How to Get Your Clients More Involved in the Design Process

by Doug Farrick

One way to increase your design sales is to create more interactive and involvement devices for your products and services. Read this short article to find out how you can put this principle to work in your business.

Last week, the family and I headed off for a few days of R&R in the Big Apple last weekend. Although a bit on the cold side we had a fantastic time. Our hotel was just a block away from Radio City Music Hall and on the outer edges of Times Square. I sort of forgot how intense the neon ads and billboards were; a real visual treat - especially in the evening.

In our travels I did get a chance to visit 2 Apple stores. One in Soho and the other in midtown just across from the Plaza Hotel. What was amazing about these stores was first the number of people there and secondly everyone was so engaged in using the Apple products. I mean there was one guy with a backpack who unloaded a hard drive and was inserting CD after CD into this iMac - crazy.

Others also appeared to be "working" there. I am not sure what the protocol is but it just seemed a bit strange. However, what DID catch my my attention was all this "interactivity" with Apple products. You actually had to stand in line to interact with a product. And it occurred to me how important interactivity is - that is, getting people interacting or involved with your design product or service.

It is the same idea that makes Publishers Clearing House so successful with all those little stickers and colors you have to carefully choose. Before you know it you're sucked in without even knowing it!

The trick is to try to incorporate some of these involvement devices into your own business, like:

- Perhaps a promotion with scratch tickets

- Asking the client to physically flip through your portfolio

- Asking clients to move around or re-arrange color pieces

(ie; Pantone chips)

- Create online surveys, quizzes or interactive presentations

Remember, the more involved and engaged the client becomes the more susceptible he/she will be to purchasing your design services.