You bring a stellar, unique, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that idea to a design company so that they may help bring your idea to life. Great move! Now what?
1. Don’t loose your nerve. All great ideas started with someone willing to TRY. That includes investment physically and financially. If you don’t do it right, someone else will. I’ve seen this happen and it breaks my heart. Liquis has a file full of confidentiality agreements of fantastic ideas that never saw the light of day… don’t let this happen to your idea.
2. Do your homework on design companies and stay true to your gut. Go with a company that seems to ‘get’ you and believes in what you want to accomplish as opposed to one that views you as a big fat dollar sign and your project as a chore.
3. Work with the designer on brand development before any designs are drawn up. This will help clarify the direction of, well, everything from feeling, to colors, to copy and everything in between.
4. Remember that a stand-apart design that captures your brand in a way that speaks to your audience requires professional attention. Even the simplest designs have much expert thought and reason behind them. Trust your designers and ask them why they did something before nixing it. This could turn into an educated discussion on how to make it better rather than discarding the designer’s advice all together.
5. Be an active part of the process on everything from the initial identity discussions, to the designs, to the site map, to the copy to the testing. This puts your own personal stamp on the project and ensures that the end result is not only pretty, but does exactly what you want it to.
