Although the world’s most successful marketing campaigns are all different – particular to the client and unique in their delivery – they all have the same thing in common: they all went through a design process.
More importantly, both client and agency worked the design process well.
It’s an age-old marketing truth: following the design process makes your marketing campaign more effective.
There’s something else you should know – the design process is fun!
Finally, you get to roll all your ideas, research, aspirations and hard work into a powerful and effective marketing campaign.
It’s something tangible out there in the world, and you helped create it.
Planning the design
At the beginning of the design process you’ll spend time with the team planning the look and feel of the campaign.
You’ll discuss with your account manager what you hope to achieve and any other ideas you may have. This is not the time to get bogged down in detail; it’s a time for mulling over concepts and creating mood boards.
Further into the design process, you’ll meet with the team about strategy and research.
Many clients say this is their favourite part of the process because they get to see the workings behind design: how different layouts promote different behaviours; how certain design features can arouse a particular emotion; how other campaigns in similar fields have fared, and why.
Constructive feedback
The Assemblo team really do love feedback and there’s a good reason why – it helps create the best marketing campaigns.
Clients know their company and brand probably better than anyone, and are well placed to ensure any campaign captures that.
It’s important that the feedback is delivered in a way that will get best results, and this means being specific.
Comments like ‘I just don’t like it’ doesn’t really provide the direction needed to improve a design.
Of course, sometimes it is difficult to describe why a design just doesn’t feel right, but a quick discussion with the agency team often helps clients articulate specifics, and move forward with revisions.
Revisions
The basic design is in place, the mock-ups created, and you’re almost there! Just a few revisions.
Whenever there’s a collaborative process, such as between a client and agency design team, revisions will be necessary.
Revisions give you the chance to make slight changes or refinements towards the finished product.
Try to make your revisions all in one go, to avoid the frustration of seemingly endless back and forwards.
Also, complete redesigns are usually not accepted this late in the design process.
Design sign-off
The day has arrived when all your hard work pays off and you get to see the final product.
The design sign-off is the final stage of the process, when it is approved and no further changes are made.
Once approved by the client, the design will then be sent off for printing or digital publication.
This can be a nerve-wracking time, but you should take a moment to acknowledge the work you and the agency design team have created and pat yourself on the back.
Creativity is collaboration, and the best collaboration works when agency account managers and clients are able gather the necessary information and communicate it clearly.
The design process makes this happen, and this ultimately leads to successful marketing campaigns.