Start with an internal working brief
Have the account lead combine the client’s purpose, audience, quantity, budget basis and deadline in one brief. Include brand restrictions and any products the client has already rejected. A designer can then evaluate the visual direction without guessing the business requirement. An agency should use its own project contact and handle the client relationship; preparing the concept does not require sending the end client’s contact details to begin planning.
Develop, review and then present
Ask for one to three options with a distinct reason for each. Verify the selected catalogue products and quantities before requesting mockups. The account lead should review the full presentation, including pending packaging or custom components, before sharing it. A shared preview is read-only: collect the client’s feedback through your normal communication channel and apply the agreed changes in the agency’s private project. Do not describe the preview as a collaborative editing document.
A hypothetical agency handoff
Imagine an agency planning a distributor meeting for 150 guests. The strategist writes the brief, the designer checks brand placement and the account lead verifies the quantity and estimated scope. The client prefers the middle option but requests a smaller box. Record that specific revision, recheck product fit, and produce a revised presentation. Send only the chosen option for quotation once approved. Keeping the rejected directions in your working notes helps prevent accidental reintroduction during later conversations.
Prepare a clean internal handover
When a colleague takes over the project, provide a short handover containing the chosen option, the latest client instruction, unresolved questions and the next review date. Include the correct private project reference and identify the current client-facing PDF separately. A designer should know which visual details are approved; the account lead should know which commercial details remain open. This small record reduces the risk that a returning colleague regenerates rejected ideas or sends an old estimate simply because it was the easiest attachment to find.
Before you move forward
- Assign a brief owner and a presentation reviewer.
- Record rejected products and approved constraints.
- Review the shared version before sending it.
- Consolidate client feedback into one revision request.
Common questions
Can the end client edit a shared studio presentation?
No. The shared presentation is read-only. The agency collects feedback and makes changes through its private saved project.
Should an agency treat a mockup as production approval?
No. A mockup supports creative discussion. Confirm files, dimensions, decoration, quantities and the formal commercial scope before production.
Ready to turn the brief into a shortlist? Explore the catalogue or start a project in Brandkom’s free Gift Design Studio.