Cool Kids don’t communicate

I love clients who communicate well. Design Company and Global Nonprofit seem to be great at this, even when there are big gaps in between the next stages. Just a simple sentence to keep me in the loop is a blessing sometimes.

Cool Kids contacted me back in March to help redesign their website. They are a global boutique firm that have a big hand in production and design. Small in number, but do huge things. And they are just really super nice, cool people. Cool Kids know me from Big Corp – they often collaborate together, and they’ve seen me around for the past 3 years. So, after I graduated, my Big Corp boss mentioned that I completed interactive studies, and they were interested. A week later, we chatted over the phone. They sent me comps and ideas. Then a big project hit them and I was out of town. We touched base in the spring, finally met up late May.

I saw the whole scope of the project, freaked (but kept it cool), and sent back an email regarding the next step. In the crushing weight of the giant project, its strategy and needs, I mentioned that I had started my own company since we first started talking, and that I thought it could be advantageous to bring in the other half of it (the husband). That seemed to go over like a lead balloon. Perhaps it showed my weakness, my fear. I pitched it that the hub has many years of  business and strategy experience, as well as  coding and production. And if I am doing this through our company, then I think both of us should be on board (cuz I’m gonna need his help!).

So, I can assume that wasn’t the right think to do. Yes, I told you I make mistakes. There seems to be hesitation now. I had set up a meeting for a short time later, to discuss the next step and go over a brief that I had painstakingly conceived and designed…two days before next meeting, our paths crossed at Big Corp. The meeting was mentioned, and also the massive amount of work they were facing…I get it, you’re busy. The next day I follow up via email, and I get a cancellation call the morning of. I had taken the day off from Big Corp for this. Yes, that’s me: Idiot.

I could see it coming and think it was for the better, and for my head to get around the project and gain some confidence on working with this mega award winning firm. However, after several weeks and no correspondence, I got a little annoyed.

Just last week our paths crossed again at Big Corp. I wondered if they felt anything, but there was just a mention of how busy things are. Got it. But then that afternoon my boss praises an email they just sent of cool links for a hobby of hers. Heh. Can’t send one sentence to me, but you can send some fun links to the boss.

I know I’m little on the pole, inexperienced and making dumb mistakes. I shouldn’t take this hard at all, but when one starts out, every little gesture has potential to make or break a day. I wonder now if they are rethinking my services – we never even got to the point of a contract. Maybe they see me as incapable and amateur. Well, they should have done their homework first, I want to say. Cool Kids are cool people, and it also makes it difficult they there is somewhat of a personal connection. If they were out of states or foreign to me, I wouldn’t care so much. But I want Cool Kids to think I’m a cool designer too! And dammit, not a design doormat…do I give in and  follow up, or look like I’m too busy to care and let them contact me when they have the proper time to give their site some attention? Well, I should follow up…but I make mistakes, and don’t wanna.