Don’t get me wrong, I love email as a tool. Attaching files, giving a list of changes, and connecting with a client in their own time are just a few reasons why email is great. Still, email is the death of communication, especially with a creative process.
I’ve made the huge mistake of just emailing creative design projects to clients instead of presenting them in person or live over the phone when a real presentation was needed. Then, I get back an email with my directions on what to do next. “Let’s go with #2.” “Take the logo from #6, but make it red.” “My wife doesn’t like any of these.” That’s not a conversation, it’s art direction, but a conversation in needed.
I need to hear the feedback and monitor the reaction to my designs. Sometimes the client doesn’t have a clear idea what they want and I present lots of ideas (some of them I know they won’t want). With the client’s reaction and feedback, the creative process is informed. With email, I get a filtered list of feedback and never have the real conversation.
Some designs need to be explained. Maybe an element will be animated in the final website. Maybe I know the photo is wrong, but it’s just there for the comp. Maybe we don’t have to go with a specific color, but the layout is the important difference. Of course, I could write a 1,000 word creative presentation, but would you want to read it? Could I write it well enough? Can I anticipate your questions? Perhaps, but perhaps not.
Here are some general problems with email presentations:
- Not everyone can write well, so things are miscommunicated with email.
- Not everyone can write for tone, so feelings are hurt and people get pissed off.
- Questions can’t be answered before feedback is given.
- Initial response is missed.
- There may be technical problems that aren’t addressed.
- Details can be missed.
- The process becomes a miscommunicated mess.
I’ve just made it a policy that when I do an online presentation, I do it live with the client.
Think about online dating. The point is to get together and form a relationship…You don’t just get married based on a couple of emails. Personal contact works best for real communication.
