Time is easy. Attention is hard.

Don’t ask how your new brand agency how long the project will take. Instead, start by considering how much attention you will assign to the project.

Having worked with many business owners of the last ten years, and being asked this very question – I can honestly say that more project timelines are derailed by lack of attention from the client, than from lack of time from us.

Why.

Here’s why.

It’s always at the top of our list to assign time, plan workloads – and deliver on them. We’re working towards your future. And you’re paying us to help you get you there.

It’s always at the bottom your list to review, consider, provide assets, and reply – because even though you know the work we’re doing together is important, fire fighting in your daily business finds its way to the top of your to-do list.

How to fix it. When you’re ready to start working towards your organisations brand future, assign time each week specifically to the project. Then use this time, aligned with your brand partners timeline, to make sure you have the mental space to review and reply.

Schedule your time to build your brand future. It will help you build your businesses future.

More clients need to ask Why?

We’ve delivered two Discovery Workshops recently. In both the What, How, and Why? exercise has provided a great platform for the client to explore their origins, how their organisation works, and its services and products.

As your organisation grows, you’ll have become busy with an endless task list driven by immediate concerns. It’s easy to let the reason you started the journey be pushed to the back of your mind.

Investing time in your Why – whether by reading Simon Sinek, or sitting quietly with a blank sheet paper – can provide a great sense of focus, and can help you reignite the fire that caused you to start your organisation. It can help realign your vision with your organisation. And your team with your vision.

Momentum.

Once you’ve got something moving, momentum makes it easier to keep it moving. I often encourage clients to keep momentum with projects, no matter what else is happening in their business.

The work we’re doing with them typically balances short term needs and long term goals and every time the project loses momentum, it gets harder to get back up to speed.

Whatever work you’re doing towards your goals. Keep moving forward.

Context

Without context, design is simply a case of figuratively (or actually) pushing the ‘like’ button – or not. Judging any design – logo, message, word, or image – based on your own bias and opinion, without context (or worse, judging by the apparent popularity of others) is a path that leads to less understanding and empathy of the purpose of the design for its audience.

Remember – more often than not – that you are not the audience they’re looking for.

Know why. Then do.