Before starting any project it’s essential to get the right preliminary information from your clients. This will help pave the way to a successful project, assist in bringing client’s vision into perspective and build a lasting relationship. Many of the questions below will also help in putting together an accurate quote for your client. Things such as deadlines, usage, etc. should take into account pricing.
Since my primary focus in is logo design, below are 20 questions to ask your clients prior to beginning their new logo design. Also, many of these questions can be applied to other forms of design, so feel free to integrate them into your questions for various forms of print and web design.
Company-related questions
1- How would you describe your services and/or products?
2- What are the long term goals of your company?
3- Why do you want a new logo? (if they already have one) What do you want your new logo to accomplish?
This question helps to understand the problem.
4- Who are your main competitors?
Having clients provide links allows you to get a better feel for their market and competition.
5- How are you different from your competitors?
6- What’s the age range of your target customer base?
Helps in creating an overall feeling and impression of the logo.
Project-related questions
7- Do you have a tag line? If so, would you like it stated along side your logo?
8- Do you have any specific imagery in mind for your logo?
9- Do you have any color preferences, or existing brand colors?
10- Do you have any colors that you do not wish to use?
11- What adjectives should best describe your logo?
12- What feeling or message do you want your logo to convey to those who view it?
13- How do you prefer your logo to be worded or written out?
Example: thedesigncubicle or the design cubicle
14- How would you like the typography to appear?
Example: script, bold, light, hand drawn, custom lettering
15- Where will you logo be used?
Example: print, web…
16- Where will your logo primarily be used?
If the primary usage is for the web, typically horizontal logos work best.
17- What’s your preferred deadline, time frame or exact date of completion?
18- Budget?
This is where I provide various pricing and concept numbers.
19- Would you like any addition design services to be packaged with your new logo?
Example: business cards, envelops, letterheads, etc.
20- What logos appeal to you and why?
Another question they can also with links and visual examples.
I also like to leave my clients with a field or extra room at the end where they can provide additional details and comments. Remember, being a graphic designer means you are a problem solver. You cannot solve a problem without knowing what the problem is – asking questions is a great start. What questions do you ask your clients prior to starting a project? Feel free to add to the above questions in the comments below.
Gah, I wish I read this 5 hours ago. At least I have the questions now I guess.
I think one of the most helpful is #20.
Knowing which style they like will give you a huge advantage.
Its so difficult to capture a whole company legacy into one design!
These are the designs i get the most frustrated with,
Thanks for the tips!
I have found #19 to be one of the best questions for my freelance career. It’s not really helpful in knowing how to design their logo, but I have landed many web design or print gigs just by offering additional services. This question also goes well after you finish the logo and they love it. They are then more willing to invest in your work.
I also love the closer, Brian. Design IS problem solving. This is a great way to start the problem solving process. Thanks for the post!
[...] New addition 7/02/09 – 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo [...]
There was a similar question on LinkedIn today, but from the client perspective. Great list and I will save it for future projects. FWIW:
#8 Regarding imagery, are they looking for prosaic or abstract imagery? Something iconic or more representative?
#20 I always find it helpful to find out what someone does NOT like as well as what they DO. Just gives me a better frame of references to see both likes and dislikes.
Nokadota,
Better late than never they say ;) Glad it could be of use to you in the near future.
CJ,
You’re very welcome. I think that’s what I enjoy best from logo design – the ability to capture the essence of a company from one little mark.
Preston,
I also find this question to be a good one. Most of the time client’s forget that they need an entire brand image redo since they received a new logo. Always nice to include that in the beginning.
Davina,
Thanks for the additions, and yes, finding out what they like and don’t like are extremely valid questions. Sometimes it’s easier for people to describe what they do NOT like instead of what they do. Thanks for commenting.
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo | The Design Cubiclethedesigncubicle.com [...]
#17 is essential–designing a logo often involves several revisions, all of which take time, and can potentially go on forever. Make sure your client knows exactly how much time you will spend on the design.
These questions are also helpful when redesigning a logo. It is often helpful to know how different they want their new logo to be from the original–some do not want to risk losing brand identity and stick with a logo that is similar to what they’ve done in the past.
Great list, I’m going to put this in a PDF and print it out to take to client meetings :)
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thanks Brian, it’s good to get an idea of what other designers are asking and how they are problem solving..
The thing I’ve found is that many clients don’t know what they want, who their competitors are and what they are doing – thats why getting them to fill out a form for more info is vital before you get started on the design – after all its true that you do need to know what the problem is before you can solve it.
[...] 3, 2009 in Logos | Tags: Logo, Website Design http://www.thedesigncubicle.com/2009/07/20-questions-to-ask-clients-prior-to-designing-a-logo/ [...]
Additional Question:
1. Are your customers mainly from a particular culture (e.g. Chinese) or lifestyle tribe (e.g. hip hoppers)? (To ensure cultural bias wrt color and aesthetics is considered)
In terms of typographic style and color, I would not ask the client what they want. YOU as the designer should know best.
Business cards, letterheads, envelopes is where the branding comes in. This is another project and should not be included in the initial logo presentation.
(if they don’t like the logo, they aint gonna like the card, etc so it’s a waste of time to proceed without the final approval of the logo)
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Brian, these are great questions and I believe that I can use most of these in my sales presentations. Part of the services that we provide is direct screen printing and embroidery on garments such as shirts and caps. Unlike screen printing or paper printing, embroidery has some limitations that may need to be addressed if the client plans to use their logo on embroidered garments. Such as letter size in proportion to the actual logo, PMS color matching and the logo may lose some fine detail that reproduces well in ink printing. I have run into more than a few logos that were not embroidery friendly. Tks Paul sends
Awesome article. You don’t know how extremely relevant this was today.
With regards to #15 – Where will you logo be used?
I also ask where the logo *could* be used. For example, a domestic violence charity recently put a ‘discrete’ version of their logo on a tube of lip balm with their number to distribute to women at risk.
Although the most obvious uses are print and web, there are sometimes instances when the client could be looking to use their logo in random ways on random surfaces; as they are unlikely to flag this, it’s good to prompt them to think about their wider, possible uses in the future.
Nice! I should write those questions down for the next time going to meet with my clients :) Thanks, man, great tips!
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo – Before starting any project it’s essential to get the right preliminary information from your clients. This will help pave the way to a successful project, assist in bringing client’s vision into perspective and build a lasting relationship. [...]
[...] In: Design inspiration 3 Jul 2009 Since my primary focus in is logo design, below are 20 questions to ask your clients prior to beginning their new logo design. Go to Source [...]
[...] his post 20 Questions to Ask Clients Prior to Designing a Logo, Brian Hoff provides some good ideas to reach a place of clarity before beginning a design job. The [...]
20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing a Logo…
20 questions to ask your clients prior to beginning their new logo design.
…
what do you do when your client says “oh I dont really know what I want you decide, you’re the designer.” I’ve got that a couple times and even when I try to pry some kind of direction out of them, its barely enough to have something to go off of. I think that may be why I’ve had such a hard time with logo design.
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Muy buen blog de diseño gráfico! gracias
Great design graphic blog! thanks
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo (tags: logo business reference) [...]
thank you very much, i have the creative company that face the problem of customer’s revision too. The log seem to have variety of cost that we have difficult to explain to our customers.
Great set of questions, and I agree with Davina, “its helpful to find out what someone does NOT like as well as what they DO”.
And I’ve had the same problem as Stacey too, where a client doesn’t know what they want, but I usually work this out from logos they have seen that they like or don’t like as a basis.
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo: Designing a logo (or anything else really) is no easy task and it’s always better when you know what to ask your client before you actually start working. Here are 20 questions you might want to consider asking your clients. [...]
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo [...]
These are great questions to ask to get started and a feel for what they are looking for but with the availability of online “free” logo sites, they can go and choose one from there. Designers have a special talent that is unique and have the ability to create logos that the client would never even have thought of as it is the deisgner’s, who is also a consumers, interpretation of what the client has described as the image they want their company to portray.
Many have an idea of what they are looking for but then once on paper it is not what they thought. Different looks get you closer to what they are looking for much faster then asking questions.
Designers know best what fonts and colors work on all types of advertisng and marketing materials where a client probably would not have that experience.
Great guide to get started with and feel out the client.
[...] 24 Most Ridiculously Thought Out Storefront Signs 13 Tips To Skyrocket Your Marketing Campaign 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo How to Turn Your Blog Into a Business Timing Is A Critical Success Factor for Blog Posts Ways For [...]
This is a very complete list of questions. I’m going to use this for reference in the future when dealing with new logo design projects.
I agree with the comment by Davina Brewer asking about what they don’t like. I find that this will save you work in the long run sometimes. There’s nothing worse than doing a bunch of comps and having a client dislike the approach or style that you’ve taken.
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A LogoBefore starting any project it’s essential to get the right preliminary information from your clients. This will help pave the way to a successful project, assist in bringing client’s vision into perspective and build a lasting relationship. [...]
Awesome sort of questions, Thanks!… i also find very helpful & inspiring this sources
http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/inspiration/25-sources-for-logo-design-inspiration/
A question I like to ask clients is “If your company was an animal, what would it be?” It gives you a general idea even though they don’t want to have an animal on their logo.
[...] Fuente: The Design Cubicle [...]
Fantastic questions, however since i run a Branding / Advertising Consultancy in Nigeria (BrandCelerate Ltd.), our brand development brief template contains most of the questions. However, question 19 is a good one which could create other biz opportunities. I must also commend you as a thought leader in your industry.
I impress your site company related question. your question is mark by our company thanks for your suggestion.If company was developing what would it be?
designing logos,
Not really sure if I fully understand your question?
[...] 20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo [...]
[...] Fuente: http://www.thedesigncubicle.com/2009/07/20-questions-to-ask-clients-prior-to-designing-a-logo/ [...]
[...] TheDesignCubicle publicaron una lista interesante con 20 preguntas que hacer a un cliente antes de hacer un logo que [...]
good your question is i follow by this question
I feel like I should ask the following question as well:
“When I send you my design comps, are you going to trivialize my skills and challenge my years of experience by asking me to bastardize them to the point that I am unable to include them in my portfolio? Will wish I hadn’t put any time or heart into it?”
I guess this question can also apply to print and web site design too.
[...] TheDesignCubicle publicaron una interesante lista de 20 preguntas para usarlas con nuestros clientes a fin de [...]