How to Hire a Graphic Designer

Posted at 19:21h by Sarah MacLeod 0 Comments

Guest Post by Colleen O’Dea

While there’s a fair bit of debate about where the quote originated, you’ve likely heard the saying “you’ll never have a second chance to make a first impression.” Showing up in sweatpants to a “gala” is never a great idea and there’s nothing worse than looking in the mirror after a first date to discover broccoli between your teeth!

While you try your best to put a good impression about yourself “out there,” the same should hold true for your business. Your visual identity — your logo, typeface and colors; all of your print materials such as business cards, brochures, stationary and packaging; your online presence including your website and social media elements — all of these pieces make up the look and feel of your company reflecting your values and the impression you wish to share with your audience.

Whether you’re starting a brand new endeavor or looking to freshen your look, hiring a professional graphic designer is an investment in your company.

So, where to start.

Create a List

Make a list of the items you need to create. Not all designers are the same and when you get to the part of the process where you’re interviewing potential candidates, you’ll want to know what you need first and foremost.

Finding a Designer

Ask around! Check with those you trust including business colleagues and friends and find out who they’d recommend even if it’s their nephew, mother or neighbour! When you see a logo you like from a local company, or a business card from a networking event stands out to you — ask about their designer. If there’s no one to ask, head to the internet and search for designers — you’ll find PLENTY!

View their work

Once you have a list of graphic designers, take a look at their website and social media presence including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter? Look for a designer who has created a variety of projects in a wide range of industries. If something you see appeals to you, add them to the list of designers you’d like to chat with. If their online presence falls flat and you don’t feel a connection to their work, move on to the next!

While you’re not a designer yourself, let your instinct guide you about what you like and dislike — you should be able to see enough of their work online to peek your interest.

Get to know the designer

Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few designers, get to know them. Here’s the important part — you should feel a connection with this person! They should be able to see your vision and offer some insight to bring your thoughts to reality. You should like their work and feel an excitement about working together.

Remember that list you created from the beginning — ask to see samples of similar projects that they’ve done. When you view their portfolio, don’t just flip through the pages — ask about the project including the the how’s and the why’s of the particular piece.

If you need a logo, have they designed logos? If you require large scale panels for a trade show or a billboard designed, have they created large-scale graphics such as this before? If you require a website, do they both design and code the site? Also, check to see if your project fits into the designers schedule and remember that you’re likely not the only client that they’ll be working with.

Know your budget

Often, the decision to hire a designer comes down to a financial one. Generally, freelancers are less expensive than design agencies, but design agencies might offer more of what you need. For example, researchers and marketing expertise.

You’ll see a wide range of prices and creative ability when interviewing designers, and it’s important to find the right fit. It helps to think of the design as an “investment” in your organization rather than an “expense” you need to incur. Also, if you’re concerned about an hourly rate, you might want to agree on a flat rate upfront — with a clear understanding of what the deliverables will be.

Working Together

A “partnership” with your designer will result in a visual identity that looks fantastic and will help grow your business. You know your business better than anyone so clearly conveying your company’s values, purpose and audience is imperative. From there, it’s important to let the designer do their job. The more space you give the “creative” to do their work, the greater chance you’ll have of seeing some things you may not have considered. You should be involved in the process, but not so much that you take over the project and become the designer yourself!

Having a creative brief that clearly states the project, the purpose, the audience and business goals — will help both yourself and the designer reach the same goal, resulting in a successful project! Remember that you hired this person for their expertise. Putting in the extra effort up front to find the right person, will be worth it!

You’ll never have a second chance, to make a first impression.

Colleen O’Dea is the owner and artistic genius behind Drawbridge Creative, a graphic & web design studio in Halifax, Canada. She’s also writes Curtains are Open, a hilariously honest blog about life, parenting and whatever else is on her mind. Check out her Vendeve profile here.

Originally published at vendeve.com on November 12, 2015.