Communication.
It’s one of those things which make or break relationships. More often than not, the latter happens and work goes unfinished.
Engaging creative agencies during the pre-Covid era had already been a challenge for many. Now, with Covid-19 in full swing, communication between creative agencies and their clients have become even harder, especially with the Movement Control Order (MCO) in action. Social distancing measures are in place which limit face to face communication.
Fortunately, with the advent of modern technology, we are now able to work remotely from home and communication isn’t necessarily impossible.
As both clients and agencies wish only to achieve a similar outcome, we will discuss some ways in this article to help everyone maintain an optimal relationship throughout the course of your project.
During the start of every project, the client will present a proper brief to the creative agency. Clients are not expected to walk in, demand a new logo, and expect the intended outcome to be presented next. Communication has to happen before the start and the creative agency will have to know some background information of the client, short and long term goals, supporting resources, and reasons for engaging the creative agency. Only with this can the creative agency work out the best solution for the client.
Clients have to be prepared to maintain an open line and an open mind. As communication will be ongoing, new ideas will be injected to the best interests of the client. However, we do not expect to be contacted too often and end up being micromanaged. Remember, creativity requires space.
We all know the importance of face-to-face communication. Besides hearing the speaker, we can also deduce minute information from subtle facial expressions and gestures. Through the collection of these little details, we will be able to offer the best solutions. However, as we are working remotely now, video conference calls will replace face-to-face communication temporarily.
As communication has become a slight issue during Covid-19, many agreements have to be made prior to the commencement of a project. Deadlines along the way should be scheduled to avoid any form of miscommunication. This way, the agency will be able to plan their work out properly according to submission dates and clients can have a clear idea on when to expect to receive work. A Gantt chart is a good tool to be used here.
Finally, as the old saying goes – a picture speaks a thousand words. While we understand not everyone is Picasso, simple sketches can help creative agencies understand your needs on a better level.
It is important to hire a good creative agency but it will benefit both parties even more if communication is carried out effectively. Engage a creative agency which knows these practices best and you’ll be on your way to having great creative content and make healthy relationships along the way!