PUBLIC RELATIONS: Deliberate design
by Kathy Callahan
July 29, 2008
Finding the right graphic designer to represent your company requires diligence and development of a keen understanding
Your property’s restaurant sales aren’t quite
where you’d like them to be, and you’ve decided that a spiffy new direct mail
piece will be just the ticket to showcase your wonderful facility and delicious
product to potential new guests. Or, you’ve just renovated your hotel tower,
and you’d love to feature the beautiful new rooms in a brochure to send out to
regional meeting planners. But where to start?
Unless your property
has an on-site graphics department — something that’s getting increasingly rare
— you’ll need to work with an outside graphic designer. Chances are that your
PR person has experience
in
working with a designer, and he or she may even have an established
relationship with a firm or a free-lancer. But it’s still helpful to know a few
basics as a client to help you get the most out of your project.
Do your homework
Let’s assume you’re starting from square one.
What’s the first step and where do you go from there?
Ask around. Referrals
are a great way to start the search process. Just as with any job candidate,
your hire is likely to be more successful if someone you know and trust makes a
recommendation. You can ask colleagues on property or through your local
business association. A few key questions, including “would you work with this
person or firm again?” can help get you on the right track.
Find
the right fit for your needs. Many designers specialize in a particular type of
work and don’t necessarily span all types of communication vehicles. If their
specialty is high-end annual reports or Web design, your print brochure is
likely not the right project for either of you to pursue together.
Once you have limited
the field, set up a time to meet. Ask designers to bring their book so you can
evaluate their work. This is still a 30,000-foot discussion and not about the
nitty-gritty of the specific project. Bring your PR person along if you’d like
some help with the interview.
Of course, you’ll
want to evaluate the designer’s overall style, but also find out his or her
approach to business relationships and his or her level of expertise.
Now
is the time to assess the capabilities that can make or break your project. Is
the designer a good listener? Is he or she a strategic thinker who asks good
questions about your intended project, including audience, message and
measurable results? Do you feel comfortable that the designer looks at the
project in a holistic way, balancing both message and look? How will the
designer handle feedback? In short, will there be a good mutual partnership
between you and the designer?
You’re
getting closer to the starting line, but before your initial project meeting
with the partner you selected, you still have some homework to do. Check with
your marketing or PR department if there are particular brand standards that
your collateral piece will need to reflect. If you’ve seen examples of work that
are along the lines of what you’d like for your project — whether it’s layout,
paper stock or typeface — collect them and have them ready for your project
meeting. Most importantly, be ready to describe your project in as much detail
as you can — going back to audience, message and measurable results. Beyond
that, be prepared to provide background on why you’d like to create this
particular piece of collateral and what you’d like it to accomplish, as well as
short- and long-term marketing goals. Think about factors such as style
(upscale, slick, aligned with your brand) and tone (warm, friendly,
sophisticated, down-to-earth). What’s your deadline? What quantity will you
need? And, of course, you’ll want to have an idea of how much you’d like to
spend.
Executing on ideas
Now
you’re ready. It’s time to get together to talk specifics about the project. A
good graphic design partner will bring a list of conceptual and tactical
“discovery” questions to ask you at your initial meeting. They’ll cover the
items you’ve prepared for, and probably even more things you hadn’t considered.
At this point, you’ll want to discuss expectations in terms of process, timing,
budget and most important, communication. Who will write the copy? Is there
photography involved? Who is responsible for printing? There are a myriad of
issues to address on both sides so the project goes smoothly. Neither party
wants any unpleasant surprises — the designer doing round upon round of
revisions when the direction wasn’t described thoroughly at the outset, or a
client who experiences sticker shock in getting the final bill because the
project was more complex than anticipated.
It’s never a bad idea
to request a written proposal as a follow-up to your meeting. That way, both
you and your design partner will be clear on the scope of the work,
responsibilities and cost estimates. If an illustrator or photographer will be
involved, that should be a line item. Copywriting? Also a line item. Same with
printing. The proposal should outline all specific details, including the
number of design concepts you’ll have for your review and how many rounds of
revisions are included in the base price.
All this, and the designer is just now ready to
begin. At this point, you can be confident that you’ve done your part to lay
the groundwork for a successful project. Trust in the designer’s creative
talent, and communicate often throughout the process.
Remember, even if you’re
new at this, you’re more than simply a client — a good design partner will
involve you as a collaborator.
Communicating
your message in a well-designed, effective way that hits home with the audience
and produces results is simply a matter of good planning and good partnership.
Kathy Callahan
kathy@euriecreative.com
Kathy Callahan is a communications
director for eurie creative, a graphics/communications firm. She may be reached
at (702) 383-9805.
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