Dear Partners,
We love you. We love helping your business grow.
And we really love it when you give us feedback on our work. But sometimes… we need just a bit more. The more specific and clearly you can communicate your wants and needs, the easier it is for our team to bring your visions to life.
We know giving feedback isn’t always easy, especially when something doesn’t hit the mark and you’re not quite sure why. You’re busy. Your instincts are correct. And yes, sometimes it really does just feel “off.”
But when your feedback is vague, it’s like sending us on a treasure hunt with no map. We want to make the work better—you want to make the work better—so let’s make that process better for us all (read fewer email threads, fewer rounds of edits and more time celebrating the wins).
So, from one team of professionals to another, here’s a peek behind the curtain, with some examples of feedback we’ve received, and some ideas for how to help us help you!
Vague Feedback Examples (And how they make us feel)
We share all of this with love and also slightly twitchy eyelids. As content creators who take pride in our work, we really want to get it right for you. Here are some statements that leave us questioning right from left and where to go next.
- “I’ll know it when I see it.”
- “It feels like something’s missing.”
- “Can I get something else?”
- “We don’t like this.”
- “Let’s see what [person you’ve never met] thinks.”
- “Just run with it.”
- “I want it to look like this website, but different.”
- “I don’t know exactly what we’re looking for, but that’s not it.”
And of course, there’s the classic: “Can you make it pop?” A phrase that never failed to drive our founder, Wayne Stanley, a little bit crazy. Not because he didn’t want things to be bold or eye-catching—he did. But because… what does that mean, exactly? Are we talking color? Font size? Confetti cannons?
So, What Does Helpful Feedback Look Like?
Trust us, we’re not throwing any shade your way. Giving feedback on creative work can be weird. You're reacting to fonts, colors and words, sure– but mostly, you’re reacting to feelings. There’s no spreadsheet to check, no right or wrong box to tick.
So, when something doesn’t quite land, it’s totally normal to think: “I don’t know how to say what I’m thinking… but it’s not this.”
If you’re struggling to vocalize what’s working and what’s not, here are some ways to get out of the “I just don’t like it” zone and into actionable territory:
- Start With What Is Working
Even if the piece overall isn’t clicking, there’s usually something that feels right. Start there. It’s easier (and faster) for us to build on the good than to start from scratch.
Try:
- “The intro paragraph pulls me in—great start!”
- “I like the casual tone here. It feels like us.”
- “These colors are really in line with the feel we’re going for.”
That’s your breadcrumb trail. Help us follow it.
- Explain the Why Behind the “No”
Instead of: “This feels too formal.”
Consider: “Our audience is mostly first-time homebuyers, so we want the tone to feel welcoming and down-to-earth—this feels a little too corporate.”
See the difference? You’re not just saying what isn’t working; you’re giving us the why, which helps us learn and adjust faster next time.
- Share Examples That You Like
Struggling to describe the tone or style you want? Borrow from something you’ve seen that you love.
Try:
- “Can we make this sound more like XYZ’s social posts?”
- “I love the tone from that blog we did last month—can we replicate that here?”
- “Our competitors are doing this, but we want to stand out. Here’s how we’re different.”
You don’t need a creative degree to give good feedback. And you don’t have to have a fully fleshed-out vision of what you’re wanting (that’s where we come in). Sometimes, you just need a few things to compare and contrast.
- Ask Yourself: “If I Were the Customer…”
Take off your internal hat and put on your customer shoes. If you were receiving this content—email, flyer, social post—how would it make you feel? Would it catch your eye? Would you understand it? Would it make you want to take action?
Try:
- “Would this stop me in my tracks on Instagram?”
- “If I were confused about title insurance, would this help or make it worse?”
- “Would this make me want to learn more—or scroll past?”
You know your customers better than anyone. If the answer is “meh,” let us know why, and we’ll tweak it!
- Give Us Guardrails
Even if you’re unsure of the solution, tell us what direction not to go. You don’t have to fix it—that’s what we’re here for. But steering us away from dead ends is a gift.
Try:
- “Let’s stay away from too much humor here—this topic is serious and the audience expects professionalism.”
- “Avoid using these shades of green—it’s not on brand for us.”
- “We want to sound confident, not pushy.”
Boundaries are beautiful, and they help us know where to narrow our focus.
You Don’t Have to Be a Content Writer or Designer—You Just Have to Be Honest (With Context)
We’re here to make you look amazing. The more you tell us, the better we get. Think of your feedback as handing us a GPS—if we hit a wrong turn, it will recalibrate us.
If you’re ever stuck, start with these:
- “Here’s what I like...”
- “Here’s what’s not working for me...”
- “Here’s why I think that is...”
- “Here’s who we’re trying to reach...”
And no, you don’t have to sugarcoat it. If something’s off the mark, we want to know. If you’re not sure how to say it, let’s hop on a call. Seriously. We’ll talk it out and get it back on track together.
Because at the end of the day, we’re both after the same thing: work that feels good, sounds great, performs even better—and makes you look like the rockstars you are.
So, if you’ve got a project you’ve been sitting on because you don’t know how to describe what you want or feedback that you’re nervous to give, let’s chat. (We promise not to cry… too much. 😄)
With love,
The Bowe Digital Team