This week we are talking all about building a good reputation as a designer. This is so essential so we are going to dig into exactly why. So without further ado, let’s get into the show!
[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/honestdesigners/HD_176.mp3″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” title=”Episode 176: How to Build a Good Reputation as a Designer”]
Watch some of the Honest Designers episodes here: Honest Designers Podcast Playlist. And remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for regular updates direct to your inbox.
Show Notes for This Episode:
[1:30] Reputation is the top tier of pricing.
[2:20] The logo for Next is an example of reputation driving price.
[3:00] Paul Rand dominated logo design and commanded top $ based on reputation.
[4:00] The team discuss the Next logo design.
[5:00] Ian compares Next to the 2020 Olympic logo.
[6:00] The gang critique Paul Rand’s logo design.
[7:30] Lisa shares her true thoughts on Paul Rand’s work.
[8:10] Dustin talks about today’s artists that have a solid recognizable style.
[9:20] Tom challenges the team to look past the designer and truly see the design.
[10:00] Reputation allows artists to push limits.
[11:00] The true judge of a design is a consumer.
[12:00] Familiarity makes a logo feel more correct.
[13:00] How does one build a Draplin reputation?
[14:00] It takes a long time to build an empire.
[15:00] Tom shares how Design Cuts’s reputation has grown over the years.
[16:00] 7 years of hard work, meeting people and knocking on doors.
[17:00] Reputation is what others say you are and not what you think you are.
[18:00] Lisa ponders what made Paul Rand so sought after.
[19:00] Doing great work brings in more work.
[20:30] Pick something you want to be known for and go for it.
[21:00] Do one thing and do that one thing extremely well.
[22:00] Create something that stands the test of time.
[23:10] Ian explains what makes a great logo.
[24:30] Reputation has multiple meanings.
[25:00] Honest, prompt, great work.
[26:00] You brand evolves as you grow.
[27:30] Actionable reputation builders.
[28:40] Professionalism.
[29:50] Define the reputation you wish to carve out.
[30:50] Case studies showcase your work, work ethic and build your reputation.
[31:00] Will great work yield a great work persona? Lisa questions this theory.
[32:00] Good Name vs Shrewd Business Man.
[33:00] Work results and services.
[34:30] Reputation is a balance of two (ie Kurt Cobain).
[35:00] Tom begs that the average designer doesn’t want to be Kurt Cobain.
[36:00] Andy Warhol links reputation with differentiation.
[37:30] Tom explains how he is building his service reputation.
[38:00] Correct failures and patching breakdowns show you care.
[39:00] Lisa wants all clients to feel happy with her products and website.
[40:00] Consistency is the key to a strong reputation.
[41:20] RetroSupply always wants you to be 100% satisfied.
[42:20] Ian wants to be known as a generous giver of knowledge.
[43:30] There will always be someone to teach and learn from.
[45:00] The gang offers Paul Rand apologies.
[46:00] That’s a wrap.
Find us on iTunes, Spotify, and Instagram by searching for The Honest Designers Show.
“A must for every creative freelancer (or those aspiring to freelance). Thank you for being so… honest! Such a wealth of information from people I admire who have ‘been there and done that’. Listening to the podcast every week feels like I’m among friends. Can’t wait for more episodes!” – AG_GD
Hey guys, as a much older designer… although not a contemporary of Rand, back in the day there was a reverence about design. This is pre-computer and social media, so your reputation was forged a great deal in academia. There was little in terms of instant unveiling and critique of your work. You “sold” intelligence, impact and success based on your last best piece of work. You must look at Rand in the context of who he was serving. Fortune 500 company’s of that day were the touchstones of copycat mentality. Certainly Rand would have leveraged this to full advantage. Thankfully design appreciation is, as you stated, is in the eye of the consumer it hopes to connect with. Today, I think there is very little in the way of reverence… and I’d love to know how you guys feel about this? I’d also like to know if you feel that reputations fade over time (not injured due to errors)? To many, Rand’s has not but some of the disconnects you mentioned here suggests that it may have?
Hey Dave,
Thank you so much for commenting, and we hope that you found this episode interesting, and enjoyed comparing the host’s findings to your own experiences. I will certainly pop your questions over to the hosts so that we can hopefully feature this in a future episode for you. If you do have any other queries or suggestions for future episodes, please feel free to pop us an email at hello@designcuts.com and we would love to pass these on to our podcast team for you :).