Dear Client: This Book Will Teach You How to Get What You Want from Creative People

Reference images can also help where words fail—especially valuable in architectural or interior design projects.

the contract should include project scope (all services and deliverables included), fees, project and payment schedules, number of revisions, expenses, and final product ownership and usage rights. It should also include a “kill fee” in case the collaboration isn’t working out and you want out (see No. 59, “If It’s Just Not Working”). Hope for the

Seth Godin says that the reason it’s difficult to learn something new is that it changes you into someone who disagrees with the person you are.

Nothing great happens when decisions are driven by fear (fear of failure, fear of losing one’s job, fear of looking foolish, fear of getting it wrong . . .). Just keep in mind, even people who do take risks harbor those fears.

As crucial as it is that you let us know what your brand stands for, it is equally important to let us know who you are.

A contract is also a signifier, telling all sides that this is a serious endeavor between two mutually respected parties. For creative types, few things foster as much confidence at the start of a project and few things do the opposite as quickly as a client’s reticence to sign a contract.

That said, I believe work required beyond the scope of the contract (see No. 23, “Expect the Unexpected”) should generally be billed by the hour (at a rate stipulated in the contract).

One client of ours captured her favorite things with her phone’s camera, showing them to us early in the process. She took assorted pictures of anything that caught her eye:

Most designers (and many other creative types) worth their salt charge a flat fee for a project.

Another client was equally effective at communicating her taste with a short list: “Everything Apple does, the branding for President Obama’s campaigns, and the New York City subway signage.”