I don’t have a problem with the Lean Startup model, and even if I did it won't be going away. After years of beta-testing websites and software it seems the practice of not having to get things right on the first try makes a lot of business sense for other products and services. As my friends over the Atlantic would say, “Bully for them.”
When it comes to design though the lean startup can be problematic. There’s a lot of economic downward pressure on our business to begin with and now the lean startup comes along like a merry band of clear-cutting ax men and threatens to level what’s left. The conversations I used to have with clients when it came to cost of identity design were about knocking 20% off. Twice in the last 6 months I’ve been asked to (effectively) knock a zero off. Really?
I understand the way we used to do things—making everything perfect from the product to the branding and then unleashing it upon the public and standing back and holding our collective breath, hoping that we all got it right—is often not the best way. But now it seems like the only opportunities to work with some clients are either cutting your fees down to student rates or staffing yourself up to the point where you look like you can handle a six-figure branding assignment. It’s like there’s a hand squeezing the graphic identity ballon in the middle. Air is only in either end. There’s the $600 logo assignment (ala 99designs) or the $60,000 visual brand package (ala any number of high-end brand firms) with little in between. But certainly, there has to be room in between.
The danger for someone in my position is if you manage to talk someone (up) to the middle ground by cutting (down) your rates you still become the “discount designer”. Years from now when that same client grows significantly and they have a substantial budget, the chances are they will want to hire a “real design shop” and not that “discount guy” they dealt with before.
Now if you’ve read this far and you’re still with me I’m going to take a moment here to recognize that this must sound like sour grapes, but I assure you it’s not. I’m advocating for the middle ground here, on behalf of myself (because admittedly that’s where some of my business lies) but also on behalf of clients. The reason is simple. I can’t tell you how many visual brand packages I’ve seen that come with a high dollar price tag that I look at and think to myself, “I could have done that for half of the money.” I’m talking about value for your marketing dollar here.
Now if you’re the client who’s tempted to play on the other end of the spectrum and you’re thinking about settling for a logo that’s just north of what your mother could come up with, that begs a serious question. What better way is there to start distancing yourself from the other lean start ups than to look like you’re quite serious about things from Day One? Not only will you have a strong graphic foundation to build on for the future, but it’s important to remember, one of the first lessons in Marketing 101: You only get one chance to make a first impression. And that’s true even if you’re planning on pivoting your way to success.