& Associates Blog

 

These design tips have been developed to save you money, time and provide the most efficient process to ensure the best results, minimize mistakes and reduce cost overruns due to client changes. These procedures are common in any design practice. 

1) The client needs to decide if the agency will be taking a larger project management role for the project or if you have internal staff capable of managing some of the details. It makes sense to have the agency handle the additional responsibilities if you don’t have the “bandwidth” to have someone internal handle the project from start to finish. This could also mean that the agency manages printing. This is the first “process” question that should be addressed when talking about your project: How will it be managed and who is doing what on the project.

TIP: THE ADDITIONAL COST FOR HAVING THE AGENCY MANAGE THE PROJECT START TO FINISH IS NEGLIGIBLE WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE AGENCY CAN ENSURE THAT THE PROJECT WILL BE DONE CORRECTLY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE FINAL MATERIALS ON TIME. HANDING OFF PRINTING OR KEY DETAILS TO INTERNAL STAFF AT YOUR OFFICE CAN MEAN THAT THE PROJECT IS DELAYED OR WORSE, NOT DONE CORRECTLY.

2) It is the client’s responsibility to provide the “specs” for the job: i.e., the sizes, specifications and printing information to the design firm or agency for their specific project(s) before the agency starts the project.

For example, before the firm can design an advertisement they will need the size and will need to know if the ad will have a border, will it bleed? Is it four color? What is the line screen or resolution of the ad? The print publication can send the client an ad sheet you can send this along to the design firm. If you bought a certain size ad then you need to tell the firm what the specs are.

This is also true regarding packaging projects or trade show booth graphics or any design project. Do you have the actual booth size, label size or even best a template or outline of the print area? Do you have the printing specifications? It can be helpful to know what type of printing process will be used for the project.

3) Content development and copy writing. If your budget includes copy writing and the design firm is developing and handling this for you, you need to supply in a word document an outline and any information that will be associated with the project. It may also be a good idea to have a “creative input” session either in person or as a conference call before the project starts.

Do not supply outlines or final content information as an email as emails get lost and revisions and changes sent as individual emails will definitely not make this process as efficient as it can be. Do not supply final content as a scanned document or PDF. It needs to be in a word document. Research information is fine to send as a scanned document, but final content should always be in a word doc.

Please don’t point the design firm or agency to the website or a past brochure for your “final content.” If you are responsible for providing the final content for your project, then you need to provide it in a final approved document. The design firm won’t know what on the website or brochure is current or what is to be deleted. Invariably there will be changes to your old content so its best to take the time to put it into one final approved document and a word document is best. 

If you are supplying the content (no fees to the design firm or agency for copywriting) then you need to supply the design firm or agency with all final copy in a word doc. Once they receive your final approved content, then they can begin your project.

TIP: IF YOU AREN’T ABLE TO DEVELOP AN OUTLINE, YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE A STRATEGY SESSION WITH THE DESIGN FIRM TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT PLAN AND LT THEM TAKE THE FIRST STEPS AND A LARGER ROLE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND PRINT  MANAGEMENT, BUT BE PREPARED THAT THIS WILL COST ADDITIONAL FEES. 

You can ask the design firm or agency to do the due diligence and research for your project specificiations, but by having the design firm call your suppliers, vendors, printers or manufacturers or magazine to determine the specifications for your project this raises to new level the project management done by the design firm and they will likely have to bill you for additional project management time. If your idea is just an idea at this phase, you may enlist the design firm early but be prepared for additional costs.

The design firm or agency will call the printer to make sure all details are covered once they are in production, but it is the client’s responsibility to provide the specifications about the job to the firm. Otherwise you could be facing additional charges or worse, surprises when you receive the final product. Design firms are happy to work with clients on these issues, but having at least one conversation about how the process will be undertaken is always a good idea before the project starts.

4) Quality of images, photographs, logos, and previous design elements that firm is to use.

The design firm or agency will need your previous design as Adobe Illustrator files, PhotoShop and not PDFs.

They will need logos to be 300 dpi resolution or higher a either EPS files, jpeg, Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop files.

If you supply any photographs or graphics that you want the design firm or agency to use, they need to be jpeg or tiffs and 300 dpi or higher resolution.

5) Changes, Revisions to Content

Minimizing changes is always a challenge for print and design projects. The best approach to do this is to have one document with all the final copy approved. 

We suggest that clients send a word doc with the current content and either use the Track Changes tool in Word or add the changes and then highlight them in yellow.

Do not send changes in emails.  Emails, especially separate ones with separate changes will likely be confusing so we advise that you put the changes into a word document.

Changes need to be as complete as possible. If you send additional changes beyond one time then you will likely be charged additional time to make the changes.

It’s best to send the new revised complete content with the changes. This way the designer won’t get confused about what stays in and what is to be deleted.

TIP: USE THE TRACK CHANGES TOOL IN WORD AS THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO PREVENT CONFUSION.

Note about changes – Please realize that this is your brand and product and that you have been “living with it’ for a long time. Many clients think that design and agency firms can instantly “fill in the blanks” for information that we don’t have. We will need the actual information from you.

6) Approvals

Please try to send your comments and/or changes within 48 hours or at least 72 hours from when you receive the presentation from a design firm or agency:

Please gather all your changes/comments (if they are from several people, compile them into one word document).

TIP: HAVE ONE PERSON BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING THE FEEDBACK, SYNTHESIZING THIS INFORMATION AND PRESENTING IT TO THE AGENCY. DESIGN BY COMMITTEE AND APPROVAL BY COMMITTEE WILL DEFINITELY MAKE THE PROJECT TAKE LONGER AND TIME USUALLY TRANSLATES TO ADDITIONAL FEES.

If approved, send back approved. Some agencies require signed hardcopies.

If not approved, send back need these changes.

TIP: FORMALIZE YOUR APPROVALS. HAVE A SYSTEM FOR THIS SO THEY ARE EASILY TRACKED. It could be as simple as subject line from project lead says: PROJECT #1234 APPROVED if using email. Sign and date a  print copy and scan or fax or messenger back to agency. This is important. Once you sign for something it’s finished and billed.

Once approved and signed off, the design firm will start to prepare to send final materials to the printer (if the design firm is managing the printing for you) and the client is responsible for the printed product. So be sure to really look at these and approve carefully for all final printed materials.

If you aren’t detail oriented and think you can’t find all the details, please find someone in your office who is. You will be glad you took this extra step!

TIP: FIND SOMEONE WHO IS GOOD AT DETAILS TO HELP IN THE APPROVAL AND CONTENT PHASE

7) Who’s on the team for this project?

Please try to provide the design firm or agency with one approval person.

It helps to have another person to help facilitate the project such as an admin or assistant.

The design firm or agency may have questions and will need to have someone available or someone who knows how to reach you.

These procedures aren’t designed for the benefit of the design firm or agency. They are actually a win-win for the client and the agency if you follow them judiciously. Because printing and design is so precise and particularly if you are simultaneously working on several projects you will be glad that you took the time to learn from the pros how to more efficiently work on creative and design projects with design firms and agencies.

If you follow these tips you may save money which you can use on other things for your company: Possibly ad an additional trade show, print ad or another design project by keeping design and text changes within the scope of the original budget. Remember that old saying in the building trades: Measure Twice, Cut Once.

It’s best to have your content and strategy complete and check and recheck the work before sending it to a firm. And if you need help getting the project started, enlist the design firm but determine in advance how much of the project management role they will handle for your project. If you have a large trade show and event schedule, it may make sense to have the design firm handle the additional project management details for you. Communication  and having a clearly defined process in advance will help you achieve the best results for your project and meet your deadline.

 

Sandra Evans is the founder and Co-Creative Director of  & Associates a design, branding, event, marketing and public relations firm. For more information visit:

http://www.andassociates-ca.com

info@andassociates-ca.com

 

 

 

 

 

“80% of success is showing up” -  WOODY ALLEN

When attending trade shows, sales presentations and any important marketing and sales opportunities…

Are you doing all you can to take care of the other 20%?

One of the most common mistakes and missteps that companies make is to not spend adequate time on planning and strategy for their events, conferences and product launches. Often day to day operations take priority and forecasting is overlooked when planning successful trade shows, conference, sales meetings, product launches and sales presentations.

Consider that your trade show, advertising, travel and payroll budget for these events and product launches can account for some of your largest expenditures for the year. It makes sense to develop a plan, outline goals for each department and discuss how to best achieve the results from your trade show or product launch spend.

Here are 12 questions to ask before your next trade show or product launch:

1) What is your goal for your sales team for this event?

2) What is your messaging strategy for the conference attendees or launch?

3) What is your messaging strategy for the media?

4) Which product or products are going to be the focus of the show or launch?

5) What publication targets are most important to this target audience?

6) Does your branding, graphics and photography match your current product and company image? Is it consistent across all materials?

7) How do you plan on communicating your messaging to your target prospects? Web, print, speaker strategy or panel (other?)

8) Will the product(s) and samples be ready in time for this important launch or show?

9) Have you purchased advertising in relevant publications and websites likely to be read by the attendees?

10) Do you have a methodology for capturing customer data and for following up after the conference?

11) Have you appointed one person or a team to be in charge of managing the launch and or show? Do they have adequate experience?

12) How will you measure your results from the show or launch?

If you answered don’t know or no to some of these questions, then you may want to consider adding the help of an outside firm to aid you with keeping goals and timelines on track while you and your team manage the marketing and daily operations of the company. Another alternative is to assign one person as the “go to” task person but often in-house staff are either too busy or not experienced in all the elements needed to manage a successful conference or product launch: advertising, operations, logistics, media relations, marketing, direct mail and management of personnel.

JOIN OUR BLOG AND POST A COMMENT

Do you have a marketing tip or trade show horror story you’d like to share?
POST A COMMENT

www.andassociates-ca.com/wordpress

Sandra Evans is the principal of & Associates

& Associates is a full service marketing, design and public relations firm. Efficient, affordable and measurable results.

• Strategic Planning & Marketing

• Branding & Design

• Public Relations

Contact: sandra@andassociates-ca.com
Visit http://www.andassociates-ca.com to learn more.