There are 3 things that are important to make sure your project gets completed on time. Follow these steps and you might just find out how much easier life can be.
- Know who is in control of the work flow on the project. I know it sounds stupid, but making it clear from the beginning, makes life easy on everyone. If I'm in charge of getting this project out on time, I won't hesitate ensuring that the photographer, copywriter, printer or whomever else is involved is doing their part. My clients are all important people that have better things to do than babysit designers and copywriters and whenever possible I will try and take the reigns on a job. After all, I think everyone hates starting a project in June and not wrapping it up until January.
- Give realistic deadlines. Make sure that a deadline can actually be completed in the amount of time given. If you are asking for a 24 page brochure to be written, designed and printed in 2 weeks consider the reality of your request. If you've got an outline of the project and the supplemental information already compiled, it might be a realistic request, depending on the creative firms schedule.
- Provide appropriate feedback and changes in a responsive time frame. You can't sit on changes for 3 days and expect a designer to make the changes and get the project produced in 2 days. I hate it when a job is rush, rush, rush and the minute I get the first round to the client I don't hear back for a week. Be responsive and communicate. If I personally don't hear back from the client within a day I will probably contact the client to make sure there aren't issues or concerns that have arisen.