and therefore lack singular vision. Vision is not a group activity, and the group inevitably interferes with the possibility of greatness. Choose one person—maybe two—who will be the final decision maker. (Ideally, before we’re involved.) Thus empowered, the final arbiter(s) will be more invested in the process and will ensure that it runs smoothly. That person will take their role much more seriously than ten people who each have one-tenth of the ownership.”
If you read the whole book, you will find some repetition. You might also discover that most of this is not about how to relate to creative people but how to relate to PEOPLE! Definitely helpful, particularly in reminding one of these principles and also useful in getting a productive discussion going.
"A clear understanding of your primary business objectives is crucial. And the time to identify them is before you involve us. Seems obvious? I can’t tell you how many first calls with potential clients I’ve had that ended without a discussion of the underlying purpose of the design work to come. Start by making a list of what you want to achieve or accomplish. Are you trying to increase sales—or make your brand cooler? Do you need your product to stand out on a shelf—or project an image of luxury? Is the idea to increase web traffic—or buzz? More than likely you will have many dream objectives, but no design can meet every one. Choose the most important one, and then prioritize the others in order. How long should the list be? If you have more than three priorities, you really don’t have any. This thinking will be incredibly helpful to whomever you are working with, and they’ll think you’re amazing for being so organized about your objectives. Jon Stewart attributed the success of The Daily Show and its contributors to “a clarity of vision, but a flexibility of process.” That combination allowed magic to happen while a clear focus was maintained. This is a pretty good start for all creative endeavors."
Here are most of the points that she wants to share:
No. 1 THE THING ABOUT CREATIVES
No. 2 BE HONEST
No. 3 KNOW THYSELF
No. 4 MAKE ME ICONIC
No. 5 HAVE CLARITY OF PURPOSE
No. 6 WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?
No. 7 CARE ABOUT EVERY AUDIENCE
No. 8 DECIDE WHO WILL DECIDE
No. 9 DO NOT SEND OUT AN RFP
No. 10 A BRIEF CASE FOR WRITING A BRIEF
No. 11 TELL ME THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION
No. 12 GET BUY-IN
No.13 EXPERIENCE ISN’T EVERYTHING
No. 14 THOSE AWKWARD FIRST PHONE CALLS
No. 15 THE IMPORTANCE OF MEETING IN PERSON
No. 16 GET A PROPOSAL
No. 17 CALL REFERENCES, FOR GOD’S SAKE
No. 18 INTRODUCE EVERYONE AT THE MEETING
No. 19 DON’T SCHEDULE MEETINGS ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER SO THAT WE’RE BOUND TO RUN INTO EACH OTHER IN THE LOBBY
No. 20 BE UP FRONT ABOUT MONEY
No. 21 THE VALUE OF CREATIVE WORK
No. 22 FLAT FEES, FULL HEARTS, CAN’T LOSE
No. 23 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
No. 24 GOOD, FAST, CHEAP
No. 25 ALWAYS SIGN ON A DOTTED LINE
No. 26 TELL THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T GET THE JOB
No. 27 BEST PRACTICES WORK BEST WHEN THEY ARE FLEXIBLE
No. 28 DON’T WORRY IF YOU DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT
No. 29 WHAT IF YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA?
No. 30 SHOW-AND-TELL
No. 31 CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN
No. 32 WHITE SPACE IS YOUR FRIEND
No. 33 LET THE CREATIVES DRIVE THE FIRST PRESENTATION
No. 34 BE A FAIR JUDGE
No. 35 QUESTION EVERYTHING
No. 36 BE OPEN TO THINGS YOU DIDN’T IMAGINE
No. 37 DON’T SAY THAT, SAY THIS
No. 38 BEWARE OF GARANIMALS
No. 39 AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT GIVING FEEDBACK
No. 40 I NOTICE / I WONDER
No. 41 IT’S OKAY TO LOVE SOMETHING RIGHT AWAY
No. 42 WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU KIND OF HATE WHAT YOU SEE
No. 43 SO YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT BETTER?
No. 44 WHAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK?
No. 45 GIVE ALL FEEDBACK AT ONCE
No. 46 WE DON’T CARE WHAT YOUR SPOUSE THINKS
No. 47 ON FEAR AND INSECURITY
No. 48 WHY FOCUS GROUPS SUCK
No. 49 DON’T LET DATA DRIVE YOUR DECISIONS
No. 50 BE CONFIDENT, NOT ARROGANT
No. 51 PICK YOUR BATTLES
No. 52 THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
No. 53 ACCEPT THAT EVERYTHING IS EMOTIONAL
No. 54 TALK IT OUT
No. 55 PLEASE DON’T PISS ON THE CREATIVE
No. 56 NOTHING TAKES A SECOND
No. 57 DON’T ASK TO SIT WITH US WHILE WE MAKE CHANGES
No. 58 DON’T FALL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH
No. 59 IF IT’S JUST NOT WORKING
No. 60 WHEN CREATIVES ARE ASSHOLES
No. 61 DON’T BE RUDE TO MY STAFF (OR YOURS)
No. 62 SERVE LUNCH DURING LUNCHTIME MEETINGS
No. 63 ABOUT PRO BONO WORK
No. 64 GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE"
Do you need to read the book now? Here is a sample from one of these points: This is from No. 8 “Decide Who Will Decide” “The plague of groupthink is not limited to creative work, but I can assure you that it is both particularly egregious in—and harmful to—creative collaborations. Because decisions around design, copy, video, and the like are subjective, people with little expertise tend to feel more confident sharing an opinion. And because each person will naturally have unique preferences, any decision made by committee will necessitate compromise and therefore lack singular vision. Vision is not a group activity, and the group inevitably interferes with the possibility of greatness. Choose one person—maybe two—who will be the final decision maker. (Ideally, before we’re involved.) Thus empowered, the final arbiter(s) will be more invested in the process and will ensure that it runs smoothly. That person will take their role much more seriously than ten people who each have one-tenth of the ownership.”
If you read the whole book, you will find some repetition. You might also discover that most of this is not about how to relate to creative people but how to relate to PEOPLE! Definitely helpful, particularly in reminding one of these principles and also useful in getting a productive discussion going.
January 9, 2019
As a creative director who regularly works with clients (and sometimes serves as a client to freelancers and outside agencies), I give a hearty amen to everything in this book. Lots of great principles for working successfully with creative teams, written punchily and presented in an easy-to-read format. Unfortunately, some of the folks who most need to read this are probably the least likely to. I’m tempted to create a one-page cheat sheet for our team.
October 8, 2018
Great, concise guide to working with creatives of all types
This is a great, concise guide to working with creatives of all types. No one ever tells us how to do that, but a guide like this will make it easy, productive and less expensive. Indispensable reading!
This is a great, concise guide to working with creatives of all types. No one ever tells us how to do that, but a guide like this will make it easy, productive and less expensive. Indispensable reading!
June 16, 2021
As a designer, I would love for all of my clients to read this book. There are some great points made, it speaks plainly, has some nice personal reference stories and manages to explain design workflow without making designers sound "fluffy" (a word someone once used to describe my role...)
Some points can be a bit repetitive (though, I would argue, only the bits that bear repeating!) but overall it's a really great book for building good relationships in collaborative creative projects.
Some points can be a bit repetitive (though, I would argue, only the bits that bear repeating!) but overall it's a really great book for building good relationships in collaborative creative projects.
December 14, 2018
What a helpful and effective book. I'm about to start a company and I'll need to work directly with creatives forever more. I picked up this book at the beginning of the project and I'm very pleased I did. Bonnie Siegler gathered a solid, straight-forward, to-the-point, and concise (THANK YOU!) collection of best practices for being an effective client. I'll proudly display this visually beautiful book on my shelf and definitely recommend it to others.
September 2, 2018
A nice quick read with a fun concept and simple design. I’m not the audience for this book but I’m directly impacted by it. Bonnie, if you ever read this review, thanks for writing the book.
April 8, 2019
Excellent book! So good in fact that I donated a copy to the Ottawa Library. This would be helpful for both creative people and prospective clients. Great reference book.
November 30, 2021
This is not the book I had in mind when I bought it. It is a collection of notes made around the basic ideas of:
- Work on being more empathetic
- Learn to communicate better
Not that it's bad to write a book around one or two simple concepts. It's just that it seems to me that the way it was done in this book was not conducive to reaching its goals, as they were stated in its introduction.
The book has a few interesting stories and useful tips, but reading it was not an enjoyable experience for me. Maybe if this book was structured in chapters with clear topics that get explored in a less superficial manner, with a different tone (ironically, a bit more empathetic and less authoritative), reading this book would have been much more pleasurable.
I feel that if you have the purpose of building a bridge between people that, for whatever reason, don't seem to be on the same page, maybe writing what is essentially a list of grievances is not the best idea. If you want to communicate better with someone, maybe the way to do it is not necessarily to give commands: "Hey! do this and this!, and for goodness' sake, don't do this!" The thing with this type of absolutes is, they are not very useful in a world where everyone experiences life differently, from an unique point of view. Something you think everyone should always do may not be an opinion shared by even your closest friends or people you have the most in common with.
I know it is an enticing idea, "if only everyone thought the same as I did, there would be no problems in this world". There's also this prevalent idea of "Hey, I'm a straight shooter, I'll tell you exactly what I think about you and everything you do, and you should be grateful that I'm so sincere" which seems to be the personality of the author. Okay, if that's your strategy in life and it works, good for you.
Maybe the deeper issue I have with this book is how the author separates people in two very distinct camps and all the stories serve to emphasize the separation between the two groups instead of exploring the possibility of synthesis and common ground. There's a missed opportunity for going into different strategies, tools and best practices for mutual learning among service providers and clients. To explore all the beautiful synergies (oops, I just used a word that this book tells me I should not use, sorry :P) that happen when people recognize their unique perspectives and use it as a stepping stone to reach higher places in spite of (or, better yet, thanks to) their differences.
One small detail that is illustrative of this issue is that the book constantly uses the terms "creatives" and "non-creatives" to refer to the two camps. I don't know where to start. I guess it's part of the language that designers use all the time and find completely natural, but, oh boy.
If you are having problems communicating with clients at work, and at the same time you refer to them with terms that effectively say "we're the creative/intelligent/cool kids, they are not", I'd say a good starting point to find solutions to your problems would be taking a hard look at your basic assumptions and tacit beliefs about how you see yourself and the world around you.
- Work on being more empathetic
- Learn to communicate better
Not that it's bad to write a book around one or two simple concepts. It's just that it seems to me that the way it was done in this book was not conducive to reaching its goals, as they were stated in its introduction.
The book has a few interesting stories and useful tips, but reading it was not an enjoyable experience for me. Maybe if this book was structured in chapters with clear topics that get explored in a less superficial manner, with a different tone (ironically, a bit more empathetic and less authoritative), reading this book would have been much more pleasurable.
I feel that if you have the purpose of building a bridge between people that, for whatever reason, don't seem to be on the same page, maybe writing what is essentially a list of grievances is not the best idea. If you want to communicate better with someone, maybe the way to do it is not necessarily to give commands: "Hey! do this and this!, and for goodness' sake, don't do this!" The thing with this type of absolutes is, they are not very useful in a world where everyone experiences life differently, from an unique point of view. Something you think everyone should always do may not be an opinion shared by even your closest friends or people you have the most in common with.
I know it is an enticing idea, "if only everyone thought the same as I did, there would be no problems in this world". There's also this prevalent idea of "Hey, I'm a straight shooter, I'll tell you exactly what I think about you and everything you do, and you should be grateful that I'm so sincere" which seems to be the personality of the author. Okay, if that's your strategy in life and it works, good for you.
Maybe the deeper issue I have with this book is how the author separates people in two very distinct camps and all the stories serve to emphasize the separation between the two groups instead of exploring the possibility of synthesis and common ground. There's a missed opportunity for going into different strategies, tools and best practices for mutual learning among service providers and clients. To explore all the beautiful synergies (oops, I just used a word that this book tells me I should not use, sorry :P) that happen when people recognize their unique perspectives and use it as a stepping stone to reach higher places in spite of (or, better yet, thanks to) their differences.
One small detail that is illustrative of this issue is that the book constantly uses the terms "creatives" and "non-creatives" to refer to the two camps. I don't know where to start. I guess it's part of the language that designers use all the time and find completely natural, but, oh boy.
If you are having problems communicating with clients at work, and at the same time you refer to them with terms that effectively say "we're the creative/intelligent/cool kids, they are not", I'd say a good starting point to find solutions to your problems would be taking a hard look at your basic assumptions and tacit beliefs about how you see yourself and the world around you.
March 3, 2020
For me - hard to score.
I have reached for this book because I do services for big companies with rigid cultures. Where you cannot break with ideas into the heads of people you work with. Where from the beginning you're being treated as a fraud. Where there often is another layer of politics under every decision and every act. I am not in the creative profession, just kind of creative, but it's enough.
This book doesn't solve the fundamental problems of vendor-client relations (and it doesn't promise it either, as it is impossible), but it resonates with me. It shows you some sources of problems that arise so that you could try to address them to be understood on both sides. The style of short notes also plays well for this kind of setting.
The content successfully runs away from the obvious trap of presenting one side of a conflict (yes, conflict) in a privileged way. If you're creative, it will teach you assertiveness. But more importantly, it will try to teach you how to be professional despite the setting.
If you're the client, it will give you a framework for work with creatives. It will also try to teach you to be human. Of course only, if you'll allow yourself.
I have reached for this book because I do services for big companies with rigid cultures. Where you cannot break with ideas into the heads of people you work with. Where from the beginning you're being treated as a fraud. Where there often is another layer of politics under every decision and every act. I am not in the creative profession, just kind of creative, but it's enough.
This book doesn't solve the fundamental problems of vendor-client relations (and it doesn't promise it either, as it is impossible), but it resonates with me. It shows you some sources of problems that arise so that you could try to address them to be understood on both sides. The style of short notes also plays well for this kind of setting.
The content successfully runs away from the obvious trap of presenting one side of a conflict (yes, conflict) in a privileged way. If you're creative, it will teach you assertiveness. But more importantly, it will try to teach you how to be professional despite the setting.
If you're the client, it will give you a framework for work with creatives. It will also try to teach you to be human. Of course only, if you'll allow yourself.
August 31, 2022
This book is conglomeration of pouting in chapter format. I suppose it MIGHT be good for "clients," but let's face it - only those in the industry are going to read it. Clients (or potential clients) aren't going to pick up and go, "Oh yeah, I need to understand my design/marketing agency." That's not going to happen. And *because* that's not going to happen, this book is simply one big pity party laid bare for all to see. I'm shocked that the author landed clients like Oprah. This book reminds me that no matter the account list in an agency, it still doesn't qualify them to write meaningful material. I'm not saying that there isn't anything valuable here - there is. But the way the author goes about doing it is just wrong. Cringy almost. If you're looking for better ways to equip yourself to work with irritable clients (which one's aren't, right?) then find another book. Like How to Win Friends and Influence People.
August 6, 2020
Review #40 of my 52 week book challenge: Dear Client.
How many times as a consultant have you sat back and thought, what in the world is this client thinking? I'd guess it happens at least 30 times a day.
This brilliant book lays out, simply, all the things I wish I could say directly to a client. From honesty and transparency, to getting rid of RFPs and opinions from significant others, Siegler sets out a manifesto for stronger working relationships. Although it's marketed to creatives, anyone working in consulting (or their clients) will benefit.
To find out why I started my 52 week book challenge, what I've been reading, and how you can get involved, check out my original LinkedIn Publisher article or follow me.
How many times as a consultant have you sat back and thought, what in the world is this client thinking? I'd guess it happens at least 30 times a day.
This brilliant book lays out, simply, all the things I wish I could say directly to a client. From honesty and transparency, to getting rid of RFPs and opinions from significant others, Siegler sets out a manifesto for stronger working relationships. Although it's marketed to creatives, anyone working in consulting (or their clients) will benefit.
To find out why I started my 52 week book challenge, what I've been reading, and how you can get involved, check out my original LinkedIn Publisher article or follow me.
February 17, 2021
This book teaches you to translate what you want (financial-wise, business-wise, value-wise, brand-wise) into the proper lingo of Design.
Not too technical; it's a light reading that puts you in the mindset of a design professional. Short enough that I'd put it on my essential reading for managers.
The book helps if you deal with designers a lot, but you somehow couldn't find a good way to telepath to their creative-y brains the design ideas you had that "looked good" in your mind.
Not too technical; it's a light reading that puts you in the mindset of a design professional. Short enough that I'd put it on my essential reading for managers.
The book helps if you deal with designers a lot, but you somehow couldn't find a good way to telepath to their creative-y brains the design ideas you had that "looked good" in your mind.
June 21, 2022
Useful Resource
Managing creatives - whether in house or agency - can often feel like herding cats. The author gives literally dozens of ways to become an expert cat herder and creative whisperer in this easy to read book. Having run an agency now for several years, and being about as creative as a lump of granite, I found the lessons to be spot on, and wish I read this years ago. A good read.
Managing creatives - whether in house or agency - can often feel like herding cats. The author gives literally dozens of ways to become an expert cat herder and creative whisperer in this easy to read book. Having run an agency now for several years, and being about as creative as a lump of granite, I found the lessons to be spot on, and wish I read this years ago. A good read.
March 30, 2018
Good Advice - Simple Read
I enjoyed the format and content in this book. The advice is great not only for clients, but how teams should interact within the agency as well. Trust and respect are at the core of the ideas - the right way to interact at work. I liked the short chapter format that allowed me to read in short bursts.
I enjoyed the format and content in this book. The advice is great not only for clients, but how teams should interact within the agency as well. Trust and respect are at the core of the ideas - the right way to interact at work. I liked the short chapter format that allowed me to read in short bursts.
January 2, 2020
This book deserves 5 stars as it adresses ways to resolve some very common communication issues that arise from working as a creative. I really loved the approach of the author to these complex client situations. It gives creatives confidence to stand up to clients and avoid being overworked and underpayed.
May 18, 2020
Given in bite-sized snippets, the recommendations in this book are a good reminder for both creatives and clients about how to get the most out of creative collaboration. I didn't always *love* the way she talks about creatives, but those sweeping generalizations aside, I found it a worthwhile and quick read.
September 4, 2020
This is a beautiful book. Very visually engaging, but I would expect nothing less from a professional graphic designer. As a professional creative myself, I appreciated the perspective shared with the world. But I also found it helpful as a creative to make me a better partner--to set better expectations. It paints an ideal picture of a world with the best clients AND the best creative.
January 17, 2023
The book itself was full of advices ranging from good to a bit silly ones. But as it went on, I found the book to lose some of its impact. On one hand, I think this is one of those books you keep it on your bookshelf to read whenever the mood/situation strikes and on the other hand, this book could have been a simple list and it would still have similar impacts.
October 13, 2023
A helpful guide for clients who interact with creatives. Also, a helpful guide for creatives to remember that clients only know so much, and there are ideal ways to collaborate with them that benefit both parties and end results. This is a quick read that succinctly summarizes topics, from "The Value of Creative Work" to "Why Focus Groups Suck," in a listicle format.
October 31, 2018
Finally, everything that creatives complain about in book form! I feel so validated. I saw Bonnie speak at Adobe Max and she is a force to be reckoned with. If you are ever in the client seat, please read this.
January 20, 2021
Simple but essential lessons. If you've worked with creatives in the past, none of these tips on the page will surprise you, but they're important and lay the foundation to put into practice for collaborating with anyone or any team.
Simple goal executed well and a well-designed book.
Simple goal executed well and a well-designed book.
April 26, 2023
Great insight to the creative process. I can't express how many times I've wished someone could see all the work that goes into making one thing and understand how I get there - super handy as I am moving into more leadership oriented roles as well
July 19, 2019
easy read with a lot of good advice - great quotes and readability as well!
December 16, 2021
Great guidelines written in a fun and accessible manner
March 7, 2022
Although this book is intended for clients, and artist or professional creative might develop a standard for what clients to look out for after reading this book.
January 13, 2021
As a person that has spent much of his time in a creative field, I thought Bonnie hit the nail on the head of the best ways to deal with creative people. She is open and honest and as the owner of a design company, she knows exactly what she was talking about. A short, but worthwhile read.
Want to read
March 13, 2018Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2018.
March 23, 2018
A must read for anyone who works creatively with clients. This is a vital and exquisitely essential read. It landed in my lap on a plane ride and I kept quoting aloud from it to my travel cohorts.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews