Clients are at the heart of every project we create — an integral slice of the delicious design pie. So understanding them is massively important, especially when it makes both parties lives a lot easier.

Throughout my time working in a design studio, I have picked up some handy tips that I feel will help designers of any level. It’s super simple stuff, but it can be easy to forget. I give you, ‘Clients: A How-To Guide’.

I will be delivering this guide each week, focusing on different topics, including:

• Presentations
• Meetings
• Communications
• Going the Extra Mile
• Building Relationships

The topics will delve deeper into some personal anecdotes and opinions I have on the matters. I look forward to seeing you next week.

Reiss, Designer & Director of Client Happiness (yes, that’s an official title).

Reiss is a multi-purpose designer with a broad range of skill-sets.

He loves being a part of any creative activity — whether it’s mapping out a user experience, getting his hands dirty with some copy or even re-building bits of his motorbike.

A born people-person, Reiss is never happier when showcasing ideas from his vividly wild imagination and working with clients to see them through to completion. Once an architect, he has a keen eye for conceptual ideas and never tires of learning new things.

This Will Ruin Everything
The Lighthouse
15th – 30th July

Not your normal art exhibition. “This Will Ruin Everything” marks Recoat’s 10th anniversary and in true form, they curated an exhibition that celebrates not only themselves but forty Sottish and international artists and designers from a wide range of creative practices, from architecture to digital art to painting. The phrase “This Will Ruin Everything” was a comment directed at Recoat during a mural project and it encompasses everything that Recoat is trying to achieve by opening up the debate around public art, its purpose, function and value. It’s one not to be missed!

Find out more here.

Creative Brainstorm
The Corinthian Club — CEO / Muckle Media
3rd Aug
1pm – 5pm

Need some creative inspiration? Alongside networking, CEO and Muckle Media aim to inspire and equip you with the tools to think creatively when it comes to PR, social media and marketing. Starting with a networking lunch at 12.30pm, the creativity session starts at 1pm and involves working on a live brief and using Muckle Media’s approach to brainstorming to develop a creative ideas plan.   

Spaces are limited so get in there quick, register your interest here.

After Hours Networking at Chaophraya
Chaophraya Glasgow — Chamber of Commerce
16th Aug
5.30pm – 7.30pm

Networking with a Thai twist! Glasgow Chamber of Commerce invites you to an evening of networking all while enjoying an exclusive preview of Chaophraya’s Christmas Menu, trying your hand at Thai cooking and getting behind the bar for some cocktail making. The perfect mix of networking, food and cocktails.

If this sounds like your type of networking event, you can register your interest here.

How to Develop an International Commerce Strategy
Scottish Development International — Scottish Enterprise
30th Aug
9am – 1pm

Wanting to grow your business internationally? This workshop will give you tips and advice on how to develop your online strategy, giving insights into both digital trends and mobile technology.

So, if you want to learn how to integrate your online strategy with your wider marketing strategy then this is the workshop for you, find out more here.

Boosting Your Brand with Social Media
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce — MadeBrave
5th Sept
9.30am – 12.30pm

This is the first in a three-part series of workshops from MadeBrave containing all you need to know about social media. Focusing on adding that human element which helps to create a deeper connection with your audience, this workshop will give you an insight into branding as a whole and how to showcase your brand on social media. It will also teach you how to develop creative and effective social media campaigns, how to plan your content and engage with your customers. 

You can get your tickets here.

Venturefest
Glasgow Science Centre
20th Sept

Venturefest is back for another year of innovating Scotland’s SMEs and ambitious early stage companies to grow and become more competitive. It connects SME business owners, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators to create long lasting business connections. The day is filled with all useful tools, advice, funding and contacts you need to take your business to the next level.

Register here.

Frank Quitely: The Art of Comics
Kelvingrove Art Gallery
1st Apr – 1st Oct

Ever dreamt of creating your own superhero or getting your photo taken with Superman? This exhibition showcases the largest collection of Frank Quitely’s incredible work to ever be displayed. Like a superhero himself, Frank Quitely is the alter ego of Glasgow born Vincent Deighan. Now a world renowned artist, the name goes hand in hand with iconic characters such as Superman, Batman and the X-Men — all of which you can see at Kelvingrove.

You can book tickets here.

To view our interactive map and have all the brand building events across Scotland at your fingertips, click here.

Turing Fest
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
2nd – 3rd Aug

One for the digital community. While all the art events are kicking off over Edinburgh, this festival focuses on technology and hosts a diverse line up of 50 speakers from companies like Google, Skyscanner and Moz. Covering a whole variety of disciplines, the Turing Fest combines 4 conferences in 1. It is two days filled with insight and inspiration where you can meet like-minded peers in a relaxed, informal setting.

This year they are expecting at least 1,000 delegates to attend so we’d get in there quick, get your ticket here.

Social Media for Beginners
Fringe Central — Edinburgh Festival Fringe Scotland
6th Aug
11am

Learn all you need to know about social media and how to make it work best for you with this hour long workshop. This workshop will teach you how to go about promoting on social media, what the do’s and don’t are and which social channels are best for your business and how they work.

If you’re wanting to join the social media revolution, you can find out more here.

One-On-One Surgeries for Creative Artists
Fringe Central — ChrisGrady.Org
17 – 18th Aug

Looking to take the next step in your creative journey? Book in for a surgery with producer and coach, Chris Grady. Each session lasts 50 minutes and is on a one-to-one basis. You will explore where you are in your career/journey/project and where you would like to be. Grady will help you deal with challenges, set goals and unlock connections and networks that would be suited to your journey. These sessions are ideal for start-up companies or individual creatives working in Edinburgh.

To book a surgery, please email chris@chrisgrady.org.

CreativeMornings
Fringe Central — Edinburgh Festival Fringe Scotland
25th Aug
10am

Looking for a monthly creative breakfast? Look no further, CreativeMornings is a free, monthly breakfast lecture that includes a 20-minute talk, coffee and breakfast. Each month focuses on a different theme, with August’s theme being genius. These monthly meetings give the participants time to network and meet other like-minded people within the creative community.

This month’s breakfast is also part of the Fringe Central Events Programme so we are sure it’s not one to be missed, you can get tickets here.

E-commerce and Emarketplaces: The Opportunity
Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh Office
21st Sept
9am – 1pm

Learn how to trade online and grow your domestic and international sales with this practical workshop where you will gain access to expert tips and advice on the world of e-commerce. You will also find out about the opportunities that international trade can bring to your company and learn how to test your products and services through these marketplaces.

If you’d like to develop a strategic approach to your e-commerce website and digital channels then this is the workshop for you. Register your interest here.

To view our interactive map and have all the brand building events across Scotland at your fingertips, click here.

Workplace Innovation and Scotland’s Digital Future
The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa — Scottish Enterprise
24th Aug
12pm – 4.30pm

With the digital age growing every day, this workshop will bring together business leaders, HR practitioners and expert researchers to share ideas on how to drive business performance through the digital and people-driven aspects of innovation. With three keynote speakers who will offer practical insights into maximising your employees’ innovative potential, this workshop aims to offer plenty of opportunities for networking and share advice.

With space for two people per company, you can register your interest here.

Create Compelling Content for Social Media
The Moorings Hotel — Scottish Enterprise
20th Sept
1pm – 4pm

Producing content but not getting the engagement you crave? This workshop will help you determine the sort of content you should be producing for your social media platforms and will demystify what ‘compelling content’ actually is. As well as helping you to create initial content and explaining how to use it to your business’ advantage, they will also show you where you can source engaging content from, online tools for creating compelling content and how to understand your analytics.

Register here and learn how to take your social media to the next level.

Online Marketplaces: Your Shop Window to the World
Business Gateway Dundee — Scottish Enterprise
27th Sept
9am – 1pm

Want to understand which online market would be the best for your business? This workshop aims to give you a clearer understanding of networking and marketing opportunities to engage with relevant e-marketplaces for your business. This workshop shows you the best places to engage with customers online which will help to increase your sales.

If this sounds like the workshop for you then you can find out more here.

Producing Engaging Online Content (Intermediate) — DigitalBoost
The Hub, Aberdeen — Business Gateway
20th Sept
1pm – 4pm

Producing content but not getting the engagement you crave? This workshop will help you determine the sort of content you should be producing for your social media platforms and will demystify what ‘compelling content’ actually is. As well as helping you to create initial content and explaining how to use it to your business’ advantage, they will also show you where you can source engaging content from, online tools for creating compelling content and how to understand your analytics.

Register here and learn how to take your social media to the next level.

To view our interactive map and have all the brand building events across Scotland at your fingertips, click here.

Build an emotional connection with your customer

Show your brand’s personality, don’t become a faceless brand that your customers can’t connect with. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to physically share a photograph of your face, adopting a personality that will captivate your audience online will work wonders for your brand. Personally though, we are big advocates of sharing the face(s) behind our brand as this helps your customer feel more comfortable as they can put a face to the name.

Know your brand’s purpose

This involves getting to the real depth of your business and working out what is most important to your company, your brand values and what you can offer that stands out from the market. What are you striving to achieve with your brand? What would be your pitch if stuck in an elevator with a stranger? Asking yourself these questions will help provide clarity in defining your brand’s purpose.

Build long-term relationships with your clients

Building these long-term relationships with your customer is key to your businesses long-term success. Growing these relationships not only builds trust but it will help to increase your businesses exposure. Approaching every situation with a “how can I help?” attitude works wonders and shows customers that you are willing to go the extra mile to help them.

Be your brand’s biggest ambassador

If you don’t believe in your brand then why should anyone else? You know your brand the best so it is up to you to share your brand’s vision, mission and values with your customers. Write a list of 5-10 things about your company that you are proud of, this will not only help you see how much you have achieved but will also provide anecdotes for your next brand building event.

Make sure your brand’s tone of voice is consistent

This not only reinforces your brand’s personality but helps build the customers trust and loyalty if they continually know what to expect from yourself, your products and services. Be authentic, find a tone of voice that fits your company organically and you won’t have to worry about being consistent as it will come naturally.

Do your research

Before attending these events, get prepared. Do your research into the key speakers and attendees. If there are people you wish to make connections with at these events then doing some pre-event research is key. Looking at their online LinkedIn profiles for common interests and connections is a good place to start. See what they’ve been up to lately, this will provide conversation starters which will help to break the ice.

Set reasonable expectations

There is only so much you can take in at these events. Set specific goals that you want to achieve at that event and anything else is a bonus. Also, don’t spread yourself too thin, a few meaningful conversations are better and more memorable than quick conversations with lots of people.

Ask questions and soak up as much information as possible

You’re at these events to learn and gain vital information so remember to ask loads of questions and note down valuable information. Also asking questions allows you to build a rapport with other attendees that can lead to more key information that could help improve your business.

Help others connect

While creating connections for yourself is great, helping to connect others in your network that are better suited not only is a good deed but also helps to create more meaningful relationships.

Follow Up 

Following up with connections you made at these events can reaffirm that you are interested in working together etc. Doing this as soon as possible is key, wait too long and it can unintentionally convey disinterest. Even striking up a conversation with someone who was at the event on social media or thanking the people involved can lead to making unexpected connections.