SERVICES
My past experience as a designer, project and studio manager puts me in the unique position to offer the personalized attention of an insider, as well as the invaluable perspective of an outside consultant. My high profile clients depend upon my first-hand knowledge of the creative profession—and you will, too. Let me help your business grow—so you can spend more time doing what you enjoy most, the creative and the marketing side.
Everybody needs a great business partner, someone who has been in the trenches, who can advise you on what your company needs to be competitive. I know the last thing you need is cookie-cutter, generic solutions that are only slightly tailored to your specific requirements. Trust me to provide personalized recommendations based on your company's real-world challenges and needs.
The following are a list of the services I offer:
(Please click on each service – marked in red – for more information)
You are only as good as your staff and processes. This service is for those firms or in-house creative departments that need to improve their internal staffing structure and management systems in order to be more efficient, grow or become more profitable.
What does your paper trail look like? This service provides an objective analysis of a design firm or in-house creative department's existing communication system. Proposals, marketing materials, contracts and design/creative briefs are reviewed to ensure a more effective, integrated and professional presentation, positioning, and pricing strategy.
What do your clients really think about you? A series of confidential interviews with a design firm's clients results in insightful, honest and, often surprising, feedback that helps a design firm strengthen and enhance its presentation style, positioning strategy, and account management process.
It's like having your very own staff writer. Clear and professional proposals, design briefs, contracts, RFPs, and client correspondence are written for your design firm or in-house creative department. These customized documents effectively communicate your objectives, services, voice, and vision and are crafted to reflect each client's or project's unique needs. Pricing consultation is also included in this service.
In-house corporate managers have their own unique needs. This service is designed to provide consultation on a wide variety of issues facing in-house corporate creative managers including, but not limited to, departmental staffing, project and client management procedures and protocols, and tactics for communicating value and expertise.
6. Grill-the-Consultant Sessions
You're the boss. As-needed consultation on a range of topics including, but not limited to, effective positioning, marketing, public relations, staff, client, and project management tactics and strategies.
7. Workshops and Seminars
Need more help? Outside professionals are hired and managed to develop customized seminars and workshops for design firms and in-house creative departments on a broad range of design- and business-related topics.
1. STAFF MANAGEMENT AND PROCESS EVALUATIONS
Process: On-site studio/department visits and confidential one-on-one interviews with all team members.
Deliverables: A written report that identifies and leverages existing strengths and weaknesses and provides customized solutions and recommendations for a proactive, easy-to-implement plan of action. The Staff Management and Process Evaluation prioritizes short- and long-term goals and needs. Often includes development of organizational charts and follow-up consultation to ensure successful adoption and execution. Optional services include: revised or new job descriptions and an employee handbook.
Result: More efficient, adaptive staffing structures and management procedures that:
- streamline communications
- improve workflow systems
- encourage and nourish creativity, teamwork, and collaboration, and
- generate greater profitability.
2. DOCUMENT
AUDITS
Process: Review and analyze a design firm or department's existing documents, including, but not limited to, proposals, cover letters, marketing and promotional materials, contracts and design/creative briefs.
Deliverables: A written report that provides a detailed evaluation of existing strengths and weaknesses. The Document Audit outlines recommended improvements that relate to information hierarchy, organizational structure, visual presentation, editorial voice and tone, positioning strategy, content, pricing structure, and terms. Includes follow-up consultation to ensure successful adoption and execution.
Result: More effective, succinct, powerful, and distinctive communications that:
- speak directly to clients' needs
- differentiates and positions the design firm
- qualifies services and fees, and
- allows for customization and flexibility.
3. CLIENT SURVEYS
Process: With design firm staff, identify and select clients that represent a broad range of experiences and discuss the history of these relationships to provide the necessary framework for the survey. Recommend and refine a series of 10-15 questions and conduct confidential phone interviews with select clients.
Deliverables: A transcript of client responses organized by question. (Please note that specific clients are not identified to ensure their honest feedback.) A summary of the overarching messages, insights and related recommendations garnered from these interviews is also included.
Result: Invaluable feedback that will help a design firm:
- understand your clients' experiences and perceptions
- identify strengths and weaknesses
- improve presentation style and account management process and procedures, and
- re-craft positioning, messaging, and new business development tactics.
4. PROPOSAL, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) and CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT
Process: Creation of personalized proposals, RFPs, and contracts using available design briefs and background information on project or relationship provided by the design firm.
Deliverables: Effective proposals, design briefs, and contracts that are customized to reflect each design firm's unique voice and positioning strategy as well as the needs of each project. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from government or corporate institutions often encompass writing concise and effective descriptions of a design firm's distinctive qualifications, related experience, case studies, staff profiles, work process, and pricing structures.
Result: Clear, professional documents that:
- speak directly to clients' needs
- differentiates and positions the design firm
- wins jobs and influences clients, and
- qualifies your firm, services and fees.
5. CORPORATE CONSULTATION
Case Study 1 – For this collaboration, I worked in partnership with a larger consulting group who was hired by the leading off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the U.S. and worldwide. The goal of our consultation was to improve and reengineer the 50+ marketing services team’s staffing structure (roles and responsibilities) and work flow processes and procedures. The consulting group provided their expertise in data-driven, fact-based analysis, their proprietary work segmentation strategy, high-level industry benchmarking as well as technology optimization services. As one of three consultants on this engagement, I offered my own industry experience and best-practice insight. Together, we identified:
- A tailored work segmentation strategy that will serve as the basis for all process reengineering and alignment of resources
- Opportunities to tailor intake, execution, review and approval processes to tiers, allowing for work to get on the fastest and most efficient track
- Opportunities for better coordination and relationship management with internal clients (within Marketing)
- High level standard operating procedures, describing the roles of each team member at each stage of the process
Case Study 2 – The Manager of the Graphics Lab within a global medical technology company requested a customized interview process with the creative team’s internal clients. The goal of these confidential client interviews was to gain insight and feedback on the creative team’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges (an informal SWOT analysis). A written summary and evaluation of the interviews was then provided. The consultation and report included tactical recommendations on ways to improve the creative team’s staffing and work-flow process as well enhance their internal sales and positioning efforts to better reflect the full value and depth of their team and department. As a result, the Manager now has strategic, actionable solutions to help him regain his team’s focus and direction.
Case Study 3- The Creative Director from a leading soft toy manufacturer requested an analysis and feedback on his department's Procedures Manual and Practices. The consultation began with a meeting to gain input from all the members of the creative team. After gathering information from this and other sources, a thorough written report was submitted. This report explained and summarized tactical recommendations and edits related to internal procedures and protocols. A follow-up meeting was conducted with management to review the report.
