The creative design business we are working in today is much different than it was not long ago. Client’s needs are for more efficient, less costly, green, multi platform projects, with deadlines that you passed just reading this sentence. The past year or so we have been working with creative firms that treat us more as partners than vendors. Bringing us to the table for creative brainstorm sessions, assistance with RFP’s and final client presentations. This sort of collaboration early in the design process has been productive on multiple levels. It gives the design firm access to additional brainpower both in the creative as well as in the business side of the office.

As firms cut back on manpower, an extra set of eyes and ears, that is project focused can ultimately address costs and offer solutions for efficiently produced projects. Even though I might walk in as a photographer you might be surprised to learn that I have quite a bit of practical marketing experience, social media knowledge, solutions on how to integrate multimedia into a marketing campaign. I know that brainstorming is not a weather pattern, that budgeting is more than sharpening a pencil and that pre visualizing challenges can be less costly if avoided before the trigger is pulled. On the flip side, projects where photography is considered just a line item and an uncomfortable rights negotiation, many of the avoidable production challenges have already been put into place; by the time a design firm contacts my studio.

Recent collaborative partnerships we have contributed on have resulted in positive outcomes, not just with the work product, but the entire collaborative experience. The equity that this partnership requires may vary from firm to firm, but my experience is that whether it is reflected in direct client billings or through overhead consideration, collaboration early, ultimately leads to satisfied clients and that is good for everyone’s business.

Tags: Collaboration, Graphic design

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