Clients often have a funny idea of what it is that they're paying for when they hire a graphic designer. Convincing them that white space is important is a challenge. Some part of the brain, in some clients, tells them that white space is wasted space, that paying you to give them empty space is like paying a painter to leave half the canvas blank. If you simply give these clients what they want to get through with the job, then you're going to wind up having to put your name on a cluttered, crowded and hard-to-navigate website. If you want to maintain your pride as a graphic designer and keep your portfolio looking professional, here are three tips to get even the most hard headed client on board with white space design:
1. Show them a Cluttered Website
Find your favorite cluttered website and just show it to them. You don't need to be aggressive about it or pushy, just show it to them under the guise of "So you want something more like this, right?" and watch them retract their feedback. The best way to convince somebody of your point of view is to simply give them the evidence and let them come to the same conclusion on their own.
2. Head it Off from the Start
One easy method to get off to the right start is to show the client some custom templates and make sure that they all have white space, or else offer them a cluttered looking site that just doesn't look good at all. It's all about subtlety. If you're pushing white space on your client, they'll rebel. If you make them think it's their decision, they'll usually make the right one.
3. Get an Unbiased Opinion
A client's judgment is often clouded by the fact that they're spending money on your work. Your judgment is clouded by the fact that you've spent time. Asking an unbiased third party to give both of you a little feedback (such as posting a mockup in a design forum) can be a great help in giving both of you perspective.
Want to find work with clients that love white space? Sign up to be one of Artisan's Talent Candidates today. Or check out our open Graphic Design jobs here.
