At Incite Creative, we primarily work with small to medium sized companies and organizations that vary in resources, both in personnel and in budget. Some have internal marketing departments, some don't. Some come to the table with an annual promotional budget while others have resources for a single component. There are many factors that differentiate one client from the next and that's why, to us, every project requires a custom solution. However, our streamlined process ensures optimal results for each client. Complex campaigns may necessitate multiple steps. On smaller projects, perhaps only a few may apply:

STEPS WITHIN OUR PROCESS

1. Define the Problem
   Sometimes clients come to us and say, "We need a brochure and want you to bid on it." Our response is always, "Why do you need a brochure?" The reply is usually, "I don't have one," or "My old one is outdated." However, the lack of a brochure is never the real problem. We first help clients articulate their business objective. Maybe it's lack of brand awareness within a certain market segment or perhaps they want to inform an audience of a new product or service. By first defining the problem, we can better set a course for solving it.
2. Know the Audience
   Before we can create a solution that will garner the return on investment our clients seek, we first need to identify the target audience. When the client contact is a Marketing Director inside a firm, such research is oftentimes supplied. But when it's not, we can conduct the necessary research to acquire the insight needed prior to launching into creative development and design.
3. Know the Competition
   Competitor analysis helps us to better differentiate our clients from the rest, positioning them uniquely in the marketplace. Therefore, we recommend knowing your competition inside and out before launching a positioning statement, brochure, or any other means of promotion. If such information cannot be provided to us, we can obtain the necessary research. 
4. Describe the Product/Service
   No one knows your business better than you do. But if no one can define it or describe it, you're setting yourself up for failure. We work with our clients to get a clear understanding of the products/services they offer -- its features and benefits -- and then position them in a way their audience can understand and care about. To gain accurate insight, we also conduct surveys and/or consumer interviews so the responses we get are candid and taken directly from the target audience. Such information often proves valuable from both a strategic and a creative perspective.
5. Listen and Learn
   Past, present and prospective consumer interviews are oftentimes the best means of research. As a third party, we've found that audiences are much more willing to provide candid feedback, enabling us to learn what consumers want and need from the client. We can then translate this feedback into a solid promotional campaign, attracting others within the target audience who feel/think similarly. 
6. Gather the Team
   Once all the background research has been acquired and analyzed, we will summarize it for our clients and then present an action plan for their approval. Upon acceptance, we're off and running! This includes beginning to assemble any outside supplementary resources and associated costs (printing, technical programming, photography, illustration, etc.).
7. Create the Solution
   With the approved strategy as our guide, we can then devise a creative solution to meet the client's business objectives. We will sketch and develop computer-generated roughs to a point where the idea can be effectively conveyed to the client. Upon acceptance of our initial concepts, we will continue working toward a final print-ready or multimedia solution, all the while serving as project managers to ensure schedules and budgets are met.
8. Get It Produced
   We've worked with many of the printers in the Baltimore/Washington area so we have first hand knowledge of their capabilities and cost. We will secure printing estimates from providers who we've identified as being a good fit for the project based on its specifications and complexity. Once the printer is selected, we will supervise the print production process, including on-site press inspections, and make sure the job is delivered accurately and on time. The same holds true for any complex web site programming or database creation. Although we do not provide such services under our own roof, we collaborated with trusted partners to get the job done properly. 
9. See It Through
   At the completion of a project or campaign, you might think we're out of the picture. Not so. We request that our clients track the success of each completed project so we can all learn what works well and what, if anything, can be improved upon. We recommend that quarterly evaluations be conducted so collectively we can keep an eye on the market and make strategic adjustments as needed.
10. Document the Success
    We're proud of the work we create for our clients and like to share our experiences with others. That's why we clearly document each project from start to finish and oftentimes include our successes in case study format. You'll find examples of these experiences in the Clients + Projects portion of this website.