When you’re working on a design project, there’s always more to do than you can possibly get done in one day. But if you break up your work into smaller tasks, then you can accomplish more in less time and leave the desk behind feeling like a hero!
The reason I can do more in a day than probably any other designer you can find on the internet is because of how I prepare in advance. And that means, I can execute on a ridiculously efficient schedule on my VIP Design Days.
So here I am spilling all the secrets with you today. Here’s how to check everything off your design wishlist in one day!
1. Plan ahead and dedicate time. Or else it won’t happen… Really! Don’t wait until the morning of your Design Day to start thinking about what needs to get done. Plan out each part of your process beforehand so that when it comes time for work, all you have to worry about is executing on those plans with efficiency and speed!
2. Do what’s urgent first (or delegate).
Time to prioritize! When we think about our days as creatives, we tend to focus on all the fun stuff like creating concepts and designing interfaces. But unfortunately these tasks aren’t always urgent or important for our clients to create a real impact.
Break up big tasks into smaller ones: The amount of work that gets done during a Design Day is directly related to how much time has been spent planning ahead and breaking up big tasks into smaller ones. You might think something like “designing a website” sounds simple, but when broken down into its components, it can make all the difference!
3. Be intentional about what you need.
Once you have your scope or list of items prioritized, start thinking about what each one needs. Do they need logos? Typefaces? Graphics? Images? And which ones do you need most? This will help you prioritize and focus your efforts so that you don’t overwhelm yourself with too many requests at once (or too few!). The more specific you can be about what you need, the better. If there’s an existing logo that’s close to what you want but not quite there, ask for a specific revision to that logo. If the brand has a graphic style guide that shows how certain fonts should be used, ask for an edit of one of these banner graphics so it fits your needs perfectly for your sales page. The more specific your requests are, the easier it will be for designers to understand exactly what it is you want — and then deliver exactly that!
4. Give feedback along the way.
It can be tempting to just let a designer go off and make their magic happen without looking over their shoulder or giving them any feedback until it’s all done… but this is one of the worst things you can do! Yes to trust. However we all need some clarity to ensure we’re speaking the same lingo and language for your vision and goals.
5. Use real life examples for inspiration references.
If you have time before the due date, take photos of things that inspire you and put them into your moodboard. Or better yet, leave yourself a note on Pinterest or Instagram with a link to a photo that represents one of these concepts so that when it’s time to choose between them, you can easily reference it again.
Prefer not to do it on your end? If you’d like to book me for a VIP Design Day, here’s how you’re going to go about it to get everything checked off your wishlist in one day: 1️⃣ You will click this link and book your Design Day in your calendar so you'll have that time dedicated as I’ll need to contact you throughout the day.
2️⃣ Secondly, I’ll send you an intake questionnaire so I can collect all of your stuff Any copy for graphics, photos, logos, and that’s how we can hit the ground running come Design Day because you send this in advance.
3️⃣ You’ll then have everything taken care of on Design Day and have access via the Voxer so we can quickly and efficiently communicate via a voice note and provide feedback for me, then you can do so there easily.
4️⃣ Lastly, you’ll get access to all of your files and if we’ve had any calls throughout the day, I’ll link you up to all the recordings and tutorials specific to your project. Ready to go from zero to hero? Book your VIP Design Day now!