Your Guide to a Smooth, Creative Design Process

Collaborating with a designer should feel exciting, not frustrating. Whether you’re building a brand from scratch, revamping your website, or just need a killer Instagram template, how you show up to the design process directly affects the results. And yes, there’s a method to the creative magic.

We’re breaking down exactly how to work with a designer in a way that saves time, money, and endless back-and-forth emails. Because nobody has time for more emails. If you want to actually love the final product and the process this one’s for you.

Start With Strategy, Not Style

It can be tempting to dive headfirst into Pinterest boards, color palettes, and font choices, but great design always starts with strategy.

Before opening a single design file, get clear on:

• What is the goal of this project?

• Who is your audience?

• Where will this design live? Online, print, social, or all of the above?

• What action do you want people to take?

The more context you provide, the better your designer can translate your vision into visuals that work. Without it, you’re just picking pretty colors and not building an actual brand.

Respect the Process (and the Timeline)

Design takes time, and that’s a good thing. Good designers aren’t just picking fonts and layouts at random. We’re researching, sketching, ideating, refining, and testing. Rushing usually results in… something that looks “meh.”

To keep things running smoothly:

• Stick to agreed-upon deadlines

• Give feedback within the window provided

• Avoid ghosting mid-project

Remember: your designer is juggling multiple projects. Clear communication and timely responses keep the momentum going and the creative energy high.

Give Specific Feedback

“I don’t like it” is not feedback. #sorrynotsorry

The best way to get the design you want is to be specific. Try to describe:

• What feels off? Color, type, layout, or tone?

• Is it the emotion or vibe that’s not landing?

• Are there elements you do like that we can build on?

• Do you have examples of things that align with your vision?

Pro tip: compare it to designs you love or don’t love at all! It’s not personal; it just helps us get to the right solution faster.

Be Organized and Clear on Deliverables

You’d be surprised how much time gets lost in back-and-forth emails. Coming prepared with organized assets and clear expectations is one of the fastest ways to a successful project.

Before the project kicks off, make sure you have:

• Brand guidelines (or at least your logo and colors)

• Any copy, text, or imagery to include

• A list of deliverables you need (e.g., “3 social posts and a landing page header”)

Not sure what you need? That’s okay. Being honest about your goals helps your designer shape the deliverables with you.

Trust the Designer You Hired

You hired a designer for a reason—because you liked their work, their style, and their process. The best thing you can do is trust that process.

Creative collaboration works best with mutual respect. That means:

• Being open to ideas you hadn’t considered

• Giving space for exploration

• Avoiding micromanaging every pixel

Sometimes bringing your vision to life means expanding or reimagining it in ways you hadn’t thought of. That’s where the magic happens.

Ready to Work With a Designer Who Gets It?

We love working with thoughtful, creative clients who care about doing things the right way. Whether you need a brand refresh, custom graphics, or a new website, we’re here to bring your ideas to life and have fun doing it.

Let’s chat and get your next project rolling.