While providing Feedback to creative agencies is a complex process, it’s essential to any mutually beneficial and successful business relationship.
The agency must be professional, honest, and precise to ensure the best possible creative output.
Here are some tips to help you navigate this delicate path and give constructive Feedback to creative agencies.
Let’s first understand what constructive Feedback is.
It is an effective way to encourage improvement by focusing on the positive rather than the negativity. The purpose of constructive Feedback is to provide valuable insights and guidance while helping a person or organization identify areas where they can improve. It should be respectful, non-judgmental, and honest. The Feedback should be concrete, with concrete examples, and include suggestions for improvement.
As an example
Client feedback: “I don’t like pink, so please consider other options.”
The Feedback above needs to explain why pink is not preferred. Does it have a visual appeal, or is it because it does not fit with the concept?
The client may provide additional context, such as: ‘Since the target audience is predominantly men, it’s best to choose a color that appeals to this audience.’
This Feedback provides sufficient reasons for the agency to explore alternative options.
Understanding the creative process
The marketing world moves so quickly that clients miss the most crucial step. They need to understand how the creative process is carried out and how to steer their agency in the correct direction to achieve the desired results.
The creative process involves a collaboration between agencies and clients.
Understanding that each agency works differently is essential, and it’s best to establish clear expectations before the project begins. To better understand the creative process, here are some tips:
Ask the agency for a detailed explanation of the process, including all steps and expected results.
Examine the portfolio and case studies of the agency to learn how they have created successful projects in the past.
Ask for regular updates, such as progress reports. This will allow the agency to complete its job while obtaining accurate information.
Open and clear communication channels between you and your agency to better understand what works.
When clients understand the creative process, they are more likely than not to trust their agency and its recommendations. This leads to a better working relationship.
Set aside any personal biases
We rely on our intuition too much and use flawed reasoning to provide Feedback. This reduces creativity, damages relationships at work, and leads to subpar results.
It is essential to be expansive when providing constructive Feedback to clients. Here are a few tips to help you adopt the right approach.
Before you jump to conclusions, make sure to read the brief. You should also understand the objectives of the project to better grasp the “why” of the project.
Always keep your target audience in the back of your mind when reviewing creative work. You should always consider what will work and what won’t.
Ask your agency to walk you through the work they have done to better understand the thinking and reasoning behind their decisions.
Understanding trends and where the market will be heading in the future can help you determine whether your creative work is still relevant.
It is important that clients understand what the agency does. This shows them they care about the project.
Be Specific
It can be difficult for agencies to get clear Feedback from clients. This can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings, which can ultimately cause projects to fail.
It is an art to provide specific Feedback for a client. This requires constant practice and being very clear about what you are trying to say. Here are some steps to help you give specific Feedback.
Give credit to those who deserve it. Appreciate what you like and why something works. This will help the agency to understand that it is on the right track.
Focus on the problem and determine what you are trying to solve. Clarify your project goals.
The agencies may not be aware of all the context or background. If necessary, let them know how the issue will affect the target audience as well as the rest of your business.
Give specific examples that support your Feedback. This will help the agency better understand your viewpoint and address your concerns.
Clients can help agencies create better work by providing feedback on what they like and dislike about the creative.
Professionalism and punctuality
When giving constructive Feedback, tone and timing are often overlooked. Inconsistency and a harsh tone can lead to negative consequences, such as damaged work relationships or a hostile workplace.
It is just as important to provide Feedback in a professional manner as it is to give the correct context. These tips will help you to navigate tone and remain professional.
Even if your Feedback is critical, maintain a professional tone. Avoid negative language and personal attacks.
Be sure to give yourself enough time and inform your agency when you plan to respond.
To avoid duplication and back-and-forth, consolidate your Feedback. Set up an internal feedback process that involves your team. Discover how BugHerd helps you collect Feedback on time and effortlessly from your team.
Respecting the work and time of your agency will lead to a more successful relationship. This ensures they are focused and clear on the project.
bugHerd has become the leading visual feedback tool and bug-tracking software for websites. It is used by thousands of marketing agencies and teams around the world for its ease and collaborative nature.
BugHerd is revolutionizing the way clients and agencies work together on website projects. Anyone involved in web development and design will love it. Your team can quickly and easily assign Feedback to specific web page elements with BugHerd. It is a transparent layer that only you and your agency can see. All Feedback and bugs submitted are sent to the central Kanban taskboard, which gives all stakeholders full visibility over the project. Reduces back-and-forth communication and Feedback missed.
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Mention what you enjoy
It’s very easy to focus on what needs to be improved and overlook what is being done well. When giving Feedback, it’s important to be conscious of both the positives and negatives. This creates a context-based and balanced feedback experience. Here are some suggestions on how to take a positive attitude:
Mention your favorite things and give examples, such as: “The creative presentation used visuals to make the information easier for the audience to understand.”
Make sure you give honest Feedback and appreciate the thing you’re praising.
To boost confidence and morale, thank your team personally for the great work they have done.