feedback needed on test project for firm

Graphic Design
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#1

WINTER CHECKLIST
WINTER CHECKLIST1080Ă—1080 167 KB

hi everyone, i curtrently have a tes project for a firm where they asked me to make a social media post for a window and siding company. pls ignore the margins, i know they are kind of off hahaha

the brief was essentially
Promote Winter Specials , drive homeowners to request a quote, feel trustworthy, seasonal, and action-oriented
and i was told to use winter graphics (snow, homes, roofs, cold weather)
cta button
and the audience is for homeowners 30-65+
I really want to try and get this to a professional level so please give me any feedback

#2

Building contractors can be notoriously ignorant about design and marketing. Still, they tend to meddle excessively, despite their ignorance. That’s only a general rule based on my experience, but with that in mind, here are some suggestions that may or may not be important to them.

Nobody uses social media in the hopes of stumbling across a roofing and window installation company. Those considering these services will overlook the ad because it doesn’t immediately communicate what’s being sold. Instead, your ad requires that the target customer read the fine print before even knowing what the ad is about.

A reasonable click-through rate for an ad like this might be less than 1%, so the objective is to grab the target audience’s attention and boost it. To do that, an impossible-to-miss headline needs to focus on roof repair, siding, and window installation. That alone will increase the click-throughs from the target audience since will notice it. Concentrating primarily on a “Winter Special,” as you’ve done, will be ignored, since it might just as easily be an ad for any service or product.

You didn’t mention the company’s name, which is important because it adds a bit of legitimacy and contributes to name recognition. The same is true for an address: it confers brick-and-mortar legitimacy on something that might otherwise be dismissed as risky. And yes, there are fly-by-night roofing scams — I’ve personally encountered them.

There’s no reason to take up so much space listing the reasons for a winter upgrade. All a potential customer needs to know is that it’s doable in the winter and cheaper because it’s off-season.

You should probably add the year to the cutoff date.

More important is what happens on the website where the free quote is offered, because getting the quote is the goal. However, if you’ve not been hired for that part of the job, I suppose that’s not your problem.

#3

thanks for your feedback
so you think i should remove all the reasons for a winter upgrade? i didnt want the space to look to empty and wanted to try and match the brief
do you think the main title should like winter roofing special or something?
I’m trying to make it a bit less wordy but I feel like the target audience wouldn’t actually be on social media seeing this
are the graphics and type otherwise effective?

#4

Hi, I like the colours, but for me this design looks like more win the lottery, May be if you make winter and the “special” with upper case letter on it. In any case, like this : winter SPECIAL but also maybe you need to specify the kind of service, I mean winter special what ? For example, like this "winter SPECIAL INSTALLATION ". Anyway, I am just giving tips of how I see your design.

#5

i’ll be sure to do that, thanks for the feedback

#6

I would likely condense them into a single sentence rather than bullet points. It could be as short as, “Take advantage of offseason winter and early spring discounts.” The fact that these services are doable in the winter is implied. More lengthy explanations would seem more appropriate for the website the link points to.

Don’t shy away from negative space. Clutter is far worse. Negative space can help focus attention on what’s most important. (in addition to making a better-looking ad).

If people don’t need a new roof, new siding, or new windows, they won’t be interested, no matter what you write. If they need one of those things, they will likely be interested enough to click the ad to learn more, as long as it catches their eye and they immediately know what it’s about without having to read the fine print.

The target audience is homeowners, and, like most people, they use social media. Homeowners are typically older, so I wouldn’t waste money on TikTok ads, but Facebook might be ideal.

"Need a new roof, siding, or windows?
Take advantage of offseason winter and early spring discounts.

Something like that saves a ton of space, gets to the point, and leaves enough for everything else that will help convince people to click the ad, which is all that matters at this point. The sales pitch with more details should continue on the website that the link leads to.

I’m not even sure the dollar-off figures are needed on the ad. “Big winter savings!” might work even better since it raises a question that might entice the target audience to click the ad to find out how big those savings are.

The graphics will depend on what you decide the ad needs to convey to entice the target audience to click ad. First things first.

Again, I have no idea what these contractors will think, or how savvy or stubborn they might be. Clients can often be their worst enemies.

1 Like
#7

This is a test for a design position?

#9

yes
im still in uni for design but this is for some potential freelancing work

1 Like
#10

thanks for this, this is super helpful!
i’m gonna revise and post a new one tmrw

#11

Be a bit careful with “test” projects like this. In a lot of cases, companies end up using the work and the designer never sees a cent.

Tests can be a learning experience, especially while you’re still in uni, but long-term it’s usually better for clients to judge you on your portfolio and agreed rates rather than spec work.

You wouldn’t ask a roofer to build a roof “as a test” before deciding whether to hire them. Design shouldn’t be treated that differently.

2 Likes
#12

yeah, i have my portfolio up and all firms have seen it. is it common in the working world for design tests to be given? employers have looked at my work and still request tests. not sure if its just due to my age and minimal experience tho

#13

I’d personally walk away but that’s only because I’ve been through it myself and I’m no longer at a stage where I need to be “tested.”

It might not be what’s happening here at all - it could be genuine, I’m not on the ground in the situation.

Put it this way they interview 10 people, they get 10 designs, they pick the one they like best… and they’re under no obligation to hire anyone. That’s essentially what’s happening here.

That’s what’s known as spec work speculative work and it’s unfortunately very common in design, especially with smaller firms and agencies. Sometimes it’s done in good faith, sometimes it’s a way to crowdsource ideas for free.

That said, if you do decide to continue with it, treat it as a portfolio exercise rather than a reflection of your worth as a designer. Set a clear boundary on how much time you invest, and don’t feel bad if you decide to step back.

Just wanted to flag it so you’re going in with your eyes open.

#14

thanks very much for the input - i appreciate it especially as a novice to the professional design world :grin: