So you’ve made the decision to hire a creative team to bring your vision for your brand to life. Great choice! At TargetMarket we love digging into projects that stretch our team’s creative muscles. If you’re new to collaborating with creatives (or just want a refresher on how things are done) check out our tips on working with designers.
Tips for Working with Designers and a Creative Team
Think About What You Like and What You Want BEFORE You Start the Process
Research things you like before you meet with creatives. Give designers as much information as possible from the start. Examples can do a world of good and imagery often communicates with a designer better than words or descriptions.
- Give examples of logos, sites, ads, and imagery that you think would work for your project
- Share any existing logos or branded pieces that can be built out
- Share existing brand guidelines if you have them
Be Open to New Ideas
Be willing to test things outside of your comfort zone. Be flexible with looks and styles (aesthetics) before settling on something. We’ll never take you in a direction you don’t want to go, but we might throw some ideas out there that could be changers if you have an open mind.
Trust the Expertise of the Designer
You’ve hired a designer for a reason, so trust the expertise they bring to the table. You can ask all the questions you want and we will always take your direction, but take into account the knowledge and experience of the person you’ve hired when considering their suggestions.
Be Aware of the Projected Timeline and Turnaround Times
Budget your time and have realistic expectations for how fast things will be completed. Quality work takes time. Understand the time and work that goes into the design. Even “simple” logos take time and skill. Back and forth editing will push deadlines and can result in an overthought finished product.
We can make things happen quickly when needed, but be conscious of the time and effort that goes into everything. If you’re thinking of a design project that will have a deadline (like the opening of a new location or the introduction of a new service), engage a creative team and get started as soon as possible.
The more breathing room there is in the timeline, the better. Noboy likes the stress of working down to the wire. While you may want to push things to go faster, rushing can actually hurt turnaround times and the work will suffer as well.
Consider the Changes You Want to Make
Take time to think about changes and then revisit later to confirm your feelings. That extra beat before working with designers on editing a design can save time. If you have a kneejerk reaction to make a change, sit with it for a while to get clarity on why you wnat the change made and how you want it to be made. You might be surprised by your conclusions. Having more fully realized feedback can save a lot of time-consuming back and forth during the editing process.
Don’t Expect Magic with Limited Resources
We’re good, but we aren’t literal wizards (yet). We can only do so much with the things you provide. If you don’t have the right quality of imagery or copy, we can do our best with those assets, but it won’t be the best work we can do in the grand scheme.
We want to give you the best work possible, and since you’re working with professional designers, it’s a safe bet you want the best work possible as well. It’s worth investing in good photography, quality copy, and whatever other assets you might need. If you need to take those steps, our team can help guide you.
What You Can Expect from the Creative Team
Working with designers involves give and take. As we’ve mentioned before, it’s a collaborative relationship. You’re hiring creatives to provide you with their expertise, so just as it’s best practice to come to the table with the above, we have to hold up our end of the deal. Every project varies, but here are a few things you can expect when working with designers like those on TargetMarket’s creative team.
Positive and Upbeat Attitudes
We’re enthusiastic about our projects and the opportunity to help a client realize their vision is something that gets us excited! Whether you’re starting a branding project from scratch or going through a brand refresh, the designers you work with should be positive and upbeat throughout the project.
Requests for Examples and Inspiration for Your Vision
Sometimes the best way for us to get off to a good start on a project is to get concrete examples of what you’re looking for. When you’re working with designers, giving as much information as you can is key to an efficient process. If you do a bit of research on the frontend and give us examples of logos, colors, and imagery that fit your vision, that is a huge advantage.
For example: looking for stock imagery can be a huge timesuck for a designer who doesn’t know exactly what you want on your site. Spending a ton of time scrolling through pages of stock images that might not work for your brand will limit the time left in a contract for design. Doing a quick search for examples of what you want will save everyone a lot of valuable time. And we can spend that time on creating something great together!
A Process of Refinement
Unless you have a very specific vision that’s already sketched out and partially develop, there’s a chance that things won’t be perfect right out of the gate. The creative process is called a process for a reason. It shouldn’t be a long and drawn out ordeal, but there will be a period where things are being refined. Soon enough , it’ll all come together.
Clarifying Questions
You can also expect us to come back with questions throughout the project. We’re not questioning your choices or judgment, we just want to make sure we are making the best use of everyone’s time so we can produce a high quality logo or design within the timeline we’ve established. So if you have a list of changes and we ask, “Can you give me a better idea of what you’re trying to achieve with these changes?” that doesn’t mean we aren’t up for making the edits, we want to get it right.
Consult the Experts
Ready to take the first steps to establishing or improving your brand with quality design? TargetMarket’s creative team is primed for creative collaboration to make your vision a reality. We working with designers smooth, stress-free, and fun! Contact us today to learn about our services, including design.
