My old advertising boss used to tell our customers, “You don’t want to watch us make the sausage.” He grew up in Mississippi, and knew what went into those tasty treats you find on your breakfast plate. If you actually saw the pieces and parts that make sausage, there’s a good chance you’d never eat it. He applied this sausage thinking to the creative process and clients. He reasoned most clients don’t want to see all the wadded up ideas and missteps in the design process. And he’s mostly right.

Yet, I’m coming to the conclusion that no one wins when clients can’t see into the design process. Client’s are generally ignorant about the time, energy and discipline necessary to produce effective creative on schedule and within budget. Showing the end concept without involving them along the way further contributes to their ignorance. Why? They have no sense of appreciation for your creative process. Having “grown up” on the client side of things, I’ll never forget the first time the contracted design team ...... Keep reading