Graphic Designers For The Job
If you looking for a graphic designer to help you (whether it be designing a new brochure, packaging, an advert) you are faced with the difficulty of who to use.
- Do you use someone local
- Do you go with a recommendation
- Do you go with someone off the internet
Finding the right graphic designer can take some time, so a few thoughts before hand should help you find the right one.
Have a look at a few graphic designers on the web; browse their portfolios and get a feel for what sort of options there are. Getting a feel for what you like the look of will help you bring your idea to life.
Recommendations are normally not a great route, due to the fact that the design that was done for one company may not be suited to another. So just because a friend recommended a designer to you based on the work they did, does not mean the results will be as good for you. So you are best off doing a little research yourself and finding the right graphic designer for you.
Using someone local is always a good option; there are thousands and thousands of designers around so finding a local designer should not be difficult at all.
Once you have found 3-4 graphic designers that are local and that you like the designs; get them to put a quote together for you to compare graphic design prices. This should give you a feel for the market value of the project. All designers charge differently so you may well be surprised at the variety of prices that do come back.
Once you have got the best quote, the next thing would be to organise a visit to meet with the graphic designer. Meeting them at their studio is always advised as you can get a feel for how they work, what their team is like (if they have one) and what the culture of the agency is like. One thing that is advised during the selection process, is finding a graphic designer that has experience in your industry sector. This would make it easier for them to understand your product/service and in tern, produce a better result. Once you meet with the designer you can chat about their experience and get a feel for their level of understanding (this is something that will be easier to get a feel of rather than what they say over the phone/e-mail).
Once you have met the agency are happy with how the meeting went, their level of experience - it may be good to chat to some of their past clients. Testimonials from a graphic design agency always speak stronger than what they say about themselves. How did their past clients find them to work with, did they design on time and on spec, did the designs produce results.
Sometimes graphic designers may come up with designs that look odd, but the main thing to keep in mind is will they work. Even if the designs are not quite what you wanted, if they produce results then that is what counts.
There are many factors involved with choosing the right graphic designer; it is not all about price but about the end result. There is no point getting something produced cheap if it does not work (whether you are looking at branding companies for updating your brand, a packaging design or a logo); finding the right designer for the job is what counts, if you can find them for the right price then even better.
