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Vent: A client told me my portfolio was 'too polished' and it threw me off
I was at a coffee shop last week when a potential client looked at my design samples and said they looked 'too clean, like stock photos' and they wanted someone more 'raw'. I mean, I thought being tidy was a good thing, but now I'm wondering if I should add some messy, behind-the-scenes stuff to show process. Has anyone else gotten feedback that made you totally rethink how you present your work?
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cora_west51d ago
Last week at the hardware store a customer told me my display was laid out too perfectly and looked fake, which is basically the same thing. People just want to see the real mess behind the work sometimes, like how they trust a handyman with a dirty truck more than one with a clean one. It makes sense that a few rough edges make things feel more human and honest.
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black.oliver1d ago
The dirty truck thing is spot on. I used to keep my van spotless inside and out, thinking it showed I was professional. Then a regular told me he almost didn't hire me because he thought I was just a salesman who'd never actually fix anything. Now I leave a couple tool marks on the floor and a few dust spots on the shelves. You just need one or two things that look like they got used, not ruined. Like leaving a price tag slightly crooked or a sample board with a scratch on it. Nothing major, just enough so people can see their own hands working with it.
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adam1861d ago
Did you try leaving one small thing slightly off on purpose?
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