It all started when I saw a (probably, hopefully) fake business advertising in Northern Michigan on Facebook using a blog post—something along the lines of “10 Things to Look for When Selecting a Graphic Designer.”
I saw the post in one of the small local business groups I joined forever and a day ago. At first, when I started reading the post I thought “this is a little cliche and tacky,” but then I was flabbergasted—completely struck by just how off it became the longer I read.
Some of the content in the blog post was not completely terrible. It was that, no matter how you looked at it, the content provider completely missed the mark when it came to backing up the blog post with a trustworthy site. Their website was unprofessional, their portfolio (the section that should show examples of “their” work) was full of stock images and clip art, multiple areas of the site screamed—this is fake, stay away! (Danger, danger Will Robinson!) I had a very hard time taking any of the information provided as anything but pure fakery. I was honestly a little perplexed. How could anyone take that site or content as real? Did other people click that link, would anyone call them?
Surely, it was some phishing scam. (Perhaps someone Nigerian Prince?)
So, in the tradition of doing things right or at least better. Let’s do this for real Northern Michigan. What should you look for when you are hiring a graphic designer in Manistee, Traverse City or anywhere else for that matter?
What questions should you ask? What should you look for? How do you know they are legitimate?
Questions you should ask a Graphic Designer or Agency before hiring them
What is your experience?
It is important to select a graphic designer that meets the needs of your company and project. Years of experience do not always make a designer or agency the best for you. Likewise, a young gun may not have the skill or finesse to understand how to solve the problems your businesses faces. Make sure that the person or team you choose has the right level of experience to meet your business’s needs.
Can you show me your Portfolio?
Every agency, freelancer, and one-man-show should have a portfolio. Today, the majority of graphic designers and agencies put theirs up front-and-center on their websites for you to easily review before you ever have to call or email them. But, some, for a variety of security reasons keep their portfolios offline. Upon request, you should be able to see samples of previous work done by anyone you are in serious conversation with. If they refuse to show you previous work or do not have any, this is a red-flag to tread with serious caution—or maybe back away with much haste.
What is your process like?
This question could almost be phrased, “what am I walking into?” Look to discover the different steps of your project. How does it begin? What is expected of you? What will they be doing at each stage of the process? How many times will you get to review it? Every graphic designer and team approach projects a little differently, so it is always important to go over the process when consulting with someone you have not worked with before even if you have hired other contractors in the past.
What is your turnaround time?
Before you sign a contract, you should have a fairly good idea of how long the project will take. Some graphic design agencies and freelancers may not be able to begin your project for weeks or months after you press the go button. Other designers and agencies can work your project immediately and have amazingly fast turnarounds. If you are in a rush or have specific deadlines in mind, it is important to know exactly how long each leg of the project will take. This includes any possible delays that may happen. (Expert tip: always account for the vacation delay.)
Who will be working on my project?
Both agencies and freelancers regularly bring in added or specialty help to complete projects. This allows your project to be completed faster and often with more expertise. However, you should be aware of the team involved on your project even if you do not meet all the members involved. On the flip side, the people you are meeting with are often exactly the people who will be shedding blood, sweat and plenty of tears for you.
Who owns the design once the design is complete and paid for?
Many designers and agencies (photographers too) will retain the copyright to the work after it is completed and delivered. Allowing the business “use rights” rather than complete ownership. If you do not have a contract that explicitly states that you own the finished work, you can assume that you have “use rights” rather than complete ownership. It is often less expensive to have use rights as the agency or designer can resell the design multiple times. If you want to completely own your design, you should be sure to bring this up from the beginning. Note, many designers, also transfer ownership the minute the project is complete and paid for. Make sure you work this out before you start your project, and that you have your preference in writing in a contract. Contracts are awesome—even if the type is tiny and the words are all in lawyer-speak.
Can you work within our budget / What are your rates?
As a graphic designer, I love it when potential clients have a budget in mind. I can either tell them, “You’re living in la-la land,” “that sounds about right,” or my favorite “I can do all that and a bag of potato chips.” When there is a budget there is room to work, project features can be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, into a solid proposal that is just right. Budgets are da-bomb. If you don’t have a budget to make your graphic designer or agency jump-for-joy or cringe the second-best thing to do is ask them what their rates are. Some will quote hourly, in which you should look for a ballpark on how many hours the project will be. Others will quote a flat fee. Both systems of quoting rates are very common and many, including myself, use both depending on the type of project and scope of work.
What are your payment terms?
I am going to come out and say it, designers love to make things complicated. But, they do it for you. Really. You will find that all designers invoice differently and that there are often complicated multiphase payments involved in any project over $500. Know how your graphic designer or agency likes to be paid. Does it work for you? If it doesn’t, open up and discuss it with them. Most are flexible to breaking up payments in different ways or even taking a payment via a different method than they prefer. Just ask, see if they are able to work with you.
What do I need to provide?
Now that you have made all the graphic designers in a 500-mile radius squirm from your intense questioning, it’s your turn to feel the heat. Chances are your designer or team already has a “discovery” list of questions prepared for you. They might email it to you and let you fill it in, or ask you the questions face-to-face while you both sip caffeinated beverages. Either way, expect to be asked at least enough questions to occupy a microcentury.
Regardless of what type of project you have, if you can find the right person or team who is skilled, knowledgeable and upfront about their practices you are going to be on the right track.
0 Comments