In enlisting graphic design services for the development your marketing materials, it is not enough that you have a great product selection in front of you. Just like in any sales scenario, you need to know what it is that you need exactly, to be able to get the most value out of your money.
Here are important notes when hiring a graphic design agency to deliver the “goods,” say, a new logo, or a website re-design.
Know exactly what you already have and what you need. It is wise not to expect a graphic design agency to know the full range of your communication needs. So before talking to an agency, discuss first within your organization what the particular marketing goals are. These should be aligned with overall company vision and goals for the year, then broken down into particular objectives, and when you want each of these accomplished. Then, check what materials you already have, and whether some of these simply need to be updated. Only then can you brainstorm with an agency what else can be developed to meet each goal.
Compose a written contract for every job order, and have it signed. Some companies forego this process, especially when they are dealing with add-ons. For example, they just sought a design for a custom marketing material for an event, but realized the company brochure need to be updated. To avoid confusion, every job order should have a carefully written description, one that includes the definite timeline and the fee, among other details. Then, it should be duly signed by the agency representative.
Designate a single point of contact for the company. There have been too many horror stories of a simple task taking twice or thrice as long to complete because a lot of voices seek to be heard. It confuses the designer, and diffuses accountability when the final output is not up to par with expectations. On the other hand, having a single point of contact – most preferably someone from the corporate communications who is conversant in visual communications – ensures that requests adhere to the company’s guidelines, and at the same time understood well by a graphic design services provider from outside the company.
Have an efficient approval system. Whatever material you intend to release, your timeline should include a maximum of three draft revisions, otherwise it means someone from your party or the agency’s is doing a bad job at understanding the task at hand. Ask for mock-ups all the time before giving the last approval. The process should reach your top company executives only in this final stage.
