Ask, Don’t Guess — Why Great Designers Ask Better Questions

Have you ever been told to “just do what the client wants”? 🙃
Yeah... same.

In this episode of BEYOND Design, I’m sharing why asking smart, strategic questions isn’t “too much” — it’s exactly what makes you a powerful, professional designer.

We’re diving into:
• What questions actually build trust (and better results)
• The difference between a designer and a button pusher
• Why “make it pop” isn’t a brief — and how to translate it
• One question that cost me a client (but gained me clarity)
• A real story from the archives that changed how I freelance forever

If you’ve ever second-guessed yourself for speaking up or worried about coming off as “difficult,” this one’s for you.

✨ Plus: grab the Ask Better Questions Free Guide below.

→ Show notes, 🖤, and links mentioned are waiting for you here: https://kunshuis.com/2025/10/22/ask-dont-guess/

Thanks for listening to BEYOND Design ✨

If this episode spoke to you, here are a few ways to keep the conversation going:

Website & Resources → kunshuis.com
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Show notes & blogs → kunshuis.com/blog

Free support for creatives:

• 21-Day Creative Reset Challenge
• Download: Asking Better Questions (Client Guide)
  
  

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Because design is only 20%… the rest is life.
Thanks for being here, friend. You’re not alone in this journey—let’s design it together.

Transcript

The client I lost for asking one question

SPEAKER_00 0:27

I wanna start today's episode with a confession. I once lost a client just for asking one question. I said what are the reason for wanting to change the packaging design? That was it. And I sent a short strategic form to help us both get clear. And then nothing. I got ghosted. No thanks, no not now, no you're asking too many questions, just gone. And for a moment I sat there wondering did I do something wrong? But deep down I knew I didn't. I was doing what every designer should do. I was asking better questions. When I studied design, we were taught to read the brief and do the work. No strategy, just read and do. When I started at the agency back in 2005, if you as a designer did ask anything, ish, the room went quiet and cold. The account executive would shut you down fast, just do what the client wants. But even then I knew something didn't feel right. How are we supposed to design anything meaningful if we don't understand the goal? So I started asking questions, quietly at first, then louder, even when it made me too much, even when it made the room uncomfortable, even when I lost clients. And that's okay, because now it's the reason clients trust me. So let's pause for a second. Because I know how scary it can feel to ask questions, especially as a freelancer. There's a voice in your head saying just deliver, don't overcomplicate it, be easy to work with. But here's the thing. The questions you ask are part of the value you bring. You're not difficult, you're doing your job. So let's zoom out a little bit. What is graphic design really? It's not move the logo three millimeters and make it pop. It's not just arranging things to look nice. Design is a business tool. It translates intention into action. It helps people trust, connect, decide and remember. And get this. McKenzie, a research company, studied 300 companies and found that design led businesses outperformed others by 211% over a decade. That's strategic. That's why asking questions matter. Now for anyone working with a designer or thinking, ugh, you just use a computer program, right? Or push a button. Let me say this loud and clear. Knowing Adobe does not make you a designer. Just like knowing Sage Online, the accounting program, does not make you an accountant. I say this with love but also with firmness. There are many people out there, especially in corporate settings or smaller print shops who are taught how to use the program. They know how to click around in InDesign. They know how to lay out the school newsletter or update the office PowerPoint, but that does not make them a graphic designer. Then you also get DTP operators. Incredible value, deeply skilled in technical side of things, like prepress, the print specs, I've worked with them, I need them. They make sure my work gets to the printer flawlessly. There are specialists in a different part of the process. But a graphic designer, we go deeper, we solve problems, we translate business goals into visual connection. We build systems, we design stories, we create meaning. And we ask the right questions, not to just do the work, but do the work well. So why am I telling you this in this episode about questions? Because when you don't see the value of a real designer, you don't understand why we ask questions. You think we're overcomplicating things, you think we're just fussy, but no, we're trained to see ten steps ahead. When we ask what is the goal or how do you want people to feel? It's not delayed tactics, it's strategy. We're not just moving shapes on a screen, we're building trust, guiding behavior, creating connection. So designer listen, if you've ever felt like you had to defend your work or prove your value, please remember you're not a button pusher, you're a creative thinker, a translator, a builder of meaning. And you deserve to ask the questions that make the work better. So how do you move from make it pretty to make it perform? It starts here. These are six questions that I always ask in the beginning of a project. Number one, what's the outcome we want? Not just a flyer or a logo. What must this thing do? Drive sales, create awareness, build trust. Start there. Number two. Who are we speaking to? Get specific. One person, one moment. Number three. How do we want them to feel? Safe, inspired, excited, seen. The feeling directs the design, the colour, the typography, the loud, everything. Number four, where will they see it? Platform and context matters. Something on a billboard isn't the same as something on your phone. Number five. What's the non negotiable? Budget, deadline, brand rules, legal lines. Knowing this early keeps the work safe and grounded. six What happens next? After they see this, what do you want them to do? Call, click, save, share. This tells me how to structure the hierarchy and the flow. Now these aren't extra steps. They are the work because design without clarity is just decoration. Design with clarity, that's leadership. And listen, when a client says make it pop, I get it. It's vague, it's super frustrating. But now these days, I translate it. I'll say do you mean more contrast to guide the eye or more energy in the layout? And then I tie it back to the goal. Since the goal is to increase signups, let's simplify the headline and boost the call to action. That's just an example. You're not just a service provider, you're a creative guide. So guide them kindly, confidently, strategically. A few years ago, I took on a rush job, a financial report for a major corporate. I had one week from design to print. I flagged the risks, said we needed proper sign offs and more time. They said just make it work, we skipped approvals, it went to print, and it majorly flopped. And guess who got the blame? Me. Even though I raised the concerns, even though I knew it was risky, I was the outsider, the freelancer, the easiest one to point fingers at. And since then I made two promises to myself. I don't take on panic jobs anymore. Peace over panic. I don't go to print without approval or sign off ever. And this is also where I learned how important guiding our clients is. I link my print approval document in the show notes if you want it. Use it, protect yourself. Now a little encouragement before we wrap. If you're new in this design industry, either freelancer or in house designer, or working for a corporate, or still finding your voice and you're scared to ask, start small. Add maybe a one-line paragraph to your designs when you present. Something like this design is based on our shared goal of X for the Y audience and the feeling we aim to evoke was Z. Now that's leadership. And if you're like me, you've been in this game for quite a while, but still shrinks sometimes when the client gets loud. Take your space. You know what you're doing. You've got the experience, the eye, and the gut instinct, back it with good questions. And remember, you're not here to make it pretty. You're here to make it work, to make people feel something, to move them, shift them, help them, choose. That's not frivolous. That's the power of design. So if you want to start asking better questions today, you can download the designer's guide to better questions. Link is in the show notes. It's packed with strategic prompts for branding, packaging, design, annual reports and more. It's conversation starters that cover your clients' real needs. It's practical reminders to protect your piece and your process. Whether you're new to freelance or building your next level brand studio, this guide helps you lead with confidence. I've dropped the link to this guide, the make it pop script, and that print sign off document in the show notes for you. Take what you need, use it, make it your own. And if this episode sparks something in you, please subscribe to Spotify, iTunes, or YouTube. Send it to a fellow designer who needs the reminder. Take a breath with me. You're not alone, your voice matters, your questions matter, your presence matters. Design your life wherever you are. Thanks for being here. Talk again soon.