HOW WE WORK: OUR AVERAGE PROCESS:
We've been designing dynamic promo pieces for many clients for 3 decades. We adapt our interaction with our clients to match each situation. Some need more hand-holding than others, particularly new clients or new businesses. We're happy to apply our expertise to help out a new business... and also to work with a very busy ad agency when they know exactly what they need, and call us in as a no-nonsense, get-the-job-done top pro team.
For ESTABLISHED CLIENTS, much of these steps listed here needn’t be repeated. Once we know each other, there is a great dividend of efficiency that is available for subsequent similar new work, or revisions to existing work. We’d know your preferences, we’d have your logo(s) and probably also have other elements right at hand.
For NEW PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS, whether your project takes one day or several weeks, these steps represent the procedure we use to accomplish our work:
1. WE CLARIFY: We clearly establish what is needed and wanted. This is usually the most important part of any project, and we don’t necessarily expect a full answer from our clients. Yes… you heard that right. Often you would be better served to come to us with only a general idea, and we can have a chat to help you better define what the possibilities and best choices are. Critical up-front GUIDANCE & marketing and editing recommendations OFTEN makes all the difference for the success of your product or service. If you’re not sure about what is the best approach to your job, LET’S DISCUSS IT! (718) 256-8225 (USA Eastern Standard Time) or email us directly at: design@millworldwide.com
2. WE RESEARCH: This step could be looking for images of, for example, a particular zeppelin or animal as reference for an illustration or cartoon project. Research could also be getting some background about your particular company, product, service, and marketplace so we can better recommend and design a promo piece for you. Often the research part of a project includes our asking you for a look at what you have now, if anything. (photo(s), logo(s), wording, previous work, competition pieces, website for more info, your goals, etc.
WE DO ROUGHS: Once we’ve clarified what’s needed, and have some background in place, we then rough out what we think your piece(s) will look like. Depending upon what you need, there are various levels at which this can occur… ranging from one of our favorite beginnings… a scan of a professional pencil sketch layout… all the way to blocking out actual elements of your piece. If your piece has numerous pages of a similar nature, we’d try to establish which page has the least and most content, and design those first to arrive at a consistent design.
WE DEVELOP TO INTERMEDIATE(s): As needed, we adjust and develop with YOU in the loop.
FINALS: Once we loop proofs back-and-forth as needed, we arrive at a final digital ‘original’, ready to upload to you for print and/or web usage. Large files are sent via a server like whalemail or a custom ftp area. If needed, we can also ship you a CD or DVD with your files.
PRODUCTION: Last but not least is production, which really is our first consideration when approaching a project. To put it simply, there’s no point to create an idea that can’t be effectively produced within the associated budget and time frame. We are very well grounded in all aspects of production, and call upon this vast knowledge for all appropriate projects.
As part of any PRINT job, we’re available to take care of any prepress issues your printer or publication may have. (We submit ADS and print jobs regularly to all types of publications and printers... in all major digital formats.)
OUR ARCHIVES. We scrupulously keep two separate sets of BACK-UPS of ALL our work. This makes it easier if you need something else done with any of the pieces of your job. We guarantee having this back-up available to you for up to 12 months after your job is complete. It’s not unusual for us to retrieve a catalog, ad, brochure, or flyer from several years ago for easy updates to prices, products, or other items.