L.O.V.E. FEEDBACK
Marketing is a team game. Great work is the perfect blend of different opinions and expertise. But how do you ‘blend’ in the best possible way?
The secret is wrangling feedback to move work forward. Here’s a way to catch the stuff that counts the most and L.O.V.E feedback until it sings.
L - LIKE
What do you like about the work?
Start with what’s working and why. It’s a great way to kick off. And highlights the things that don’t need changing. This helps make sure that your feedback doesn’t break the stuff you love. Starting with “Like” helps the work move forward.
E.g.
I like the way it’s really simple and makes things clear.
I like the images, they’re a great reflection of the brand.
I like the subject line and headline, they get to the point really fast.
O - OBSERVATIONS
Any big picture observations or gut feel?
Why share observations? Feels matter more than facts. Especially to customers. People clock something and make snap decisions about whether to dig to find out more or switch off and move on. Feels can also build context to make other feedback more valuable.
E.g.
It all feels a bit busy. I’m not sure where to look.
It feels nice and simple, let’s not lose that.
It looks good, but it feels off brand, I’m not sure why.
V - VERIFY
Does the work deliver on the brief?
Why check the brief? Sometimes, big ideas or extra frills can take away from the thing we’re trying to achieve and the news gets lost in the noise. So it’s essential to make sure the work is doing the job. Check it before you wreck it. Go back to basics and check the brief. Does it hit the nail on the head?
E.g.
This phrasing doesn’t quite capture the deal.
The offer is clear and the hook really pulls me in.
Not sure this is hitting our younger audience yet. Maybe try a new image.
E - EXECUTION
AnY SPECIFIC OR TECHNICAL THINGS THAT NEED FIXING?
This is the simple feedback most of us give and get most often. Things like technical details that have been missed, stuff that’s not quite accurate or JFDIs* from within the business. To get the best from specific feedback, don’t forget to include both what - and why.
E.g.
Let’s remove green – it looks too similar to our competitors.
This image of the woman is perfect. She looks like our target market.
We can’t substantiate “faster”, is there a different way to say it?
LOVE FEEDBACK - /TLDR
Obviously it’s a bit clunky to filter every bit of feedback through L.O.V.E. But the basic principles are really useful in making the work better.
Remember to say what you LIKE, so those bits don’t change when the feedback comes back.
Be open with OBSERVATIONS and gut feel. It gives clear context for the rest of the feedback.
Always VERIFY feedback against the brief (or the feedback brief) it keeps the feedback train on track.
And remember to share why in EXECUTION. It always helps find the best solution for the work.
At the end of the day, everyone wants to deliver great work, and research shows that we all appreciate feedback. So why not take the time to share your likes and feels, brief checks and why to love that feedback ‘til it sings.
*JFDI - An old agency acronym that reminds people to “just do it”.