Getting the Most From Your Graphic Designer

The right graphic designer holds the power to make your brand visually pop — to draw potential clients with loads of ‘oohs and aahs’ — from business cards and other print collateral to Website, blog and social media design. Here’s how to find (and manage) a graphic designer with good results.

Play the dating game. Finding the right graphic designer may not happen overnight — so take your time! When vetting graphic designers (interview at least three), be sure to consider the following:

  • When reviewing portfolios, focus on branding, not brand. Do you like the colors, textures, orientation and style that the designer uses? Branding is  driven by the brand-name (and the marketing team behind it), but if you look carefully you’ll see a specific trademark in the portfolio.
  • Ask the designer about their favorite projects. What did they like or dislike about a brand (or person) they worked with in the past? What is most compelling within the designs that they’ve produced in their portfolio?
  • Your relationship with your graphic designer will be intimate (in the business sense, of course!), so it’s imperative that you’re on the same page. Ask questions related to communication style and be sure to identify specific examples to support nebulous terminology (what does “good communication” really look like in action?).
  • If your perspective graphic designer is excited about your brand and the project scope, it’s a great sign! The more passion you see, the better your results are bound to be.

Don’t be afraid to turn someone down because of their credentials — you’re looking for the right package, and the best person for the job is bound to come along eventually!

Graphic designers aren’t mind readers. Although graphic designers are creative and highly skilled in their trade, they (most likely) don’t know how to read your crystal ball. So, once you’ve chosen your perfect fit, it’s imperative to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

  • Hand your graphic designer a list of 10-20 words that best characterize your brand. Is your brand bold and flashy, hip and trendsetting, or reliable and informative? Creating a list of such descriptors is the best way to start off on the right foot.
  • Once your graphic designer has the above list in hand, ask him or her to develop a color & font palette (Learn more about creating a color palette from the Meaningful Marketing Blog), and to offer 3-5 theme or concept boards (sample images, graphics, colors and layouts).  This will become the foundation for all materials and ensures that everyone is on the same page from the get-go.
  • And our favorite… Provide a very concrete set of dates and deliverables to your graphic designer, including 2-3 ‘soft’ checkpoints in between the ‘hard’ deadlines. The more check-ins you and your designer have, the better off you’ll be! Imagine seeing your business card for the first time right before sending it to print, and hating it. What a waste of time, costly fix, and overall big bummer that would be!

Have a Road Map. Bundling services is a great way to be cost effective — if your designer creates all of your collateral (whether you need it now or not), you’ll be ready, set, go for anything. Consider the following (potential) design needs upfront:

  • The basics: Your logo, business cards, and e-signatures
  • Online collateral: Social media avatars, blog masthead, and any Web design
  • Print collateral: Business letterhead, thank-you cards for perspective clients, and any magnets, pens, etc. that you may want to hand out at that next conference or networking event

Avoid sugar-coating but not finesse. Graphic designers are educated in art of feedback, and expect it. It’s essential that you continually (and specifically) communicate your impressions — any thoughts, reservations, likes, or concerns — to achieve the best possible outcome. Here are a few tips to support a respectful and productive feedback session:

  • Use the sandwich method — positive, negative, positive. Start your conversation by acknowledging what you like, followed by what you don’t like, concluded with what you’d like to see improved.
  • Don’t over-critique — you hired a graphic artist for a reason, remember?! When giving feedback, try to focus on the outcomes you desire and avoid requesting specific changes, especially earl-on in the process (“I’d like for this piece to feel more spacious” vs. “let’s remove that picture”). Constructive direction (vs. micro-managing), helps a designer to understand your needs and will empower them to apply your guidelines across the board. It’ll also keep the creative juices flowing (on all sides).

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