This document provides tips from designers on how to work with them effectively. It advises clients to clearly communicate their goals, expectations, and needs up front while also being open to the designer's ideas and process. Designers appreciate clients who help paint the full picture of the problem and solution without trying to do the designer's job. They dislike ambiguous requests and unreasonable deadline extensions without adjustments to the quote. The tips are meant to help clients collaborate well with designers to create successful projects.

1. Howtowork
withDesigners...

2. ...withoutthem
hatingyou.

3. Foralongtime,creativity
inB2Bmarketingseemedlost.

4. "Content"meant aseriesof boringwhitepapers andgeneric lookingPowerPoints.

5. Then came
MARKETING
CONTENT
(AS WE NOW KNOW IT)

6. NOW MARKETING MUST BE
HIGHLY VISUAL
TO STAND OUT

7. NOW MARKETING MUST BE
HIGHLY VISUAL
LIKE THIS...

8. Butgreatdesign
can'tbeautomated.

9. Soyouneedtowork
with creativetalent.

10. Herearesomepracticaltips
onworkingwith
designers,fromdesigners.

11. JAMIE LEACH
DESIGNER | GOOGLE
SPIRIT ANIMAL: FOX
I REALLY LOVE IT WHEN:
"I love it when clients help
you paint the entire
picture. My job as a
designer is to help identify
the problem, and then
solve for it. When clients
thoughtfully answer
questions, giving you as
much information as
possible, it's awesome."
- @jamiekleach

12. JAMIE LEACH
DESIGNER | GOOGLE
SPIRIT ANIMAL: FOX
I REALLY HATE IT
WHEN:
"I hate it when clients
try to solve the problem
they hired me to solve.
This comes in many
forms, but it's usually
them pixel-pushing me,
or back-seat art
directing me."
- @jamiekleach

13. "Good design alters expectations
and opens up mental doorways.
Unexpected experience = intrigue.
Let designers take risks, even
when they initially grind against
preconceived 'needs' for a project."
Ryan Ruehlen
Media Artist/Professor
University of Colorado
at Boulder
"I love working with someone
who understands the time &
effort that goes into creating a
project and sets out to
understand my workflow &
design process."
Matt Sobieray
Web Developer
Kapost

14. MICHAEL BENNETT
ART DIRECTOR | CLEAR CHANNEL MEDIA
SPIRIT ANIMAL: RHINO
I REALLY LOVE IT WHEN:
"I know it's awful general,
but I love it when clients
have a clear idea of their
goals and expectations."
- @badbutch

15. MICHAEL BENNETT
ART DIRECTOR | CLEAR CHANNEL MEDIA
SPIRIT ANIMAL: RHINO
I REALLY HATE IT
WHEN:
"I hate it when a client
asks for you to 'make it
look like this, but
different.'"
- @badbutch

16. "Be clear about what you want,
trust the designer's decisions,
and don't be afraid to look
stupid if there is something you
don't understand."
Kaz Strankowski
Creative Director
BLK DIAMOND

17. BLAIR STAPP
GRAPHIC DESIGNER | ANTHEM BRANDING
SPIRIT ANIMAL: NARWHAL
I REALLY LOVE IT
WHEN:
"I love it when clients
are clear with what they
want and/or are open to
experimentation, and to
the designer leading the
process."
- @blairalyse

18. BLAIR STAPP
GRAPHIC DESIGNER | ANTHEM BRANDING
SPIRIT ANIMAL: NARWHAL
I REALLY HATE IT
WHEN:
"I hate it when clients
need a lot of time-
consuming changes,
yet expect the same
deadline and quote."
- @blairalyse

19. "I love it when client
cares about and stays
engaged in the process."
Mike Hari
Photographer
fadeout foto
"I love it when clients can tell
me exactly what they want
or at least what their
expectations are."
Sarah Scott
Photographer
Cornerstone
Photography
"What makes me happy is
when clients are concise
and purposeful in their
instructions."
Jacob Collins
Videographer
Kapost

20. MARK PECK
WEB DESIGNER OF INTERNET THINGS | KAPOST
SPIRIT ANIMAL: RAINICORN
I REALLY LOVE IT
WHEN:
"I get through a review
process with minimal,
relevant feedback and
the project keeps
moving."
- @doodlemarks

21. MARK PECK
WEB DESIGNER OF INTERNET THINGS | KAPOST
SPIRIT ANIMAL: RAINICORN
I REALLY HATE IT WHEN:
"When a client takes
something that was once
beautiful and forces me to
create a frankenstein of a
website."
- @doodlemarks
More on that:
http://theoatmeal.com/
comics/design_hell

22. Nowyouhaveaplatefull
ofpractical advicefor
workingwith designers.
Get to Know Who You’re
Working With
Map Out What You Want
Ahead of Time...
…But Be Flexible
Explain What You Want
to Convey
Set Realistic Deadlines
Know When and How to
Communicate
REMEMBER:

23. For moredetailedtips, tools,
andquotesfromdesigners,
clicktheprettytextbelowtoRead
"HowToWorkWithDesigners
(WithoutThemHatingYou)"
ontheKapostContentMarketeer.

24. THANKS!