Managing your team’s creative process can be daunting. Graphic artists, advertising professionals and promotional firms can all be extremely passionate about their work, and are sometimes hard to reign in. When it’s your business, your brand, and ultimately your money on the line, it’s important to understand how to maintain control of the creative process.
Creative Minds Don’t Think Alike
Most imaginative individuals have their own perspective on art, graphics, design, promotion and marketing. Whether your business marketing is done in-house, or you’ve selected a respected Phoenix advertising firm, you will still need to retain control over the creative process and these often free-willed creative minds. While genius in their own rights, more often than not the creative process can become sidetracked from too many projects running at once, to many directions and paths being traveled, and not enough organization. This is where you, as the business owner, comes into the picture.
1. You Don’t Have To Be A Designer to understand how the creative process works. It’s not unusual for the manager of the creative process to be from a non-creative background. If you’re a business owner, you are probably better at managing, categorizing and keeping things running smoothly than most people. This makes you perfect for staying on top of the creative process.
2. Don’t Rush into judgment about a designer’s idea. If your Phoenix advertising firm is on the ball, then they’re probably working through the creative process as they’re showing your products, hoping to gauge your reactions on which way to go. Be mindful of these at all times, and provide clear and concise feedback on exactly what you don’t and do like.
3. Ask Questions as the creative process moves along so that you can gain a better understanding of where everyone is in terms of development. The best way to come to a wonderful product is to work through the creative process together. Insert yourself into the creative conversations, make yourself available for questions, all the while remembering that these are the professionals, you’re just keeping them on track.
4. If You Don’t Understand the Brand, your audience won’t either. By not being a creative individual or designer yourself, you have the advantage of seeing the end product as the audience would see it. Be mindful of the fact that your audience won’t want to look at a confusing image or product. As you manage the creative process, keep your designers on track to this fact.
5. Be Respectful. If you’ve done your homework, then you know that your Phoenix advertising firm is experience and exceptional, so let them take risks with creativity. More often than not, designers and advertisers are ‘held back’ by their clients who are afraid to step out of the box. “The most powerful asset that the creative mind brings to your organization is empathy.” Artists are emotional people who love to put that emotion into their work, and reaching the emotions of your audience should be one of your goals.
As the ‘creative director’ of the entire process, you are the last stop before the product hits the market. This is your baby, and if your Phoenix advertising firm can’t relate to it, doesn’t understand it, or fails to bring emotion to the design, you should consider seeking out new help. While many business owners hand everything over to the advertising firm and hope for the best, the most effective way to develop a killer product is to remain very close to the firm throughout the entire creative process.