In today’s business landscape, it’s more crucial than ever to make informed decisions about your marketing and design investments. It’s easy to understand the temptation to pull back on marketing spend in the face of economic uncertainty, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
At MOO Marketing & Design, we believe that effective design is not just about spending money; it’s about investing in services that deliver tangible results and contribute to your overall business goals – even in tough economic times.
And in this equation, graphic designers play a pivotal role. Graphic designers are the visual storytellers of the business world, translating complex ideas and messages into captivating designs that resonate with your target audience.
Navigating the collaborative process with a graphic designer can present unique opportunities when you work with a graphic design agency. To enhance the success of your collaboration and make sure you enjoy a fantastic return on your investment, here are ten key tips to keep in mind:
8 key tips for getting the most out of your branding and design agency
1. It’s all about the brief
Working well with a graphic designer starts with giving them a clear and detailed brief: a guide that helps the designer understand your project. The better the brief, the better the design. This means sharing details like what you want to achieve, who you’re trying to reach, the style you like and any specific needs. To understand what goes into an adequate brief, check out tips #2 and #3.
2. Review content before design
Before providing content to the designer, you need to conduct a thorough review to make sure it’s accurate, consistent and clear. Look for grammatical errors, typos and verify that images and other multimedia elements are of a high quality. Providing polished, error-free content in the brief streamlines the design process and minimises the need for re-work.
3. Set expectations
Use your brief to establish clear expectations for you and the graphic designer, particularly regarding timelines and budgets. Provide realistic deadlines for first and final proofs – leaving adequate time in between to make adjustments. You also need to think about your budget. Think about what you’re asking in the brief, and make sure you’re being realistic about the cost of the project.
4. Effectively proof
When reviewing proofs, always insert clear and constructive editing comments to guide revisions. For Microsoft Word, add a “New comment”, and for PDFs, right click on the page and click “Add a comment”. Also, make sure you retain and reference the graphic design agency’s job numbers associated with the project to help the graphic designer locate the relevant files and projects.
5. Adhere to copyright and licensing laws
Adhere to copyright and licensing guidelines for all images, fonts and other design elements used in the project. This isn’t a request, it’s a legal requirement. Ensuring legal compliance protects your brand’s integrity and avoids potential legal repercussions. Utilise reputable sources for licensed design assets to maintain the integrity of your project and safeguard your brand’s reputation.
6. Trust the designer’s expertise
When seeking a creative design, don’t manually sketch or independently produce the visual concept. Instead, find an existing, real-world design that you like and offer it as a benchmark. By selecting a tangible example as a benchmark, you provide the designer with a clearer and more concrete reference point to follow. Then trust in your designer’s expertise to take your inspiration, and relate it to your project.
7. Be open to strong direction
Be open to strong direction from the designer throughout the design process. You’ve already provided them with a real world, creative example you like, and you trust them to bring it to life for your brand. Trust that their direction can significantly enhance the overall quality of design, and the end goal you’re trying to achieve. Carefully consider their feedback and make informed decisions about incorporating it into the design.
8. Collate feedback
When multiple stakeholders are involved in the project, follow basic project management principles while gathering feedback from each individual. Compile the feedback into a single, organised document, aligning with project management best practices. This consolidated feedback not only provides the designer with a comprehensive understanding of the collective perspective but also ensures efficient review and implementation.
Building collaborative relationships
Whether you’re working with a freelancer or a fully-fledged branding and design agency, by following these tips, you can foster a productive and collaborative relationship with your graphic designer, ensuring that your project is executed seamlessly and delivers the desired results.
Remember, graphic design is an investment that can yield significant returns, not just in terms of aesthetics but also in terms of brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately, business growth.
How we work
MOO is a multidiscipline graphic design and marketing agency in Melbourne delivering graphic design and marketing services to businesses across Australia. We’re fast moving, customer focused and results-driven marketing and design agency with the capacity and capability to meet any brief at any time.
From graphic design, project management, content development and website solutions to marketing, brand, communications and digital executions – MOO is your complete marketing department.