Feedback is critical to the success of any project. Feedback may seem intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. Feedback, casual or formal, provides you and your team with clear strengths and areas of improvement. This, then, makes feedback the key to your best campaign!
Feedback 101
Feedback comes in many forms, so there are many definitions out there. Simply put, feedback is someone’s opinion of your work. It can be a criticism, a compliment, or both!
Obviously, we all love compliments. It feels good to hear that our work is great. Criticism, however, is not something to be scared of. At its core, constructive criticism tells us where we could do better. Without criticism, we wouldn’t be able to improve. Clearly, we need constructive feedback just as much as we need positive feedback!
So, how does feedback play into the creative process? First, you have an idea or a product. Then, you share that with people, like coworkers or potential customers. Their response is information you use to improve your campaign, which you incorporate into your next version of your product. That is the basic feedback loop!
Before we dive into the benefits of feedback, it’s important to remember that feedback can be both internal and external. Neither is more important than the other. Internal feedback comes from your coworkers, whereas external feedback comes from your clients or customers. Every perspective matters!
Benefits of Feedback
If you couldn’t tell, we believe feedback is an amazing tool in the creative process! There are many benefits to using a feedback loop in your work, so we’ll review the most impactful benefits now. Just know, the benefits to feedback are endless. Don’t be surprised if you discover more on your own!
Firstly, feedback provides you and your team with a clear direction. Every project starts with an idea. However, that idea often is not refined. It is a great start, but you need feedback from others to work out the details. As you hear from different perspectives, you can build a more solid concept. Therefore, you, your team, and your clients are aligned on the creative vision. Working toward the same goal increases productivity, which leads you to a cohesive campaign!
Feedback also fosters two-way communication. Another way to increase productivity and quality is open communication. When you are not afraid of constructive criticism, you create an honest and open environment. This improves morale and trust. Moreover, you will have more productive conversations because people are not afraid to be honest. This means that you won’t miss out on any opportunities to improve. Additionally, problems will be solved faster, saving you time and money!
Similar to open communication, feedback embraces curiosity. In fact, asking for feedback is practicing curiosity. Always be curious about what works and what you could do better. This will transform your project every time. After all, curiosity leads to creativity! The more you ask questions, the more you can innovate while you create. You’ll even stand out from the competition because you won’t be afraid to change what isn’t working. Your campaign will be even more engaging as a result. Nothing is more motivating than that!
Last but not least, feedback allows you to create content that resonates with your audience. When you take time to review audience feedback, whether from existing reviews or research, you discover new ways to connect to your target users. By making your campaigns more relatable to viewers, you drive retention and engagement. Moreover, integrating feedback from clients alongside customers ensures you represent the brand or product accurately. This way, you will meet all key goals and make work you can be proud of. Talk about a successful campaign!
Final Thoughts
Clearly, you cannot have a successful campaign without getting feedback throughout the creative process. You can only learn and improve if you are open to positive and constructive feedback. When you embrace other people’s thoughts on your work, you make high quality campaigns every time!
The more you practice giving and receiving feedback, the easier it becomes. Remember, feedback is a tool to strengthen your performance, not a chore. The most successful people seek feedback regularly because they want to do better.
At Plaid Pony Productions, we always want to do our best, which is why we value ongoing dialogue and consistent feedback loops. Whether you are looking to work with us on a project or simply have thoughts on our work, we’d love to hear from you!
