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The trick to most design, is knowing when to stop. To rip-off a quote, Design is like morality - it consists of drawing the line somewhere.

I see it all the time when I’m out driving. It might be a pretty fancy car to begin with, and probably more than able to leave my family-approved mode of transportation in the proverbial dust with little effort, but the guy sitting next to me at the lights has probably gone a little too far. That little extra chrome, the further up the range rims and California beach approved tail fins may look cool, but they aren’t exactly going to improve performance too much. Not in proportion to what they all cost.

Sometimes I see it onstage or at a music store. A prettier piece of maple or shinier tuners may look cool on any guitar, but when the rubber hits the road (or pick hits the strings) what are you really gaining?

With design, I like to call it Design ROI, or Design Return On Investment. You could spend twice as much on a business card so that you have a little foil stamping on it, or spend the money trying out fourteen different typefaces, but what are you really gaining? Is that foil REALLY going to persuade business card holders to make that phone call? And is a typeface with 10% higher x-height really going to make you look 10% more professional?

Now, I don’t mind if someone wants to spend twice as long on a project if I’m getting paid for it, but I’m not about to rip off anybody or make them pay for their indecision. Sometimes, it comes down to trust.

Trust your designer to know what they are doing. When you get one or two choices, believe that these are the best choices available, and not the first two that popped into someone head. Make sure that the extra time and effort put into a design truly is an investment and the cost of which can be recovered by the added professionalism and functionality of the product.

I’m interested in efficient design, design that gets the job done and is accurate, exactly what the clients needs and wants, and is going to go out there and show off a business for what and who it truly is.

I just want your clients to notice when you’ve gone the extra mile. If it’s effective, they will. And they will be calling.