An ‘8 Step’ Inside Look At What To Expect When Working With A Designer
When facing yourself in a new situation, a lack of knowledge beforehand can become a source of anxiety. I’ve been there! Starting a new relationship with a partner and trusting a designer with a business you’ve put so much effort in may sound like a difficult choice to take, and the first step may seem even harder.
That is why I decided to write this post. I wanted to sum up a bit how the process works when I collaborate with people to bring their envision to life, regardless of whether they’re a consolidated brand or an entrepreneur just getting started with their dream business. Of course, the process varies if we’re working on a brand from scratch, a rebrand, a print piece for a specific campaign… but I hope this will help you to clear some things up.
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CONTACT ME
First things first! If you’re on the lookout for a designer, my best advice for you is to first get to know their work with past clients. If you love their style it may be easier for you to trust them with their creative choices and feel your project went into good hands. Secondly, get to know the designer. For me, it is very important to meet people I’m working with through a call or a video call. Sometimes people click, and sometimes they don’t. And that’s okay! You just need to find the person who gives you that feeling of trust.
Once you find THAT designer, it is time for you to reach them. For me (and most of my designer colleagues), we rather have you fill out our client application form as thoroughly as you can, so we can get in touch with you to schedule your call knowing a bit about you and your business beforehand.
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FREE ONE-TO-ONE CONSULTATION
We love getting to know you, your brand & your ideas! We’ll send you a link to schedule a one-to-one call where we’ll talk about anything project-wise related. After this call, I’ll be able to send you an adequate budget proposal.
This is also an excellent opportunity for you to talk with your designer. Get to know them. Let them know what are you worried about or feel insecure about. Ask as many questions, surely the designer appreciates honesty and it will also show them you are motivated and excited to work with them.
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SIGN CONTRACT & PAY DEPOSIT
Most designers ask for a 30%-50% payment in advance to secure a spot on their calendars and clear their agendas for you. Contracts are really important for transparency, safety and reliability. We’ll both know what to expect from each other, what we’ll be exactly working on and what final files will be delivered to you!
Remember that contracts protect both the client and the designer.
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CREATIVE STRATEGY
We’ll both have some previous homework assigned that will help each other before getting to the design phase. Here we are going to dig deeper into your brand, your core values, your target and, finally, your creative direction. We’ll sort out what your business needs to thrive, feel aligned with you & stand out from competitor brands.
We’ll do this through calls, video calls or email, you choose! We’ll cover Brand & Creative Strategy.
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ART DIRECTION
After our creative Strategy Session, I’ll have a clear idea of where to lead your Brand Art Direction and the following designed deliverables. I’ll send you the first proposal with several mood board directions that will be accompanied by several slides covering the strategy behind each proposal.
There’ll be no wrong answer. You will choose the mood board you feel most attracted to and comfortable with. Every proposal will be accurately targeted and aligned with our previous strategy, so it is really up to you! ✨
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DESIGN PHASE
My turn! Once we agree on the direction your project will be led towards, it’s time to turn it into a reality! We’ll move to the design phase. This includes Branding Essentials, Collateral Print and Digital Applications as needed, and Brand Guidelines.
At the end of this process, we will have created all the materials your brand needs as we specified in your budget and contract. Ready to shine. Ready to attract future clients. Ready to thrive.
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FINAL PAYMENT
This is a must before getting all your files. You’ll get the final deliveries ready to send to printing if they need to, and ready to use if they’re for a digital environment, once the final payment is through. You’ll have all the time you need to browse through the material we crafted together and get comfortable with your Brand’s new assets.
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TRAINING & FAREWELL
Once you check the final deliveries, we’ll have a call to go over the project and brand guidelines and I’ll answer as many questions as needed until you feel fully comfortable with your new material. My mail will be open for you if you find yourself in any doubt or have questions. Don’t hesitate to let me know!
We’ll also discuss the full creative process and I’ll kindly ask you to leave a review or write a testimonial for self-promotional material so other entrepreneurs or business owners as special as you can find their way to us! Of course, it will be your choice to write one. 🤍
Phew. That was way longer than first expected. I hope you got a clearer idea of the process you’ll find yourself in if you choose to trust me with your project. If you feel aligned with me and my work, I’d love to know about you and your project. Head over to our client application form and let’s start taking your Brand to the next step!
Taking the decision to embark on this process is not an easy one, but I assure you it will pay off. Just let me wish you and your brand the best in advance. Your effort doesn’t go unnoticed.
