The Proper Care & Feeding of Designers

A designer's job is to communicate your ideas into printed marketing materials or even web. Graphic designers blend together typography, color, illustration, photography--and creativity--to deliver a message to your customers on a business card, logo, brochure, poster, tradeshow booth, ebook or even a billboard. If you don't know your Times New Roman from your Helvetica, it's time to find yourself a designer.

Step 1
Decide what you need. Does your new company need a new business card for that networking meeting? Would a logo help establish your presence in the marketplace? Do you need to inspire a new group of customers? Have you got a product or service that you can't wait to tell everyone about? Effective graphic designs lets people know who you are and what you do, which can translate into more sales for your company.

Step 2
Which designer is right for you? Ask friends and colleagues for recommendations. Ask printers if they can recommend a designer they've worked with. Most designers also have extensive online portfolios, so it might be worth a 'google'. Experienced designers are used to working with long distance clients, so it's not necessary for your new designer to be a local resource.

Step 3
Review the designers' portfolio. Get a sense of how similar your business is to the type and size of the clients they typically work with. However, keep in mind that it is impossible to show every piece that has ever been done for each and every client. So if you don't see something that strikes your fancy, contact them for a customized portfolio viewing. This way they can show you samples that may be right up your alley. When you see something particularly interesting or good, feel free to ask questions about problems solving and results from the piece.

Step 4
If you like their work, discuss the project you need done. Expect the designer to ask you lots of questions about the project and your business. An experienced designer will also take the time at this point to offer suggestions on design options, including sizes, papers, and perhaps even printers. Keep in mind that the designer especially in a freelance role is responsible for managing all elements of the project, not just designing. This includes photos (stock, provided, or taken), pre-press layout, acquiring proofs soft and hard, and archiving of projects for future use might be a nice addition, as well.

Step 5
Ask for an estimate. Designers will either bid by the hour or by the job. Either way is acceptable, if they bid by the hour, you should ask for a budgetary cap on the project, so that there is no surprises for either party. This means simply that you establish the budget with your designer beforehand. And most generally it should come in under budget, but if there are lots of changes it is up to the designer to let you know before they ever go over budget. Some designers will bid small jobs on the spot. Larger jobs may take a bit longer to figure.

Step 6
When budgeting for a piece be sure and calculate the printing separately from the design process. While most designers will be invaluable in delivering the pre-press file to the printer for you, most freelance designers will not cover the cost of printing in their estimates. Designers certainly can add printing into their cost however, do plan on paying more for your print project in the long run. Web projects are often the same way, and you can expect to pay more for your designer hosting your site, than if you have it hosted elsewhere, and just pay for the design and programming.

Step 7
Logos are the cornerstone of any business. A brand can take time to develop so you need to make sure that your logo is solid from the start. And you will soon discover there is a huge price variance for logo design. Some will say that a new identity for Joe's Pizza Emporium shouldn't cost as much as a logo for McDonalds. And they might be right, however, it's not for the reasons that most people think. It may be true that McDonald's has deeper pockets, it is as equally true that McDonalds is going to require more research time, more proofing time, more changes, more polished presentations and more peoples opinions than Joe's. An experienced designer will be able to work with you to establish your branding identity. Also, if you have an existing logo, that is not up to par, or just needs updated just let your designer know beforehand, as this will need to be factored into project cost.

Step 8
Hire the designer. It is customary for the designer to provide you with a contract or a project agreement. Be sure you review the contract including the details of the job, estimate and schedule, before you sign it. You will typically pay half of the total fee in order to begin the job, and the remaining half before final files are delivered. Do be sure that you are prepared to pay your designer via credit card. Most designers will work in a very timely manner for their clients, be sure you pay them in the same way.

Step 9
You should expect to be kept in the loop along the design process. Updates and initial proofs will make sure that you are always in the know. Keep in mind that proofing is crucial to any successful project. Spellcheck is a wonderful tool, however, it is not foolproof. (there, they're, their) It is ultimately the client's responsibility to approve all final files before they go to the printer.

Step 10
Once you have found a designer that you can work with, please do offer referrals to the designer. Some designers even offer discounts or referral credits for your next job.