How to Work with a Designer
(and Actually Get What You Need)
A guide for good eggs doing good work—aka, you.
You’re running a nonprofit, a school, a church—something mission-driven that’s juggling 17 things before lunch. You probably didn’t get into this work thinking, “Ah yes, I’d love to hire a graphic designer and figure out how to speak fluent Creative.”
But here you are. And here we are.
Let’s make this easy.
First, What Designers Actually Do
(Spoiler: It’s Not Just “Make It Pretty”)
Design is not just decoration. It’s communication. It’s strategy. It’s figuring out how to help you reach people, raise money, clarify your message, and get folks to actually read the thing you worked so hard to write. We don’t just make things look good—we solve problems.
But...
We can’t solve problems that aren’t clearly framed. That’s where you come in.
1. Start With the What and the Why
Before we even touch a design file, we need to understand:
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What are you trying to do?
- Who are you trying to reach?
- What action do you want them to take?
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Why does this matter right now?
We don’t need a 20-page report. A few honest sentences go a long way. (“We need to raise $15K in three weeks or our youth program gets cut” is extremely helpful information.)
2. Give Feedback Like a Pro (Even If You’re New to This)
Feedback is not about having “an eye for design.” It’s about helping us understand how the work is landing—or missing.
Here’s how to give feedback that actually moves the work forward:
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Be specific. “This feels too formal—we’re a sneakers and potluck kind of place” is gold. “Make it pop” is... less helpful.
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Be honest. If something’s not working, say so. We can’t fix what we don’t know is broken.
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Stay mission-focused. Remind us what this design needs to do, not just how it should look.
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Use examples. “Can it feel more like this flyer from our summer camp last year?” helps us zero in on tone and style.
And please—don’t apologize for giving feedback. This is a collaboration, not a guessing game.
3. Keep the Lines Open
We’re not just a pair of hands, we’re part of your extended team. The more we understand your organization—your tone, your values, your constraints—the better the work will be. Check-ins, updates, real talk? All welcome.
4. Build the Relationship, Not Just the Project
If you treat your designer like a short-term fix, you’ll always be starting from scratch. But when you build a relationship, we start to anticipate your needs. We learn what works with your board, what your donors love, what kind of print deadlines your school district has. That trust builds better branding, brings in more revenue, and strengthens your mission.
Basically, we’re like a really helpful neighbor: we bring soup when you’re swamped and pitch in before you even ask.
5. Trust the Process—and the Person
Design takes time. It involves experimentation, iteration, and more than one draft. It’s okay not to love everything right away. Just keep talking to us. Tell us what’s off and what feels just right. Trust us to get you there—we will.
6. Don’t Ghost Us
We know you’re busy. But disappearing for three weeks in the middle of a project delays everything—and we might cry a little (okay, not really, but kind of). If something’s come up, just shoot a quick message. We’ll adjust. We’re human too.
7. Say Thank You (and Let Us Brag on You)
When we wrap something you’re proud of, celebrate it! Share it. Tag us. Let us use it in our portfolio (we’ll always check first). This helps us get more clients like you—the kind we love working with.
In Summary:Working with a designer should not feel like ordering fast food. It’s more like building a campfire:
- Bring your dry kindling (your goals and audience), your matches (your vision), and let us fan the flames into something warm, bright, and meaningful.
Design done right is not just about the deliverable. It’s about the relationship. Let’s build something that lasts—and makes your mission shine!
We are proudly LGBTQIA+ and Mom-Owned.
We are proud to serve those who help the disadvantaged and outcast.
Stoneroller Cooperative is stationed in Maplewood, NJ. We serve clients worldwide.
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Photography Disclaimer
All photography shown on this site is included as part of design work completed for and licensed by Stoneroller Cooperative’s clients. We do not claim copyright to any photography or videogrpahy unless otherwise stated. Image rights remain with the original photographers, videographers, or stock agencies, and we strive to credit all visual collaborators whenever we are provided with that information. Some photos were licensed through commercial platforms such as iStock.
If you are a photographer, videographer, or rights holder and see your work here without credit, please contact us—we will gladly add attribution and a link to your portfolio or remove the image at your request.