The Client’s Wallet vs. the Designer’s Expertise
Knowing When to Say ‘No’ (Politely)
My decade of experience on in-house and agency marketing teams has shown me that navigating feedback from clients can be a consistent point of tension. I want to outline some parameters for when to hold the line or give in to seemingly unreasonable feedback and provide actionable strategies for addressing it professionally.
The Core Conflict: Expert vs. Employee
We’ve all been there.
That one demanding director or client has strong opinions but doesn’t quite understand how their suggestions break every rule the designer learned in school and through industry experience. However, financial reliance leads to the designer’s silence. It’s true—no client, no paycheck. There is a good reason to break the rules sometimes and go against your better judgment to make the client happy. However, there are instances where “no” leads to better work and better outcomes for the client.
Remember, as an experienced designer, you aren’t just an executor; you are a strategic partner and an expert in visual communication, marketing trends, and user psychology. The client is paying for your expertise, not just your mouse clicks.
Often, clients or executives are experts in their own areas—perhaps in the industry, their product’s key features, or their brand positioning, all of which are vital aspects to understanding how design can be a tool to reach the desired audience. A client could provide strategic feedback based on their expertise and the project development can be collaborative in ways that will vastly improve a design’s effectiveness. Even Greg Samata of Samata brand design firm believes the key to successful design execution is a solid grasp of the client’s business. Samata says, “We have to know the company’s business, the intricacies of the industry, what their strategies are, and who we’re trying to communicate with,” so there’s no question that it’s essential to understand the entirety of the client’s business needs. However, subjective feedback can lead to an ineffective design that actively works against the client’s interest.
How and when do we differentiate and address the different types of feedback professionally?
Types of Feedback
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“This approach doesn’t convert well."
Possible response: “Let’s try a different style or photo.”
“Our audience didn’t understand this message.”
Possible response: “Let’s change the headline or emphasize a different part of the headline.” (You may have to work with the copywriter if you’re not a wordsmith)
“The call-to-action isn’t clear.”
Possible response: Let’s make the button more apparent or change the directive.”
→ Always listen and adapt. Ask for clarity if necessary.
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“I don’t like that much blue.”
“Make the logo bigger because my marketing friend said so.”
“Can we make the discount pop? Add a drop shadow or something.”
“Can we make it look exactly like our competitor’s ads?”
→ This is when you may have to resist changes.
When to Hold the Line
Hold the line when feedback. . .
Violates Core Design Principles: Readability, usability, accessibility, established marketing best practices (e.g., contrast, hierarchy).
Undermines the Client's Own Goals: The request will actively hurt their business, conversion, or brand strategy (e.g., copying a competitor so closely that they lose their unique identity or appear disingenuous to audience members).
Creates a Technical or Legal Problem: The request is technically impossible, violates copyright, or creates an accessibility issue.
Is Contrary to the Data: Research may suggest the requested changes will result in undesirable outcomes or that audiences/users prefer something contrary to the request.
Let it go when . . .
It's a Purely Aesthetic/Branding Choice: The change doesn't violate best practices, but it's not what you would do (e.g., choosing one shade of green over another, a slightly different font weight—but still accessible).
It's a Hill Not Worth Dying On: The change is minor and won't negatively impact the project's overall effectiveness or your portfolio. Conceding builds goodwill, and may make clients more receptive to your expertise on the next, more important strategic issue.
It's Late in the Project and Budget is Tight: If you’ve already discussed the issue with the client and they still insist, you may make the change and deliver the project files, while documenting any potential risks or agreements you discussed with the client. (see below: 4. Document and Deliver)
When I worked on a series of marketing email templates, key stakeholders on the project consistently requested that I design in a way that was visually compelling only when in light mode, creating and using light-colored GIFs, background patterns, multiple image blocks, and limiting the text color shift. Implementing many of their design suggestions would have made the design inaccessible in dark mode or would have forced some apps to block image files. Additionally, research suggested more than 50% of users under 40 preferred dark mode when given the option. The developer and I had to make the case that designing for dark mode and limiting email size should be a priority to facilitate the long-term usability and accessibility of the design.
How to Hold The Line
Here’s a framework I follow when I find myself needing to hold the line on a design direction.
Lead with “Why”: Never say “No” without context. Reframe the discussion from personal opinion to business outcome.
Example: Instead of saying Comic Sans is ugly try, “I understand you prefer that font, but for our target audience, research shows that a Helvetica or similar sans-serif option is 58% more readable on mobile devices, which aligns with your goal of increasing mobile conversions.”
Use Data as Your Shield: Reference market research, A/B test results, case studies, or even general psychology principles. Your rationale should be “Based on X, Y is a better option.”
Example: When a client asks for a tiny Call-to-Action (CTA) button, cite Fitts’s Law (larger buttons are easier to access) or internal data showing an increase in click-through rate (CTR) with a larger button.
Present Options: If they insist on a bad idea, show the original, the bad idea, and a third, slightly less offensive compromise.
Example: Say, “Here are three options based on our discussion. Option A is the recommended design based on our goals. Option B incorporates your specific aesthetic request but may impact clarity. Option C is a hybrid solution.”
Document and Deliver: If a client insists on a design you know will fail, document your professional recommendation and their final decision in writing. This protects you legally and professionally when the campaign inevitably underperforms.
Example: You can say, “As requested, I’ve implemented the change to the yellow CTA. However, my professional recommendation is to use the high-contrast blue, as it aligns with WCAG guidelines and has performed better in our initial tests.”