Checklist for Choosing a
Strategic Design and Brand Partner

4.5.11

In this competitive environment law firms must distinguish themselves. One of the ways to accomplish this is by branding your visual appearance. Developing a good partnership with design and branding experts will facilitate big picture thinking and add fresh perspectives.

Here are EIGHT principles to consider as you choose a design and branding firm:

1. Review the studio’s portfolio: Look at the studio’s website. What do you think about the print and electronic samples in the portfolio? Look for variety in styles and clients – after all, you want to differentiate your firm. Work for clients outside the legal industry almost ensures that the studio will offer fresh, less expected ideas. You will be looking for solutions correctly tailored to your distinctive business goals and objectives, so whatever the client or field, the work should convey a smart, disciplined response to each challenge.

2. Look for credible testimonials: Review the studio’s testimonials, and see what firms similar to yours say about the studio. How do they feel about the design group’s ability to partner with them and sustain a long-term relationship? How do these impressions square with the type and quality of work that resulted?

3. Legal experience is a plus: Consider the type and amount of the studio’s industry expertise. The studio has to understand the culture of a law firm and the need to build consensus around firm initiatives. The approval process can take time and patience, and an experienced studio understands the importance of collaboration to help gain buy-in from key decision-makers.

4. Establish rapport with the studio’s primary point-person: Schedule an in-person meeting with the Creative Director/Principal or the Account Manager. How does the contact person’s personality mesh with the key people on your team? You will constantly interact with this person, so make sure it is someone you can work with over the long term. This means an individual you are comfortable with personally and in the company of other key decision-makers at your firm. A design studio will never know as much about your firm as you do, so having the ability to partner successfully with the point person on your projects is critical to meeting the firm’s objectives.

5. Have the design studio define its approach: Consider the needs of your project, the firm’s culture and its internal process. What is the proportion of strategic work to execution? Law firms value strategic thinking, so beware of a studio too eager to jump straight into the design process. Look for a partner who knows the value of a planning stage in defining and evaluating goals. A studio’s approach can vary project by project, but your big-picture needs should guide each one. The right studio will build a long-term relationship that uses strategic thinking and planning to deliver work that reflects the firm’s culture and objectives. It is also worthwhile to discuss the studio’s process for managing workflow and timelines. If your needs involve research and strategic planning, everyone needs to build in appropriate time for these.

6. Be as transparent as possible with budgets: Be prepared to talk about money, and give consideration to working with a studio that freely discusses its pricing structure. While clients often resist money discussions during initial meetings, remember that the more a studio knows about budget and timing requirements, the better it can structure a mutually satisfying proposal.

7. Have an open-discussion about the studio’s business model: With the right attitude and experience, a studio of almost any size should be able to handle most of your branding and design needs. In larger design firms, you will deal most often with an Account Manger – in a smaller or medium-size studio, you will have direct contact with the Creative Director/Principal. Which chemistry feels right to you? A large agency may employ a wide range of in-house staff – designers, developers, animators, copywriters. A smaller studio might rely on a network of such talent and pull in specialists as projects dictate. Just as your own clients want the best experts for their situations, so do you. Find out what approach a prospective studio takes to ensure seamless outcomes.

8. Get a clear, logical proposal: Compare proposals based on process and deliverables. Ask for a proposal only after you believe you could comfortably work with the studio. Look at the proposals from your top two or three prospects, and make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Check for consistency in process and deliverables, particularly when comparing prices. When it comes time to receive proposals, make sure your finalists are available to review in person or by phone so that you have the ability to ask questions. Do the deliverables match your project discussions? Does the studio sufficiently detail the process, and if not, do they satisfactorily clarify matters? Conversation always benefits both participants.