How to get the most out of working with your creative agency

Working with a creative agency should feel like a partnership - not a handover. When people say they were disappointed with an agency’s performance, there’s a strong possibility it’s because expectations weren’t aligned from the outset. The best results come when clients and creatives work together towards a shared goal. Whether it’s branding, print projects or a creative campaign, collaboration is key to making sure the final outcome hits the mark.

Here are some simple but powerful ways we think will help you to get the most out of your design agency relationship.

Think partnership, not transaction
If you’re hoping to hand over a project title and walk away until the final reveal - you’re definitely not going to get the outcome you really want.
A creative agency brings experience, insight, and ideas, but you bring the understanding of your business, your customers and your goals. When those two perspectives meet, the results are always stronger.

Your input and feedback aren’t “extra work” - they’re part of what makes the creative process work.

Always start with a clear, thoughtful brief
A strong brief is the foundation of every successful project. It doesn’t have to be long, but does have to be crystal clear. You need to explain to your agency partner:
• What you want to achieve
• Who your audience is
• What success looks like
• Any essential information (brand guidelines, deadlines, deliverables etc.)

The clearer your brief, the faster your agency can get up to speed and the fewer revisions you’ll need later. There’s nothing more frustrating on both sides than pitching work that doesn’t hit the mark. Clients feel let down and the creative team feels demoralised and it’s almost always because the two sides weren’t working together effectively.

Understand that good work takes time
Creativity can’t be rushed. From research and concept creation through to design, copywriting and execution, each stage needs a thorough period of time and attention.
As an agency, we’ll always give you an estimated timeline upfront. We’ll also explain what can cause that timeline to shift - things like changes to the brief, delays in receiving feedback, or new priorities that are introduced mid-project.

When clients understand why things take time, it helps keep everyone aligned and reduces frustration on both sides.

Expect open communication on both sides
Great communication keeps projects on track. We’ll be clear and upfront about progress, deadlines and any potential challenges and we ask our clients to do the same.

If something changes on your side, or you need more time to review, just let us know. We’re also open to being called or messaged and we’re pretty easy to get hold of. We’ve learned from years of experience that transparency early on avoids nasty surprises later down the line.

Feedback is fuel
Feedback is one of the most valuable parts of the creative process and it works best when it’s specific. Ask any creative the feedback they hate the most and they’ll all say the same thing. Clients who say “I don’t like it” but when asked for specifics, say, “I don’t know, but I don’t”.

Another favourite bugbear when asking a client what they were hoping for is, “I’ll know it when I see it”.

Don’t get us wrong, we get it. Sometimes it’s hard to articulate exactly what isn’t working, so it’s helpful to focus on why it won’t work. Explaining concerns in terms of your audience or purpose of the project is a good start.

“I think this doesn’t fit our audience because…” or “The tone feels too corporate, can we make it friendlier?”

That helps the creative team understand what’s not working and give them some idea of how to fix it. The more context you give, the closer the work will be to what you’re envisioning. 

Trust the process
When you engage a creative agency, you're not just paying for design time, you're also investing in experience, expertise and perspective. Sometimes we’ll challenge your assumptions or even suggest a completely new direction. That’s not to make things difficult or to disregard what you think is right; it’s to help you find ways to reach your goals more effectively.

Trusting your agency’s expertise (and process) can open doors to ideas you might never have considered.

In our opinion, the most successful creative projects happen when clients and agencies work together with clear briefs, honest communication and mutual respect for time and process. We hope that our creative agency collaboration tips will help when you’re working with your agency - and if you have any more to add, just drop us a line! We’re always open to new ideas.

When both sides stay engaged and open throughout the journey, the results aren’t just beautiful, they're meaningful, effective and built to last. And we’re simple creatures… that’s all we can really ask for.