"You'll know it when you see it" is the enemy of great creative work. Vague feedback leads to endless revision rounds, frustrated designers, and deliverables that still miss the mark. The best agency clients know how to give feedback that's specific, actionable, and constructive—feedback that actually makes the work better.
Key Takeaways:
- Replace vague reactions ("make it pop") with specific, element-level feedback
- Use screenshots, links, and examples to show what you mean
- Structure feedback: what works, what to change, what's missing
- Consolidate all stakeholder input into one response per round
- Respond within the agreed window to keep projects on track
This guide covers why feedback matters, how to be specific instead of vague, using examples effectively, a simple feedback framework, timing and revision rounds, and common mistakes to avoid.
Why Feedback Matters
Creative work is iterative. First drafts are rarely final. The process depends on a dialogue: the agency proposes, you respond, they refine. When your feedback is clear and actionable, that dialogue is efficient. When it's vague or emotional, it stalls.
Good feedback:
- Gives the team something concrete to work with
- Reduces revision rounds (saving time and money)
- Builds a shared understanding of what "right" looks like
- Improves the final deliverable
Poor feedback:
- Forces the team to guess
- Leads to multiple "is this what you meant?" rounds
- Creates frustration on both sides
- Often results in work that still doesn't hit the mark
Learning to give effective feedback is one of the highest-impact skills you can develop as an agency client.
Be Specific, Not Vague
The Problem With Vague Feedback
Phrases like "make it pop," "it doesn't feel right," or "can we try something different?" leave too much to interpretation. The designer might change everything when you only meant the headline. Or they might tweak the wrong element and you're back to square one.
How to Get Specific
Focus on the element, not the whole.
Instead of "the design doesn't work," try: "The headline font feels too formal—can we try something more modern or playful?"
Name what you're reacting to.
"If we're trying to appeal to younger buyers, the color palette might be too conservative. Can we explore brighter or bolder options?"
Explain the 'why' when you can.
"The hero image feels staged. We want to convey authenticity—can we use something that feels more candid?"
Use comparisons.
"This layout reminds me of [Competitor X]—we want to feel more premium. Can we add more whitespace and a cleaner structure?"
Vague vs Specific: Examples
| Vague | Specific | |-------|----------| | "Make it better" | "The CTA button gets lost—can we increase contrast or size?" | | "I don't like the colors" | "The blue feels too corporate. Our brand is warmer—can we try a terracotta or soft gold?" | | "It's too busy" | "There are five competing focal points. Can we simplify to one hero element and reduce the sidebar?" | | "Something's off" | "The hierarchy feels wrong—my eye goes to the footer first. Can we make the headline more dominant?" |
Reference Examples
Show, Don't Just Tell
Screenshots, links, and mood boards are worth a thousand words. "Like the energy of Apple's product pages but with our brand colors" is clearer than "make it feel premium."
Ways to use examples:
- Competitors: "Our main competitor uses this style for their hero—we want something that stands out from this."
- Inspiration: "I like how [Brand X] handles their typography—clean but with personality."
- Your own assets: "Our best-performing ad used this kind of headline—can we echo that tone?"
- Anti-examples: "Avoid this—it feels too [corporate/cluttered/cheap] for our brand."
Create a Brief Feedback Package
For bigger projects, consider a short "feedback brief": 3–5 examples of what you like, 1–2 of what you want to avoid, and 2–3 key messages or feelings you want the work to evoke. Share this at the start—it reduces surprises and revision rounds later.
The Feedback Framework
A simple structure makes your feedback easier to act on and easier for the team to prioritize.
1. What Works
Start with what you like. It reinforces what to keep and shows you've engaged with the work. "The layout is clean and the CTA placement works well" gives the team confidence and direction.
2. What to Change
List changes in order of importance. Use "Must fix" for blockers and "Nice to have" for improvements. If everything is critical, nothing is—prioritization helps the team know where to focus.
Format:
- Must fix: [Specific change with rationale]
- Should fix: [Change that would significantly improve the work]
- Nice to have: [Improvement if time allows]
3. What's Missing
If something important wasn't included, say so clearly. "We need a social proof section" or "The mobile view wasn't shown—can we see that?" prevents the team from assuming the deliverable is complete when it's not.
4. Open Questions
If you're unsure, ask. "Would a video work better than static here?" or "Can we A/B test two headline options?" invites collaboration instead of prescribing solutions you're not certain about.
Timing Your Feedback
Respond Within the Agreed Window
Agencies plan around your feedback. If they need input by Friday and you respond the following Wednesday, the project slips. Aim for the timeline you agreed on—usually 2–3 business days for standard deliverables.
Don't Rush the First Round
First reactions aren't always your best feedback. Give yourself a few hours to sit with the work. Share it with key stakeholders. Consolidate input. Then respond. Rushed, reactive feedback often creates churn.
Batch Your Feedback
One consolidated round of feedback is better than five incremental ones. "Oh, and one more thing" emails after you've already sent feedback create confusion. Get everything in one response when you can.
Rounds of Revision
Know What's Included
Your contract or scope of work should specify revision rounds—often 2–3 per deliverable. Use them wisely. If you exhaust rounds with vague or changing feedback, additional revisions may incur extra cost.
Make Each Round Count
Each revision round should move the work meaningfully closer to done. If round 2 introduces entirely new direction ("actually, we want to go a different way"), you're effectively starting over. Big pivots are better addressed early—ideally in the brief, not in round 3.
When You Need More Rounds
If the work is still off after the included rounds, discuss openly. Sometimes the brief was unclear or the first direction was wrong. The agency may offer an additional round or propose a small addendum to the scope. Hiding the need for more work helps no one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Design by Committee
Too many voices dilute feedback. Designate one person to collect input and send a single, prioritized list. "Sarah will consolidate and send feedback by EOD Thursday" beats six people sending conflicting notes.
2. Subjective Preferences Without Context
"It's not my style" is valid but not actionable. Add context: "I tend to prefer minimal design, but our audience might respond better to something bolder—what does the research or best practice suggest?"
3. Feedback That Changes the Brief
If you agreed on a modern, minimal direction and now want something ornate, that's a new brief—not a revision. Major direction changes should be acknowledged as such and may affect timeline and budget.
4. Nitpicking Before Big Picture
Don't lead with "the comma on line 4 should be a period" when the overall concept is wrong. Address structure, message, and key elements first. Copy tweaks and small design fixes come later.
5. Only Critical Feedback
Teams need to know what's working. If every round is "change this, change that" with no acknowledgment of what they did well, morale drops and the relationship suffers. Balance criticism with recognition.
6. Feedback Over the Phone Without Follow-Up
Verbal feedback in a call is fine, but summarize it in writing afterward. "As we discussed, the three key changes are: 1) … 2) … 3) …" creates a record and ensures nothing is lost in translation.
Putting It All Together
Before the project: Share examples, preferences, and constraints. The better the brief, the better the first draft.
During review: Use the framework—what works, what to change, what's missing. Be specific. Prioritize. Reference examples when helpful. Respond within the agreed window.
After each round: Confirm the agency understood. "Did my feedback on the hero section make sense? Happy to jump on a quick call if anything was unclear."
If things go off track: Address it early. "We're three rounds in and it's still not hitting. Can we schedule a call to align on direction?" A conversation often resolves what endless email feedback cannot.
Giving great creative feedback is a skill. It gets easier with practice, and it pays off in better work, fewer revisions, and stronger agency relationships. Your designers will thank you—and you'll get the results you're looking for.