How to Lose a Designer in 10 Days: Getting the Most Out of Your Creative Collab

As a creative who has worked on hundreds of projects over the years, I can tell you: a structured approach and communication is the difference between a prolific, inspired final product, and a belabored back-and-forth that results in something neither party really likes. It is all about communication!

Before I figured it out, I had definitely been the problem in the equation (I once told my designer “I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know it when I see it,” which is basically the worst thing you can say to someone who’s trying to read your mind. 😂 ). Many entrepreneurs or business owners don’t know where to begin in describing what they need, which is understandable, especially for people working with a creative for the first time. I learned through a ton of trial-and-error how to avoid the usual communication pitfalls, and create framework that fosters the right kind of thinking. Your designer should have a clear structure and guide you through the creative process, while keeping your business and end goals in mind.

Because it’s my thing to get my clients as much value as humanly possible in a single day, I thought it might make sense to share some project management and communication tips for designers and creatives alike. A “How To” a la Andie Anderson.

1.) Start With the End in Mind

Design Clients: Do you have a vision in your head about how you want your project to turn out? If so, awesome! You just need to articulate it, and a good designer should be able to get you close. If not, start thinking. It’ll be awfully challenging for anybody to pull thoughts out of your head that you haven’t even had yet. You don’t have to know anything about design, but examples of what you like, inspiration and ideas are the name of the game, so be sure to sit down and think before you meet your designer, so they have a jumping-off point.

Creatives: You should think hard about questions to ask that will inspire your client, and get you the info you need to render their brand visually. When my clients book a One-day Intensive, they’re whisked into a portal with a series of questionnaires that help define all the brand attributes, ideal client and project details they may not have known to think about. This way, we start off the project with a crystal clear vision, Moodboard and goals.

2.) Be Specific

Design Clients: As you work with your designer and review design proofs, think like a stand-up comedian. If you aren’t familiar, the golden rule with comedy is to always keep things moving with a “yes, and…” format. Hard “no’s” kill the momentum in comedy—and can put a damper on creativity.

Many times, designers spend quite a bit of time planning, perfecting, aligning, adjusting color and hierarchy and scale—things you might not think about—and are excited to send you the initial proofs. To receive a response with a list of edits is expected, but it’s best to start with all the things you do like, and then include suggestions for what would help you like it even more.

Now, when sharing what you do and don’t like, try to explain why to the best of your ability. Instead of: “use a better font,” (lol, real-life example), try “the script is a bit too formal” or “I’m not digging all the curlicues” or “it shouldn’t be quite so feminine.” Instead of “this doesn’t look good,” “we’re missing the mark,” or “it’s not compelling,” explain what you think would look better, using as many descriptive words as possible. Maybe your designer can fix the smaller aspects you don’t like instead of scrapping the idea entirely, and taking stabs in the dark.

Creatives: There are a lot of ways to keep momentum through edits. One trick I like is to use a micro-proofing format at the beginning– I send my clients very very frequent screenshots as I design, so I don’t go too far down a path without approval. This way, I don’t sink a lot of time and effort into a single idea, and we can try many options before closing in on one that feels right.

3.) Say Yes to the Dress

Design Clients: Some people can make a decision after seeing a single piece of inspo, while other clients can (and do!) search forever. Digging for a font, for instance, can be a lot like searching for a wedding dress—the more you look, the more ideas you have, which means you often end up more confused than ever. Liking everything is great because you are enthusiastic, care deeply, and are endlessly inspired! Go with your gut on this one, and zero in on just a few concepts to try–there are always more projects.

Creatives: As a designer, I try to keep clients on-task by creating a moodboard of 10-15 images, and suggest we limit the initial concept directions to just a few. I drill down to ensure we don’t start off with 100 typefaces on our short list, but only be a few! It’s our job to ensure the project stays in control, and narrowing the ideas swiftly is the best way, I’ve found. Help your client lean into what they love the absolute most.

4.) Represent

Design Clients: If you need buy-in from another business partner (or team!), it’s important for them to get on board with the entire process, from the inspiration to the revisions and beyond. The last thing you and your designer want is to reach the finish line, then find that your team members had something else in mind entirely.

Creatives: To keep things on track, I require that my clients communicate with me through only one person. Typically, they manage the communications and internal discussion together before signing off on each aspect. This keeps us from changing things back and forth based on conflicting opinions. Let the clients work it out on their own, then take the direction and run with it.

5.) Reconsider Prescriptive Requests

Design Clients: If you aren’t feeling a specific element, a prescriptive request like “make the logo bigger” or “make the URL bigger” may not be as simple as you think. Many designers actually use mathematics, grids and other tools to make sure the elements (like type size) are scientifically balanced, and pleasing to the eye. Everything will need to be rebalanced, resized and re-aligned to accommodate. Instead, try to think about what the end goal is, and communicate that to your designer. (Also, FYI: It is a classic rookie move to ask for everything to be made larger. I am no exception to this rule–the first magazine I ever printed was so huge I cringe at the thought of it. Eventually, you will understand.)

One thing that goes hand-in-hand with specific requests are last-minute edits to copy, photos and other elements included in the project. Try to have all your content completely buttoned-up before getting started, and be very specific about what needs to be included (does your sales sheet need to include all the photos, or just one photo? Should the designer include the URL? Contact info? Social handles? Do you need a separate version for another branch of your company? Think through everything at the beginning for optimal results and the shortest path from A to Z – you want your second image thoughtfully placed, not shoehorned in at the last second.

Creatives: It’s definitely part of your job to ask questions before getting started, to understand the hierarchy of needs within the project, and ensure you know about all the elements a client may want included so they aren’t sprung on you later. If you’re given a list of prescriptive edits, it may be a matter of a quick chat with the client about what the end goal is–maybe they want the emphasis to be on a certain part of the composition, and don’t understand all the possible ways to get there, so they’re making off-the-cuff suggestions. Try to get a true understanding of where the sticking points are, and maybe you can find a way to avoid extensive edits.