Process is Predictable

Every serious designer has a process, but what does it mean?

Most Agencies and Freelancers tout their process, usually an iteration of the ‘Design Cycle,’ as a core selling point. But what does it mean?

A process for approaching a problem with a solution supports a consistent positive outcome when addressing unique and complex problems. It’s how we solve business problems with rigor, creativity, and accountability. Functionally, and most important for the client experience, it forms the foundation of coordinating two teams to work with momentum and flow, hitting deadlines, anticipating milestones, and refining a solution in a linear trajectory. Non-linear projects incur costs when you have to take a step backwards, or abandon a solution after investing work into developing that concept.

At Snowday, the process is founded in the details of systems, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and built in quality control. While every project and engagement is different, all projects reflect this scaled consistent approach.

1 – Project Alignment

Understanding the project goals, resources, and how we’ll work together is critical to smooth and successful projects. It’s time and planning effort that is worth its weight in gold.

Project and creative briefs
Client workshops
Stakeholder interviews
Market research
Build-out project management tools for smooth collaboration

2 – Strategy

Strategies are inherently unique. They need to reflect your unique opportunities, marketing tools, resources, and business goals. The strategy lays the foundation for what we need to build and create.

Roadmap a plan with budget, timeline, inputs and outputs
Plan for measuring outcomes and goals
Implementation strategy – connecting marketing tech stack effectively
Anticipate near and far term needs for scale

Snowday was a fantastic partner to take a deep dive into our marketing and customer service experiences. They have a detailed, systematic approach to the research, and simultaneously came to the table with creativity and flexibility to allow the project to evolve to best suit our business’s needs.

3 – Marketing Systems

Digital marketing requires an integrated network of systems more than ever before. Setting these up correctly is critical for clear creative execution, measurement, management, budgeting, and transparency.

Setup of platforms to execute
Best practices for management and reporting
Identify operational efficiencies throughout the tech stack and your team’s roles throughout

4 – Creative

The design, the media, the content, or the website are all creative pursuits. To execute these efficiently we execute in a stepwise scalable process that keeps creative tied to the strategy, distribution, and brand goals. The process is designed to minimize errors and maximize production throughput.

Informed by specifics of the platforms and final formats
Iterative sequence from rough to refined
Stepwise “rounds of revision”
Variant creative built of off approved core/base creative allows scaling

5 – Iterate and Scale

Modern marketing is built on iteration and optimization. Monitoring creative performance, through key metrics and properly connected platforms, should feed an evolving strategy that improves performance and strategic insights for your business.

Organized systems to maximize output for investment
Regular tracking and reporting of campaigns with ongoing strategic direction
Collaborate on how marketing supports business operational success / KPIs

Agencies, more than freelancers, inherently have to execute with clear systems and process, in order to coordinate a broad team of experts effectively. This reinforces a commitment to the process, delivering stronger client outcomes and a smoother customer experience.

What you get with an Agency vs. a Freelancer

Clear scopes and project management to that scope
Dedicated project manager to coordinate all technical, creative, and stakeholder collaboration
Professional project management tools and platforms
Access to Subject Matter Experts as-needed for every project
Team-wide resources for big deadline pushes and redundant coverage
Benefit from insights from broad active client and industry trends

Finally, Agencies are here for the long haul. We want to grow with you and make the pie bigger. Client success is our success. Transparency in our work is the best way to show the impact of working with Snowday, while positive customer experiences are the best way to cultivate a long-term relationship. We are committed at every level to truly helping you grow, improve operations, and build the most competitive business in your industry or community.

See if your business is ready to grow with an agency like Snowday. Get in touch