How to Make the Most of Your Day Rate Project
1. Come prepared!
So that we can dive right into the design work when our day begins (& so we aren’t scrambling to figure out any details on the day-of), we ask that you have your content ready to go by the time we work together. This might include gathering photos, login information, copy for your website, or other pertinent details that we’ll need to have. We’ll provide a questionnaire and a welcome guide to help nail all those details down, too!
2. Keep your phone or computer close by for fast feedback to speed up the day
Day rates are all about making the most of the time we have together, so quick decision-making skills and clear, concise feedback is key! Most people tend to prefer using iMessage as our communication platform throughout the day so that they can respond from their iPhone or Mac computer, though we can also use Skype, Slack, or another messaging platform. This allows us to stay in touch throughout the day, ask questions as need be, & most of all – collect quick notes & feedback! The quicker we can get designs approved, the more we can accomplish – so quick responses are huge.
3. Set clear must-haves so that we can prioritize better through the day
Because day rate projects are time-based, it means that we’re working on a clock to get everything we can done in the time we have together! This differs from traditional deliverables-based projects as with those, there is typically a specific list of deliverables that mark the project as completed (even if the timeline takes longer). With that in mind, it’s important to set a specific priority (or priorities) for what is most crucial. Some examples of combos that might take up a full day include:
- Brand design + social templates + business card
- Brand refresh + 3ish page simple website
- Simple website setup
- Website page mockups with no development
- Content creation + custom graphics
4. Keep a list of love-to-haves so that we can maximize any extra time at the end
Say it’s only 3pm MT, all your priority items are done, & we’ve officially got an hour left of your day. This is where it’s helpful to have a couple of “extras” you might like our help with if time allows. Though not every day includes extra remaining time, we want to make sure to maximize every last moment of it – so if there are other little things such as a business card, a “coming soon” graphic, or anything else that would be on your wishlist, be sure to let us know in case we can make that happen, too!
5. Include specifics on the inspiration you send
As a part of your onboarding homework, we’ll ask that you curate a Pinterest board (or send inspiration another way). Though you don’t have to have it all figured out, if you have a general idea of the direction you’d like your brand to go visually – or aesthetics you are typically drawn to – it can help expedite the day as we’ll spend less time nailing down those details.
Curious to see if a day rate or two would work for your design project? Learn more here!