Got laughed at for sketching logos by hand in a pitch meeting in Phoenix

I walked into a branding pitch last month with nothing but a sharpie and scrap paper while the other guy had full 3D mockups. Client said my hand-drawn concepts felt more real and gave me the contract on the spot. Anyone else find that rough sketches close deals faster than polished renders?

3 comments

3 Comments

john_hunt219d ago

That part about the client feeling the hand-drawn concepts felt more real really hit home for me. I was in a similar spot last year where I showed up with a sketchbook and got laughed at by the junior designer on their team. But the senior guy actually pulled me aside after and said rough work leaves room for the client to feel like they're part of the process, not just buying something finished. Sometimes that messy look builds more trust than a perfect render can, you know?

ross.jessica19d ago

Right, because nothing says "I know what I'm doing" like handing someone a napkin drawing while they're holding a 3D render that cost three months of salary. Must have been a real confidence boost for the guy with the mockup. Client probably figured anyone who can close a deal with a sharpie is either a genius or has absolutely nothing to lose. Either way, you walked out with a contract and he walked out with a lesson.

patricia38512d ago

The part about the sharpie and scrap paper got me... you walked into a pitch meeting in Phoenix with nothing but that? That's crazy to me. I've sat through those polished presentations where they hand you a thick binder and a USB stick with 3D files. And you just pulled out a marker and some loose paper like you were doodling on a lunch break. That takes guts, man. I don't think I could ever do that without my heart pounding out of my chest. But hey, it worked, so maybe the client just wanted someone real instead of a robot with a screen.