Streamlining the Graphic Design Approval Process

August 21st, 2020

For those with the creative spark, operating your own graphic design company is a perfect way of putting your artistic talents to work not only for your own benefit, but for the benefit of your customers as well. At shopVOX, we try to do the same thing. We’ve created a product we love that we think other people will love, too.

shopVOX business management software is a comprehensive suite of digital tools designed to organize and optimize every aspect of company operation. From marketing, pricing, and communication to production, shipping, and sales, shopVOX brings it all together in one easy-to-use system.

As creators ourselves, we know how important it is for graphic designers to streamline the approval process. Here are four things that shopVOX can help with that will make sure your business always runs smoothly.

Create a Design Element Checklist

Before anything else, a smart tactic for making sure that nothing slips through the cracks during the creative process is to write up a checklist featuring all the elements of design. These include overall style and theme, color palette, dimensions, font size/type/orientation, what surfaces the design will be printed on and what effects the printing process will have (i.e., color bleeding, fading, etc.), and more.

You’ll want to refer back to this list multiple times throughout, from beginning to end. Not only is it a good way to make sure everything is done right later, but it’s also helpful in getting a precise idea of what a client wants before you even draw the first line.

Go In-Depth with Your Customers

As noted above, before you can get to work, you have to find out what your customers want. The more accurate and comprehensive your understanding of the customers’ desires, the smoother the creative process will go, and the less likely it will be that you’ll have to retool a design draft significantly.

Go down the checklist with your client, paying close attention to their tastes and preferences. Ask them what the design is for, what kind of audience it will have, and how they plan to use it. Give them information about what options are available to them, then use your own experience and knowledge to make recommendations that will help them achieve their goals.

Keep Clients Involved in Every Step

One of the best ways to keep the graphic design process from running into speed bumps and dead ends is to keep the customer involved. It’s true that too many interruptions and too much fretting over small details can slow down a custom print designer’s screen printing workflow. But it’s also true that too few client check-ins and too little attention to individual details can throw the whole thing off.

For example, if it turns out that this designer made a major mistake several steps back and now all their work since then being rendered unusable, that’s a headache for everyone. Scheduling regular communications with your customers (as well as helpful reminders for the ones that are slow to respond) can save you a lot of stress in the long run.

Rethink, Revise, Refine, & Revitalize

Being a graphic designer for hire requires one quality above almost anything else: adaptability. Getting hung up on necessary edits or treating your work with kid gloves never helps. What does help is being willing to try over and over again until you get it right.

An element isn’t working for whatever reason? Try another. The client doesn’t like the look of something? Ask them how you can make it better, then do that. Don’t beat yourself up; just go back to the drawing board. Revision is an integral part of the process, and each edit brings you closer to success.

Optimize Your Graphic Design Business with shopVOX

In some cases, streamlining the way you do business is a simple matter of having the right attitude and a good game plan. Even then, though, it can be difficult without the right tools.

Think of shopVOX business printing software as your own personal, fully stocked toolbox. Your success is our success, which is why we want to make sure you have every aspect of your business at your fingertips: sales leads, supply ordering, appointment scheduling, project proofing, asset management, invoicing, and so much more. shopVOX makes it all a snap!