I have been in the Enspiral Wellington office now for almost 7 weeks and am loving the atmosphere, the learning and the new opportunities arising each day!
I thought I would take a minute to share something that I’m sure is going to prevent a few future headaches for me and for clients.
Last week Andrew Fyfe Enspiral’s senior graphic designer shared a document with me and some valuable advice. “before starting on a new creative project, give this to your client”
the document is a short questionnaire asking key questions to the client with the goal of putting both the designer and the client on the exact same page from the get go..
This resource is going to be a staple in my future jobs as I know what its like spend a chunk of time doing something thinking it’s what the client has in mind only to find out you were completely wrong due to a miscommunication right at the beginning.
Here are the questions:
WHO ARE WE?
High-level background information about our business. History of the company, product or program. Key products and services (and their benefits). Describe as if talking to someone who knows nothing about us.
WHO ARE THE OTHER PLAYERS?
A snapshot of our industry, where our company and other key players fit into it. If possible, for each key player state notable innovations, strengths/weaknesses, why they meet the audience’s needs, the perception of them versus us. What sets us apart from them?
WHAT’S THE POINT OF THIS?
What is this project all about? Why are we doing this? Summary of the important outcomes you expect. A paragraph or two. The ultimate goals and/or criteria for success of this project. Include statements like: “What’s happening is…” and “What we want to do about it is…”.
WHAT DO PEOPLE KNOW?
How many people know about us? What do they know? What do they already think, like, or dislike about our business? Why?
WHO ARE WE TALKING TO?
Who is our target? Develop profiles by creating three fictional personas from knowledge of our audience. These could be a client, a potential client, a new employee. Find out things like: Demographics. What motivates, frustrates, or makes them laugh? What do they read? Do they associate with our competitors? Which ones? How web-savvy are they? How strong is our brand with them? What do they do online? What solutions are they looking for? Ask questions that suit our needs.
UNIQUE SELLING POINT (USP)
A USP should say: “use us, and you’ll get this specific benefit. What is the one thing about us we want the audience to know when they walk away? The one thing that others cannot, or do not offer. It must be believable, beneficial, precise, immediate, surprising or thought-provoking.
SECONDARY MESSAGES
What else do we want to say? What are the secondary points we want to get across to our audience, in order of importance. What do we want our potential audience to learn, feel or believe after first contact?
WHY SHOULD THEY BELIEVE US?
List the specific reasons that support or substantiate these claims.
HOW SHOULD WE SOUND?
What is the personality and tone of our voice? What attitude do we want to express? Use adjectives.
THE ESSENTIALS
Is there anything we must include? Is there anything that should be avoided?
ROLLING IT OUT
What media does the new design need to be applied to? i.e. business cards, website, signage, templates.
TIMELINE / BUDGET / APPROVALS
Are there any requirements around times or budget? Who gives the “okay”?
I hope this is a help to anyone reading!