More companies are outsourcing their graphic design work. This practice is often cheaper and can give a unique outlook on creative projects. The problem, however, is that project managers and team leaders struggle to communicate their ideas to designers, which leads to design flaws and wasted resources. If you’ve ever outsourced your projects, perhaps you experienced endless edits and results that don’t match your vision.
Graphic design is a crucial part of a company’s marketing plans and creative projects. According to 99designs, 80% of small business owners agree that graphic design is important to business success. Quality design has to communicate with the audience, represent your brand, and show a business message. If it’s poorly made or doesn’t match your initial expectations, then you might lose a significant part of your brand’s development. But before you start looking for an in-house designer, see some tricks on how to improve communication.
Of course, the communication style depends on the type of service you choose. You can find a Doctor Idea guide on how to choose the perfect graphic design service for your business. For instance, working with a freelancer can expedite communication, while on the other hand, dealing with the agency might take longer. Whatever option you prefer, there are a few ways to ensure that a designer understands your idea and turns it into a professional piece of work.
READ MORE: PROFESSIONAL GRAPHIC DESIGN: THE WAY TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
How can someone know your business goals and target audience if you can’t describe it yourself? They can’t - that’s why it’s important to ask the right questions and find answers. Even if it’s a simple task, you should know:
Graphic design isn’t only about colors and shapes, it’s a medium of communication, so if those colors and shapes don’t say anything, it’s more difficult to achieve desired targets.
And no, it’s not a designer’s job to guess what you have in mind. By providing all the needed information you can save time and extra costs spent on editing. Give a designer brand style guidelines, explain your expectations, and onboard them on your overall marketing strategy. As graphic design efforts are a part of a bigger campaign, therefore, designers should know it too. It will help them understand how the project can reflect and complement your existing efforts.
Also, it’s useful to provide some examples - it will give a better idea for a designer what are your expectations. It doesn’t mean you’re a copycat because taking a good example and adjusting it to your idea can give a unique outlook to your campaign.
When talking about a deadline, have in mind that the project won’t be finished with the first draft. It’s rare for the first design to be perfect and not to need any changes. Even if communication is smooth and a designer is a professional it doesn’t indicate that the first result will be exactly what you’re looking for. Agreeing on a deadline for a first draft and then having enough time for edits will ensure smooth performance and fewer errors.
It’s also necessary to be there for a designer. Questions are good and if the hire asks them, you should provide as much information and answer quickly. Otherwise, to save time they might continue with an error or their point of understanding. Again, that would lead to more time spent editing.
Micromanagement is cancerous to creativity and productivity. If you’re hiring a person or a service who is a professional in graphic design, then you should trust them. Often project managers or business owners want to be in control of every operation within the company. But it’s time to understand that you can’t run a business on your own, and that’s why you’re hiring experts.
Major comments are necessary, but when it comes to such detail as a few millimeters to the right, one shade darker, or a different font - it’s micromanaging. A designer or a team of designers have been working for years in the field, which makes them more experienced than you. Give flexibility and trust people you hire, that shows respect and encourages creativity.
This tip can save hours of editing and money spent on a designer’s work. If you’re reviewing a design, write down all the details that you would like the designer to improve at once, and explain why. To make it easier it’s also recommended to have a call or a meeting. There’s nothing more annoying than coming back to the same edits again and again. One change might require a completely different design choice, but if you communicate your comments clearly it’s easier for a designer to understand your vision.
Creative projects require a lot of attention and patience. Whether you work with freelancers, agencies, or similar provider it takes time to onboard new people and to make sure they understand the company’s goals, target audience, and your expectations. If you want to save time and money on communicating your creative ideas, try Doctor Idea. We offer a subscription-based service, therefore you can choose what works best for your project. You can pick different plans with different amounts of edits and hours spent on crafting design. Check Doctor Idea subscription plans and improve your company’s graphic design.
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