As a healthcare marketer, odds are you’re used to precise measurements, strict regulations, and a world where accuracy reigns supreme. But when it comes to branding or creative   – whether it’s a new corporate identity, creative campaign,website, video ad, or tradeshow booth – you’re stepping into a world that can seem much more subjective. While providing feedback on creative work may not seem as straightforward as reviewing an FDA submission or campaign dashboard, with the right approach, you can ensure your feedback is clear, actionable, and productive.

How do you communicate your thoughts in a way that gets the best possible results from your agency partners? Here are some key strategies to ensure your feedback is both effective and well-received.

1. Start with the Goal, Not the Execution

Before diving into “I don’t like this color,” or “Can we make it ‘pop’ more?” (whatever ‘pop’ even means), take a step back and ask yourself: What are you  trying to accomplish? What do we want people to think, feel or do when they see the creative?

As with most marketing and communication tactics, a well-crafted piece isn’t just about looking good – it’s about serving a purpose. Start with the objective to build your strategy. Is the goal to educate? To convert? To build brand awareness? Create a connection? When you start with the why, you allow the creative team to ensure the how (or the tactic) aligns with that intent.

Pro Tip: Instead of saying, “This feels too cluttered,” try: “We want to ensure the key takeaway is immediately clear to a busy hospital administrator—can we simplify the messaging?”

2. Set Clear Expectations and Evaluation Criteria with a Well-Defined Brief

The best creative feedback starts long before the first concept is even presented. A strong, focused brief ensures that you and your agency partner are aligned from the start—saving time and ultimately leading to better results.

In addition to outlining the objective, target audience insights, core messages, and any must-have brand elements, your brief should provide parameters for evaluating the work. Define what success looks like: Should the creative be bold and attention-grabbing, or reassuring and informative? Does it stand out from competitors? Does it reinforce an existing brand? Is the creative memorable? Does it meet the technical requirements and specs for delivery?

Pro Tip: By establishing clear evaluation criteria upfront, you create a framework that makes giving (and receiving) feedback much more productive.

3. Be Specific About What’s Not Working (and What Is)

Vague feedback leads to frustration for everyone. Saying “I don’t like it” doesn’t give the creative team insights about what needs to change. Instead, pinpoint exactly what isn’t working and, just as importantly, what is.

If something does work, call it out! Not only does this help the team understand what’s on the right track, but it also prevents them from accidentally changing something you actually liked.

Pro Tip: Instead of “This doesn’t feel right,” try: “The tone of the headline is great, but the image doesn’t reflect the clean and modern aesthetic we need to differentiate from our competition – could you explore other visuals that are more aligned with our look/feel?”

4. Use the Right Medium for Your Feedback

Sometimes words just don’t cut it, as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” If you’re struggling to articulate what you mean, use a different medium:

• Markup tools – Take a screenshot and annotate directly on the design.
• Screen recording – Walk through your feedback on a video call or recording using a platform like Loom
• Examples – If you’ve seen something similar that you like, share it for inspiration with a note about what makes it work.

Pro Tip: Designers, writers, and strategists process information differently, so providing feedback in a way that’s easiest to interpret (not just easiest for you to type) will improve clarity and speed revisions.

5. Remember: Your Brain ≠ Their Brain

Have you ever had a conversation where you were sure you were clear, only for the other person to completely misunderstand? That’s because our brains process information in different ways.

The way you describe something might not translate the same way to the creative team. It’s worth over-communicating and checking for alignment, especially with visual elements. Something as simple as “make it bolder” could mean a thicker font, a brighter color, or even a stronger message, depending on who’s interpreting it.

Pro Tip:  If something is important, communicate it clearly and explicitly. When in doubt, provide examples, comparisons, or clarification to reduce misinterpretation.

6. Frame Your Feedback as a Problem, Not Just a Fix

You don’t have to be the one to come up with the solution – that’s what your creative team is for. Instead of dictating an exact change, describe the problem you’re trying to solve. This gives your agency team room to find the best solution based on their expertise. Your team can explore different options (size, color, contrast) rather than just making one quick fix that might not be the best solution.

Pro Tip: Instead of “Make the font bigger,” try: “The subhead isn’t standing out enough – how can we make it more prominent?”

7. Avoid “Frankensteining” 

Have you ever seen a project where multiple people contributed bits and pieces of feedback, resulting in a confusing mess of unrelated tweaks? That’s called “Frankensteining,” and it happens when there’s no clear direction or prioritization of feedback.

To avoid this and ensure projects remain cohesive, rather than becoming a disjointed mix of everyone’s individual preferences.

Pro Tip: Consolidate feedback before sharing it with your agency partners. If multiple stakeholders are involved, align internally first and then provide a clear hierarchy of changes –what’s critical versus nice-to-have.

8. Clarify the ‘Why’ 

Instead of  outlining what needs to change, explain why something isn’t working for you. This gives the creative team more flexibility in finding the best solution. Explaining the ‘why’ allows the team to approach the challenge with their expertise and offer alternative solutions that may be even better than your initial vision.

Pro Tip: Consider asking these questions when clarifying the ‘why’

• Does the design or copy misalign with your brand’s voice?
• Is the message not resonating with your audience?
• Does something feel off, but you’re not sure why?

9. Trust the Experts, but Keep the Conversation Open

You have an agency partner because they bring expertise that complements your own. While your feedback is crucial,be open to their suggestions and pushback. If they push back, they may see a challenge you may not be aware of.

The best creative work happens through collaboration, not dictation.

Pro Tip: Instead of “Change this to blue because I prefer it,” try: “Would blue work better here, or does the current color have a strategic reason behind it?”

10. Don’t Save All Your Feedback for the End

Major overhauls at the last stage are costly, time-consuming, and frustrating. Providing feedback early and often helps keep projects on track and prevents unnecessary rework.

If possible, review work in stages – concept, rough draft, refined version – so you’re shaping the project along the way rather than requesting big changes at the last minute.

Pro Tip: Schedule regular check-ins at key project milestones—such as concept approval, first draft, and refinement—so feedback is integrated smoothly. Use a structured review template to ensure feedback is clear, actionable, and aligned with project goals.