You have a great marketing plan for your products or services and now you need to hire the creative talent to implement your plan.

Finding the right creative partner to design your marketing material can be challenging and frustrating. Here are a few tips to help you through this process.

• Take the time to determine what your budget is for your project. This way you know what kind of creative services you should target. If your budget is limited a small design firms or freelancer may be the best partner for your project.

• Set up a personal meeting with your creative prospects to get a feel for their working style and view their work. Be prepared to make a decision to choose your creative partner from the quality of the work they have already done. Creative concepts takes time and most creative professionals will not start working for you until you have made a commitment to hire them for the project. A deposit is usually required to start a project.

• You should receive an estimate from your creative prospects for the scope of your project. Make sure it is detailed and you understand what will be delivered. Do not start the project until you have received an estimate.

• Know your deadline and request a timeline for your project. Keep in mind that meeting a timeline is not just your creative partner’s responsibility, but yours as well. You must keep your end of the bargain in order to meet your deadline. If you have agreed to give your feedback on the creative design on a certain day and you do not, then that may affect your deadline.

• Don’t be afraid to communicate what you like or don’t like about a design. Give clear direction so your creative team can meet your expectations. Keep an open mind and sit back and let them do what you’re paying them to do.

• Make sure all decision makers are present during creative reviews. This way everyone can provide feedback and agree on the next steps. This will save you time and money.

It is not unusual to take several rounds of revisions before you reach the final design. It is your creative partner’s responsibility to know your consumers and give you the marketing material you need. Trust them to give you the results you desire and this process should be fun and exciting!

Your comments are always welcome. Thanks