In the creative sector, a lot of what works is down to how it makes you feel. And, most importantly, how the design makes your customers feel. Evoking emotion, being memorable, and remaining on-trend is all part of the parcel. However, you should be asking yourself a specific set of questions before giving the nod to a design proposal.
Here are some things you should be considering when you receive a design proposal and what questions to ask yourself when giving feedback.
Does it suit your brand?
With design projects, there are endless variables. Whether it’s different fonts or styles of design, no two pieces truly ever look the same. That being said, the first thing to consider is, does the proposal suit your brand?
If you are a luxury clothing brand, it’s unlikely that you will be using cartoon characters or bold and bubbly fonts. At this stage, think long term about your brand identity and your marketing and business strategy. Did you discuss your brand style with the designer before starting this project? Make sure they know what your brand stands for.
Competition
Competition is healthy in all sectors; if you are the only business that exists in an industry, there’s usually a reason for that. When receiving your design proposal, your chosen agency should have done some research within your sector.
Between this and some discussions with you, they should have the industry knowledge and the graphic know-how to create something that stands out from your sector competition.
Your target market
This is a difficult question to answer, but if you’ve done your homework, you’ll know what your target market wants from your product. If the design proposal you receive isn’t going to resonate with those you are targeting, it could be a long time before seeing the profit your brand deserves.
People buy into brands that speak to them. In design, your brand must be saying something that your target market agrees with. Does this design proposal appeal to your target market?
Will it work across the board?
An online presence drives the world we live in. Whether that’s how good your products look on Instagram or how slick they look on your website.
You mustn’t overlook the value of how your product looks and feels in real life. For example, if your packaging looks stand-out online but feels cheap in hand when it arrives at your customer’s door, it’s not doing its job. Does this design proposal work online and in-person?
Information
Did you provide all the information for the design project? Does the designer know the text, have the imagery you want to use, any contact information, the print size, the list goes on! So make sure you have a list ready to tick off all the necessary boxes before your project begins.
Picking the right people to work alongside is a decision that holds more weight than you think. Choosing a design agency that doesn’t provide everything you need can hamper your progress and cost time and money in the future. You don’t want to be starting over with a new agency when you realise your first choice aren’t up to the job.
Many business owners regret not choosing the best agencies to help them along their journey, don’t let that be you.
Let’s have a chat about how we could help you. At Create8, we break the mould of conventional design and provide all our clients with the helping hand they need.
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