The less there is, the more they bitch

I've discovered an important principle of human nature that I'd like to share with all (both) of you.

One of my jobs involves the design of advertising. Sometimes I design very elaborate ad campaigns with internet and print components, using all the tricks the propaganda biz has come up with since 1930.

Sometimes I make a little newspaper ad for some small shop, and they want it a very specific way, so I do it just the way they want it.

What I've found, and I think this applies to all aspects of human endevor, is this:

The less there is, the harder they fight over it. If you've contracted me to do your ad design and you're spending say 100 dollars, you are going to call me ten times more often, bitch about the final result ten times more, and force me to waste ten times more time on your piddly little account than someone with a $10,000 account.

Why?

Which approach is ultimately more successful?

I'll bet you can guess which one I think works better.

It's like getting a haircut. You can come in and tell me exactly the way you want your hair cut and I'll do it that way, but don't come complaining to me that you don't like it that way.