Three Key Questions to Make Your Design Project a Smashing Success

Posted May 17, 2020

Finding the right designer can feel like speed dating.

While I do take the time to ensure you and your business get the attention you both deserve, I also ask a few key questions upfront so I can know if I’ll be able to make a real difference for your business.

To honor your time and mine, I’ve narrowed my questions down to the ones that give me (and you) the best insight into whether I’m the right designer for you.

As a bonus, these questions encourage you to think about marketing your business in a different, deeper way.

I’m so pleased at the prospect of a win-win situation where everyone finds just the right partner. And my best work happens when you get the visual design that truly fits your needs!

Maximize your design investment with these three questions.

Why do I need this design work?
Ideally, this question should get to the why behind the why.

For example, why do we go out to dinner? To eat good food, naturally. But there’s almost always a deeper reason.

Maybe it’s to reward ourselves, to celebrate a special occasion, to be adventurous and try a new cuisine, to treat ourselves because we’re too tired to cook, or – in the current pandemic shutdown – to keep our favorite restaurant in business.

Knowing why you want a new logo, web design, or marketing collateral will shape the course and the pace of the work.

Do you need an online presence, like, tomorrow? Right away, I know that someone needing a rush job won’t be a great match for me, because I believe every business deserves the time to be explored and understood.

But maybe you’re looking for new design because your work has evolved so much that you’ve outgrown your brand identity. This type of work is right up my alley – I love working with businesses that already know it can take time and effort to attract the right people.

Or perhaps your company is growing an area of business that’s complementary to your core business.

As this complementary business expands to become a substantial – or even eclipsing – product or service, it can no longer be best represented as an add-on to the core business.

You’ll need to rethink your marketing and rebuild your website to give it the spotlight it deserves. I love that type of work.

Other “why’s” that I can help with:
- A scattered, undefined brand look due to different styles and messaging across multiple media streams
- Overinvestment of your energy into your customers to the detriment of your own company’s progress
What particular problem will this design solve?
This question generally brings out a similar but more targeted answer than just understanding why.

Overall, this question speaks to a necessary change within your business, or a shifting market or trend. Being able to articulate what your pain points are will help me determine if my process is the best way to address them.

Here are examples of problems I solve:
- Your salespeople are spending too much time explaining what you can do for your customers. A new website that tells your story better and attracts the right customers could do this much more efficiently, so your team can focus on what they’re good at: tailoring solutions and closing deals.
- You’re moving to a more premium type of service. You want your brand and marketing style to reflect that shift in order to reduce the time you spend vetting prospective clients.
- You’re losing clients to competitors because your website doesn’t show that you’re an organized, established, and professional company.
Thinking in-depth about your pain points paves the way to design solutions that will not only make a difference in your bottom line but also allow more time for your team to do their best work.
How will I measure the success of this project?
We’re looking for defined, concrete goals here: answering this question seriously will increase your chance of success!

If your answer is that you’ll be happy when you like the logo, I’m going to challenge you to think more deeply.

Ideally, you’ll love your logo because it will reflect your personality as the business owner, which is inevitably built into the identity of your business. But liking your logo speaks only to your personal taste when truly it should speak to your customers.

Your success should be measured by their engagement with your brand.

Here are some simple answers I’ve seen for measuring success:
- “Increased visibility and increased enrollment.”
- “Receiving more donations through our new website.”
- “Our team and customers feel energy & excitement when engaging with the design.”

Answering these three questions will give you a pretty good idea of what it’s like to work with me. I’m not just interested in making your business look cool – I want to elevate your brand, ensure your business achieves its potential, and bring you more customers that understand and love you.

One thing (of many) that I discovered through some recent business coaching is that I care so much about our little Ocean State. I love Rhode Island and want to shine such a bright light on businesses here so that people simply can’t wait to visit, to move here, and to do business with us.

If you think I might be up your alley, check out my Getting Started Guide!

Key Takeaways

Finding the right designer is a matter of matching both perspective and style. Over my years in the design business, I’ve narrowed it down to these questions that help me – and you! – determine if we’ll be a great fit.

Why do you need this design work? Think about the deeper issues that are prompting a need for fresh design right now.
What problem will this design solve? What pain points are you experiencing in your business that you think a redesign can fix?
How will you measure the success of this project? Concrete and specific goals ensure you get what you pay for.

Answering these questions will not only help you find the right designer but will also help you get the most out of any new marketing venture.