When any of our clients set out on a new project with us, we all have the same goal – to complete the project efficiently, on time and under budget. As an agency, it’s our job to make sure that we understand your needs, set the right expectations for you, do the necessary research, set a realistic timeline, produce outstanding work and deliver a product to you that will help you grow your business. But as the client, you play a very important role in helping us execute your vision for your brand, brochure, website, etc.
Here are a few helpful tips for you, as the client, to help keep your projects running smoothly, from the start of our relationship, through to the very end:
Help us know what you like and what you don’t like.
At the onset of our relationship, we’ll conduct a series of discovery questions to help us understand what you need and how we can create something that will thrill you. Some of the most basic questions we want to know are your preferences for design. Do you like blue but hate yellow? Tell us. Do you prefer designs with a lot of white space? Tell us. Is there a particular font that you can’t stand? Tell us. Before your discovery meeting, do a little research, bring in print samples or a list of links for websites that you like or don’t like. Understanding your taste and preferences saves a lot of time upfront so that we can get right into a concept that we know you’ll love!
Collect your assets ahead of time.
You can save a lot of time and money on your projects if you provide your assets to your agency at one time, at the beginning of your project. Do you have a logo? Give us the .eps version of it. Do you have an extensive photo library? Try to obtain the highest resolution of those photos for us. Have you had any graphics, maps, or icons created previously that are important elements for the project at hand? Try to get us the original design files, or high-res versions of these files if they are available to you.
Make revisions the smart way.
We know that we won’t do everything perfectly the first time, and we expect that you will have revisions at various stages in your project. When you receive a proof of your project, make sure that you take the time to look at it with a critical eye. Then print out your piece and mark it up with your revisions — as many revisions at one time — so we can make a majority of your changes all at once. Making as many revisions as possible means fewer revisions for the next round and that you are one step closer to finishing your project.
Follow these three tips and you’ll see more efficiently running projects, faster turnarounds and most exciting of all, a leaner invoice! Remember that we all have the same common goal in mind and that your agency is your partner for success.