To help you save money - and to help the designer save time - below are some tips on how to supply an initial brief and how to supply the content. If you would prefer to download a PDF of these tips, please click here.
Because there are many variables and options available when setting up a project, it's beneficial at the start to understand what is needed, where it will be used and how it will be re-produced. For example, if a job is to be only ever printed in-house, we can design the layout accordingly, by allowing for a white margin around all sides of the page where typical office/home printers will not print.
:
1. What is the full name that should appear as part of the logo
2. Can the full name be abbreviated as single letters
3. If abbreviated, must the full name appear as well
4. Do you prefer Serif (eg. times new roman) or Sans Serif (eg. arial) fonts
5. Do you have preference of colors - or do we choose which works best
6. Is there a limit to colors (should we only use 1 or 2 colors, or can we use full color)
7. Will the logo need to work in mono (black - eg. faxing) and reversed out (white)
8. Should an icon be included as part of the design or should it be only typographical
9. What will the normal usage be for the logo (eg. all media, or only for web)
10. How should the company be percieved in the marketplace from the logo (corporate, fun, modern, traditional, casual, edgy, reserved)
• job title
• size
• colors (mono, PMS, CMYK)
• deadline for design to be completed by
• is quote needed before design work commences
• is a print quote needed (supply quantity and paper stock)
• how will the job be printed (internal, digital, offset)
• if internal, are trim marks needed, does the design need to consider no-print margin
• if internal/digital which format can it be printed from
• if offset, please supply contact details + how they can accept files
• job title
• size
• printed pages
• folding required
• colors (mono, PMS, CMYK)
• text will be supplied in which format
• images will be supplied in which format
• pdq to source images (extra charge may apply)
• if more than 2 pages, flatplan to be supplied
• deadline for design to be completed by
• is quote needed before design work commences
• is a print quote needed (supply quantity and paper stock)
• how will the job be printed (internal, digital, offset)
• if internal, are trim marks needed, does the design need to consider no-print margin
• if internal/digital which format can it be printed from
• if offset, please supply contact details + how they can accept files
1. Company name
2. Is there an existing site - if so, please supply site address.
3. Is there an existing corporate identity (eg. a style to follow)
4. If no style is already available, what preferences are required (colors, corporate, funky)
5. How many pages are needed - please supply a list of page names (home, about, etc)
6. Has content been written - if so, please supply full content
7. Is any animation required
8. What is the purpose of the site (provide information, attract new customers, etc)
9. What is the intended audience for the site (age group, gender, financial status, etc)
10. Will there be a need to update frequently the content in the site
11. Will any images be supplied...or do we choose suitable images
12. How will the site be promoted (eg. through advertising, search engine, word of mouth)
13. How will people most likely find the site (eg. word of mouth, google search, etc)
14. Is search engine optimisation required
15. What are the keywords for the site (eg. if selling washing machines, typical keywords might be 'washing machines, white goods, front loading, brand names, etc)
16. Who are the competitors (if possible, please supply website addresses)
17. Do you already have a domain name and hosting
18. Is there a deadline for the site to be completed.
• if more than 2 pages, send flatplan at beginning
• supply all text in Microsoft word format
• avoid using text frames in Word to place text inside.
• avoid having double spacing between sentences
• use single line spacing between lines
• spell check the document before supplying
• adhere to maximum word counts per page to avoid spill
• supply all images as jpeg, tiff or bitmaps
• do not supply images inside word/powerpoint files
• supply all content preferably in one go
• ensure word file name matches article title
• ensure image names have logical name (avoid using names like DCP0123.jpg)
• if there is to be art taken from a previous issue, please supply location (issue, page number, location, eg. issue 28, page 8, bottom left)
• use short file names (eg. HowToSucceed.doc)
OPTION 1: typed out in body of email, including location (eg. page 1, article name, col 3, para 4, change 3rd sentence to read...)
OPTION 2: as 'adding comments/notes' to pdf file. Then email back pdf
OPTION 3: as hand written changes on hard copy, then fax back or email a scan. (must be clearly written).
• NEVER send a new Word file (with changes made in it) for text that has already been supplied and set into the layout.
• if more than a paragraph of text is to be replaced, supply complete paragraph in body of email (or as separate word/text file)
• if faxing back changes, do not write too close to the edge of the page
• if faxing back changes, do not write over tints or images
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