Build the proposal around the client’s job
Start with the recipient, occasion, complete-set quantity and delivery context. A retail opening in Baghdad and an internal training session in Erbil may require different carrying formats even when both use a notebook and pen. Ask who will approve products and who will approve artwork; these can be different people. Keep the required date in the brief as a request for confirmation, not as an assumed production promise.
Name the project for the client and occasion. Give each option a purpose, such as a compact handout or a desk set. This makes the later conversation about suitability instead of an unstructured competition between product photographs.
Select actual products before arranging the branding
Use the catalogue to choose product references and compare alternatives. If the client provides an inspiration image, use the studio to find similar options, then review their differences. A similar silhouette does not establish the same material, dimensions or available colour. For a multi-piece gift, review each component and the proposed packaging together. Record which details are confirmed and which need the team’s answer.
Avoid preparing a detailed print treatment on a product that has not been selected. Confirm the intended surface and branding method with the production team before treating a logo mockup as achievable.
Present a decision, then prepare a different production handoff
The client presentation should explain contents, quantity, estimated pricing and the intended appearance. Exporting it to PDF provides a convenient review copy; it does not turn the pages into production-ready artwork. Obtain the original authorised logo and any required vector files separately. Confirm spelling, language, colour references, print dimensions and placement against the chosen product.
Use a simple approval record: product reference, artwork revision, visual reference, quantity and approver. Identify the rights holder’s approval for the supplied branding. Ask the printing team which file formats and production specifications it needs instead of assuming the exported presentation meets those requirements.
Keep commercial changes visible
Show the proposed product amounts and any unpriced printing, inserts or custom packaging clearly. When an agency adjusts presentation product prices, review the resulting totals and confirm what the separate packaging amount covers. An attractive grand total is not a complete offer if part of the work remains undefined.
For example, imagine a print house preparing 180 notebook-and-pen sets for a client workshop. This is a hypothetical brief, not a Brandkom quotation. If the client replaces the notebook after approval, review the print area, packaging fit, unit estimate and revised PDF. Do not carry over the earlier artwork approval automatically to the replacement.
Make the approved version easy to find
Keep the working project in the account used for the job and share the client-facing preview or PDF through your usual review process. Record which option the client selected. When the direction is agreed, use the online order request with the selected option, explicit quantity and delivery information, or discuss the outstanding custom work with Brandkom.
Retain the approved artwork and production brief in the print house’s own records. The saved presentation remains useful for later revisions and repeat enquiries, but a new request still needs current product, pricing and production confirmation. This division gives sales a clear visual proposal and production a precise instruction set.
Before you move forward
- Define the recipient, occasion and complete-set quantity.
- Choose actual product references for each option.
- Separate the client PDF from production artwork.
- Confirm logo permission, spelling and placement.
- Label costs and specifications awaiting confirmation.
- Record the approved option and artwork revision.
Common questions
Can I use the presentation PDF as the print file?
Use it as a client review document. Obtain the original artwork and confirm the printer’s file requirements, dimensions and colour specifications separately. A picture of a branded product is not a production file.
What if the client approves a product that later needs replacing?
Show the substitute with its actual reference and the differences that matter. Recheck branding, packaging and price, then obtain approval for the changed specification rather than silently reusing the earlier approval.
Can the studio help a small print house without a design team?
It can help organise catalogue choices and a client presentation. Product selection and concept review are still followed by the print house’s artwork preparation and production checks for the selected process.
Ready to turn the brief into a shortlist? Explore the catalogue or start a project in Brandkom’s free Gift Design Studio.