10 ways to be more efficient

Create a system
"Work smarter, not harder," advises Jeff Knowles at The Planning Unit. "When a project first comes in, design it with a system in mind and create something that can easily be populated across various applications and collateral. This way, when each new element comes in you can produce it efficiently to a high standard. If you design each piece from scratch each time, it's not going to be as profitable."

Understand your client
"Try to get a good brief from the client, although it does seem to be getting harder these days," admits Neil Roddis at Fluid Design. "Knowing the needs of your client is a must. Until you know what they require from a design, your solution might not be focused enough. Get ideas sketched out early: this could save you hours or even days of time. If the client doesn't like a route, there's absolutely no point pursuing it."

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