The Smile of Mr. Gomez

[calcomedia]

Hi!



I want to share with you a history I read some years ago and I really liked it, I think is part of the spirit of Fiverr Services. Sorry if I have some grammar mistakes, I am spanish and english is not my mother tongue so please be kind with me… XD

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The Smile of Mr. Gomez

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-- Design... what? -- ask me the grocer while he weigh 2 kg of potatoes.

-- Graphic Desing -- I said -- it´s my job.

He looks me with the same face as I face a trigonometry problem.

-- mmmm, right? -- he said -- with a really uncomfortable silence.

I will going to ask him, I promise, I will going to ask, like some other times, do you know what graphic desing is?, but I control myself. I didn´t want to be like a teacher wiht Mr. Gomez, I don´t have authority to do that. I saw his wrinkles, his friendly way of looking and an old picture hanging in the wall next to a poster of Gardel... I thinked, Mr. Gomez has so much to share, so much to teach...

Finally, I asked him -- why don´t you tell me what graphic desing is about?, I am relly interested in your oppinion.

Mr. Gomez looked at me, he didn´t expected my question, but he answer inmediatly.

-- mmm... you make... drawings... don´t you? -- he asked.

I really expect that answer, so I replied.. -- so, for you, my profession is like an artist..

-- No, is not that.. you communicate things with these drawings and people use your drawings for something, are usefull for people. I suppose it´s a better way to communicate, for example, I can´t shout people in the street trying to sell them my apples... the shrink will stop me!!

I smile, of course.. Mr. Gomez never mention a clasical graphic designer, but he knows the difference between art and design (not every graphic designer knows this difference!!!), he knows that graphic design must be directly connected to the purpose for they are made. And he knows that graphic desing give a solution to a problem of communication among people.

Mr. Gomez continue -- But that is for other people.. I only have this little shop.. do you understand?.. This must be expensive.. only for big companies.. look, I use a cheap car and I will like a BMW, but I haven´t got money even for the first fee..

Antonio Francisco Gomez show me the reason why people don´t understand graphic desing. Lots of people thinkgs that desing, graphic design, is exclusive and fragment the social status.

So the really problem is not that people don´t understand what graphic design is about, the problem is that they thing is not for them, they are scared, they think they cannot be part of the "selected" people that can afford a graphic design service. And, obviously, that is our fault, graphic designer fault. Our objetive is, in most cases, is to make big projects, win big contests, be in magazines, be design stars.

And we forget the key, we forget Mr. Gomez. We forget people, forget the working-class, we forget our audience.. think about.. who design the bus tickets?, who desing the flyer of the pizza bar in our town?, someone has to tell everybody that Mr. Gomez is a good person that select the best vegetables to give them to me.. Sure, that action will not bring us an award and never will be shown in a design book.. but, perhaps, Mr. Gomez will sell more vegetables and, why not, they will employ his son and his friend who where unemployed, and, who knows, perhaps some day Mr. Gomez could open new shops and hire more people... perhaps in our town will be less unemployed.. could you imagine this??.. Mr. Gomez will be really happy!!!, could you imagine his smile???

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That´s the reason I like graphic design. I try to break the rules in my town, I try to bring a service that everybody can afford.. who knows... it´s my way to change the world..

Hope you like the text!!! and sorry for my english mistakes...

[angiechong]

:DD Aw~ this is a lovely story! thanks for sharing

Most people are hungry for fame, recognition for brighter future. But yes we should also open our minds and every service counts, and more meaningful when all those people that needs it benefit from it and more effect ripples.

I’m not a graphic designer but I too love to see my customers happy, from all walks of life, using for all sort of purposes.

[calcomedia]

Reply to @angiechong:



Thanks for your comment!, I think this story could be used with others jobs, not only graphic design, but I notice that among graphic designer there are a lot of “ego”…



I have to read everyday things like “be loyal to graphic design, don´t make a job for free / cheap / etc”… things like "a cup of cofee cost X$, how can you sell a logo for less than that?"



I always give the same answer… “who tells you that your work is better than others work?”, "who tells you that you are more important than the baker? -for example- (because the bread is also a main comparison with graphic design)"



In graphic design world there are so many self-designated “stars”… and only a few ones think about bring graphic design to everyone… sometimes you earn money, others times you get a new friend or only feel that you have what is fair…

[angiechong]

Reply to @calcomedia: 😮 oh! that happens in my field all the time. [people saying don’t ruin the market for industry by underselling etc and get what your time is worth] It’s really a grey area as this happens in every field, the perception of what your work produced is worth is very subjective. And if someone priced their stuff high and people are clamouring for it, their value goes higher. So is vice versa. I personally believe in leading a simple honest life; so I don’t overcharge my other work even in real life as my main profession and cheating by laziness from it- like certain people who just chase after $$ and lose sense of everything else. ( ><") I value genuine appreciation, smiles and warmth more. At the same time earning enough to survive in inflation! XD

[signature19]

Great sharing @calcomedia



We all should think about that smile 🙂

[dalmatirac]

@calcomedia

Thank you for this great story. I really enjoy reading it. I have to say that you make good point. Every day in my proffesional work I contact people like Mr. Gomez, and I always enjoy working with them.

[phoenix7813]

Great story. Very valid. We tend to get…blinded by our own vision. We see what we know and sometimes we’ve been seeing that for so long that we can’t see anything else. But others don’t think or feel the same as us.



Whenever I work on my gigs, I remind myself ‘Think like a buyer’. It doesn’t matter what features I like about what I’m offering, what about it will a buyer like?



It also makes me think about accountants. Most people assume they cannot afford an accountant, that’s something for rich people. But what accountants do is help make sure you keep as much of your money as you can. That’s how rich people stay rich.



I would expect there are some accountants on Fiverr offering basic advice for $5. Not the same as what you would get from a one on one consultation but a decent start and at a very affordable rate.

[calcomedia]

I think this post is still very usefull… I am really happy checking that everyone that commented this post is a level 2 seller today.

Keep up the good work!