By Kyle Courtright
No matter what phase your small business is in, chances are you will find yourself needing a graphic designer. Not only can a graphic designer create a logo for you, but they can create marketing materials, signs, banners, business cards, letterhead, websites, etc.
We know that these are important aspects of your business but how do you find someone that can deliver the results that you are looking for? Well, you’re in luck! Here’s a list of 6 things to look for when choosing a graphic designer.
1. Fit
Fit is everything. Find someone that understands your vision and gels with your communication style (more on that later).
You wouldn’t hire a kid’s basketball coach for an NBA team. Sure, it’s fundamentally the same game, but to coach an NBA team you need (a lot) more experience and knowledge. Same goes for graphic design, make sure that the fit is there.
2. Availability
If you’re looking for that “go to guy” (or gal), make sure that the designer has time to take on all of the projects you may have for them. It’s great to have a solid graphic designer on board, but if they don’t have the time for your projects, you might as well move on to someone who has the time to take on whatever work load you have.
3. Communication
Communication is huge. When choosing a graphic designer, don’t choose a designer only going off their portfolio. Talk to them, ask them questions. Get a feel for what they would be like to work with. Ask them how quickly they respond to emails, ask them if they have a preference for phone or in person meetings.
Understand the way that they communicate before hiring — it will save you a lot of time and money in the end.
4. Range
What are your needs? Just a logo? Or do you need a full branding package and some SEO work?
Choose a designer that can take on every type of project you need done. Trust me, it will make your life easier to just have one graphic designer, rather than a graphic designer, a web guy and a SEO guy. Also, instead of hiring a banner guy, you can make banners by yourself using banner generator.
5. Turnaround
Most designers will let you know what their turnaround time is right off the bat. Unfortunately, sometimes those turnaround times won’t work with your deadline. Don’t be afraid to ask the designer if there is any way to speed up the process.
If they are willing to work with you on your timeline, that’s a pretty good sign that you’ve found a designer that’s willing to go the extra mile for their clients.
6. Reviews
When looking for a graphic designer, be sure to check out reviews online. You can check their Google listing or their website for testimonials. If there are any testimonials that list someone’s name or company, contact them and get their feedback! Taking a few minutes to check out the reviews could save you a lot of frustration and a lot of money.
Got any other little-known tips for choosing a graphic designer? Leave them in the comments below!