Graphic Design: how to find and work with a designer
For most solopreneurs, startup founders, and small business owners, graphic design is something you might delay investing in. You’re focused on building the best product, have enough understanding of design tools like Canva to do it yourself, or consider it a lower priority.
However, you will reach a point where you can’t wear all the hats, or it’s time to level up. I’ve been blessed to work with some fantastic Graphic Designers, and I have a cohort of freelancers and agencies that I can rely on for my projects and clients.
However, being inherently creative sometimes means designers aren’t the most structured people to work with. IYKYK.
Having spent decades working with creatives, here are my tips for ensuring you get the desired outcome and minimise the headaches. And before you @ me, the same can be said for brand strategists and marketers 😉
When you find a great designer, they can turn your ambiguous brief into beautiful, stylised visuals that tell a story with no words required. However, as masters of ambiguity, sometimes their processes are the same.
Let’s start with when to engage a designer.
Most small business owners and startups begin by doing the work in-house. Someone on the team knows how to use Canva, or another has learnt the art of Dall-e. But there comes a point where that’s not sufficient. You want to present yourself more professionally in the market, are simply unhappy with your efforts, or are ready to invest in design.
Whatever the reason, it’s really up to you to decide when. I engage designers when I believe the work is out of my skill set or can be done better.
How do you find a designer?
I’m fortunate to know some fantastic creatives who vary in price, quality, and style. I would happily refer others to them repeatedly because they’re proven to deliver every time either on my client projects or when I was working in corporate.
There are many options for finding designers, and I always recommend asking friends, family, and former colleagues first. It’s the easiest way. This doesn’t just apply to designers; it works when you’re looking for salespeople, mentors, or marketing specialists. If you have a strong network, tap into it. Someone usually knows someone with the skills you’re looking for.
If you can’t find someone in your network, post your project on a platform like Fiverr or Upwork, where you can access creatives for anything you need at varying price points.
What to do when you search for and engage a designer?
Whether you use a designer found on a platform or work with one directly, here are eight tips to get the outcome you want.
Briefing: Be as specific as you can about what you want in your brief. Even if you think it doesn’t make sense, write it down. Pull together a mood board or a collection of links to other people’s work that you like as references and inspiration. Whatever it is that will help your designer understand what your vision is.
Revisions: In the brief, ensure you have up to 3 revisions at minimum or until you are delighted with the deliverables. Keeping it to 3 revisions enables you to stick to the deadline to minimise timeline creep.
Have a budget in mind: This one is hard to define, especially if you haven’t worked with designers before. Designer hourly rates vary considerably. On Upwork, you can get a designer for as little as USD$3 per hour. However, the quality, years of experience, and communication style may vary depending on what you pay. Look at what other projects are paying and find comparable ones.
Get an estimate: If you’re working with someone directly, get an estimate with the expected hours and set of deliverables. You want to know what you’re in for.
Selecting a designer: When choosing a designer, look through their portfolio and check that the companies they’re listing are real, not just a portfolio they’ve created for show. See if their portfolio has designs that look and feel like what you want.
Don’t pay upfront: Pay a deposit to get the ball rolling, and pay the rest once you’re satisfied that the scope has been met and they’ve delivered to the standard you expect.
Deadlines: This is usually the part where things go wrong. Designers aren’t typically great at adhering to deadlines. At the start of the project, set out your expected timeline with the designer and agree on the milestones.
Be firm: If your agreed timeline is reasonable and they miss it or the milestones, be firm with your expectations that they meet them. You’re engaging in a client-vendor relationship, and a missed deadline could impact your other plans. One slip can turn into many.
Working with a designer and seeing your vision come to life visually is one of the greatest joys of business. That moment when you see something in front of you that turns your idea into something tangible is a beautiful feeling. Working with your creative to iterate the design until you get a finished product is so much fun.
How do you know when it’s done? When you have that satisfied feeling of ‘this is it’.
All the best as you navigate this. My virtual door is open if you have questions about this or branding for small businesses.
