The M.D.C. Handbook

so you want to be a designer

I already covered some of the basics of getting clients in design etiquette, but this chapter is thoroughly dedicated to helping all those up-and-coming graphic designers manipulate, er I mean, SERVE their clients. Do you want people to request on your thread? Do you want clients to keep coming back? Do you want your clients to treat you right? This is the chapter for you! 

I'm going to delve into a bit of client psychology here, hence the term "manipulate" being used earlier. You'll be surprised how small changes in wording can really change a client's impression of you. 

                1. Some gimmicks work. 

Remember last chapter when I denounced a lot of widely used gimmicks in the MDC? Well, okay, some gimmicks actually are okay and they do work. You just have to do it subtly, and DO NOT PUT THE GIMMICK IN THE TITLE. The goal with these is to get people to click on your thread without the gimmick, but including it in the first post will help them stay.

A) A SPECIALTY SALE
People in the MDC like these because it doesn't happen often. For example, you can do a "buy a cover, get a free banner" thing. (All you have to do to make the banner is transfer the stock you used in the cover to a 550x200 canvas.) You can also get creative with auctions and raffles. 

B) STORY PROMOTION
People on Wattpad are nice, trust me. If your story needs a boost, you can flat out say, "Hi everyone, I'm making covers to promote my story [ place title here ]. If you need a cover, please request!" I did this before, and you don't want to know how much good publicity I got. A couple people gave comments on ALL FIVE CHAPTERS of my story instead of the mandatory one. Some people even gave me and my story a shout out. I've seen other designers do this and get similar results. Wattpad people love to read.

C) GENRE NICHE
People love a good thread that only does their genre. LGBT+ threads are usually popular, but you can get more creative. What if you only accept romance requests one week, and science fiction the next? Light graphics one week and dark graphics the next? Every designer does a different genre? This gimmick is actually really fun, and could be very successful. 

                2. Plan your payment.

Graphic designers, all in all, should be paid what they believe their art is worth. I didn't start off by making my payment a read/comment on my story. I used "dedication" and upgraded to comment once I thought I was good enough to deserve it. Honestly, I don't think some people realize this. 

People want the product to reflect the payment. If you're just starting out and have an outrageous payment, potential clients will most likely ignore you, and the clients you do get will be very, very dumb. 

Keep it simple! One or two types of payment is best for one job. Also, you need to be sneaky. Wanna know how I manipulate my customers? 

A) DO NOT BE SPECIFIC
People who say "at least a 3+ line comment" or "at least an 8+ line comment" come off as very pretentious to me. Saying this makes the payment seem more like a chore rather than a pleasure. If you refrain from doing this, your clients won't feel pressured, and you will get more genuine comments and genuine readers. 

B) BE VERY POLITE
Being nice when you ask for payment makes you come off as not only professional, but modest, which clients like. Don't just tack on "payment is a comment on my story." Say, "please" and "as soon as you're able" and maybe even thank you. 

C) CREATE A FEELING OF OBLIGATION
This is something I actually learned in Psychology lol. If you're telling the customer your payment, say it like this instead from now on: "Will you please complete the payment, a comment on my story?" Having the client answer this question makes them feel more obligated to make the payment, and to give you a good comment. It's almost like guilt . . . almost.