Interview With Graphic Designer Shannon Brenek of Grey Dog Design: Part II
In part one of my interview with Shannon Brenek, we talked about her work as a freelance designer and as a designer during her agency days. In part two of our discussion we’ll talk about how Shannon keeps her design skills sharp and how she address the issue of shrinking client budgets…
Jason Pedley: I’ve seen your work dating all the way back to our Sonalysts/Mohegan Sun days, and it’s consistently excellent work. How do you go from agency settings to a freelance setting without getting ‘design atrophy’? How do you keep growing your skills on your own?
Shannon Brenek: Well thank you! As a freelancer and stay-at-home mom, I have tried to channel my design skills in different ways so that I can continue to be inspired. The CADC position allows me to be involved with designers from all over the state, so even though I am not designing as often, I’m consistently meeting with other design professionals, which is really important. Even if you’re having lunch. Because you always talk about projects and it gets your mind going.
Also, teaching at Mitchell College allows me to approach design a whole different way. Teaching design makes you go back to the fundamentals, the basics. It reminds you what bad design is. And how to avoid it. And I take every opportunity to design SOMETHING. Notecards for Christmas presents, invitations for birthday parties.
JP: Budgets aren’t what they used to be, and clients generally like to keep as much of their money as possible. What do you say to a client who has a small budget for design projects?
SB: When meeting with my clients, the first question I always ask is “Do you have a budget in mind?”. And they never do. It goes back to the first question of whether the client really knows what they want. So I always try to present a proposal that has at least two different cost levels. That way, I can show them exactly what they get for their money. Small budgets are fine. But make sure the client knows exactly what they are getting for that, including how many rounds of revisions they can afford and what type of printing. If you have it all laid out for them, there’s no disappointment later.
Lessons from Part II with Shannon:
- When good designers aren’t designing…they’re still thinking and talking about design.
- Giving options with two different cost levels will help client sort out budget issues.
- If you lay everything out upfront (number of revisions, production quality, etc.), you minimize (or even eliminate) your chances of disappointing a client.
Look for more of my chats with the graphic designers, web designers, developers and other experts who are part of my “Partner Services.”