Graphic Design Website Design Choose Graphic Designer

From 3arf

If you own a business, large or small, chances are you will hire a freelance graphic designer to perform print graphic or website design services.  There are many freelance graphic design professionals that may be hired on a per-project basis.  Costs are usually very reasonable and the work is usually very high quality.There are some tricks, however, to getting the most out of the projects.  This article will cover how to select a freelance graphic designer and what you can do to be most productive.1. Word of MouthPros: Asking your fellow business owners is a great way to get an honest, reliable opinion of a graphic designer someone has direct experience withCons: Each experience may be different and opinions are subjective.  Two people may have very different experiences with the same designer.2. Listing Services, ie: CraigslistPros: Listing your work on Craigslist may reach a large number of potential freelancers.  Many freelancers often troll these listings for good jobsCons: From the view of many graphic designers, many listings on Craiglist are for poor projects.  A large number of very good designers will not review your listing, leading to an inferior pool of designers.3. Competition Sites, ie: http://www.99designs.comPros: Competition sites, like 99designs.com allow you to post a project and pick form the winner, leading to a lot of very professional designs.  Also, a large number of high-quality freelancers participate in the site.Cons:4. Web SearchesPros: Searching Google for “graphic designers” will result in a variety of high quality companies in your area, all which do great work.  Pay particular attention to the local listings of firms in your area.Cons:  Searching the web will often result in finding larger and more established graphic design firms instead of smaller freelancers.  Often, services rendered by firms will be more expensive than individual freelancers.once you have chosen a designer, working effectively with them is the next step.  If you have never worked in design, it is hard to know how a design project flow works.  Here is a list of our recommended Do’s and Don’ts for smooth, stress-free projects:Do: Make your full requirements know to your designer up front.  Before you engage your designer, you should have a pretty good outline of the project, your expected timetables, and what your goals are.  Changing the project in mid-stream will result in delays and budget over-runs.  If additional items are needed, then expect to pay for them and add them as an addendum onto your design contract.Don’t: Change the design of the project in mid-stream.  Most designers will provide proofs of different concepts that you may choose from before they begin building out your project.  Once you choose a design, stick with it.  Changing to a different design will result in increased cost and delays.  If you are unsure of which design to pick, take your time.  It may also help to have your designer send a brief explanation of his thinking behind the designs.Do: Maintain open lines of communication.  You should be able to reach your designer and vice versa via phone, email, or chat in a timely manner.  See how your designer communicates before you hire her.  If she does not communicate well, move on to someone else.Don’t: Monopolize your designer’s time.  If you hire a designer, you should expect a reasonable amount of consultation time and discussion.  We have heard of many horror stories of clients wanting to speak on the phone for hours a day for seeks on end, just for a simple 4 page site design.  Your designer has a certain amount of time allotted to your project, and monopolizing their time may result in you getting inferior results from your project.Do: Listen to your designer.  We are not saying you have to agree with everything they are saying, but at least entertain the ideas.  If you have chosen a good designer, then they will have years of experience in similar projects.  Take advantage of all they have learned.Don’t: Assume you know how long it takes a designer to accomplish a task.  You may think changing a few words throughout a 40 page website should only take a few minutes, but it often takes longer than you think.Do: Break your project down into smaller deliverables to stay on track.  For example, if you are designing a brochure, some small steps may be:  1. Choose Colors and backgrounds 2. Choose layout design 3. Add content 4. Finalize proof 5. Prep proof for printing.  Breaking a large project into smaller steps goes a long way to keeping you on track.  Using this method will also help you to learn about delays in the system.Do: Talk with your designer about Search Engine Optimization for your website.  Designers often have great recommendations for good SEO consultants.  One provider we have used provides in-depth monthly SEO monitoring reports and advice on how to improve your SEO yourself.  This goes along way to learning good SEO principles and putting them into practice instead of hiring outside consultants.  Take a look at their services http://www.sixsigmaseo.comDon’t: Design by committee.  Design by committee is the easiest way to kill a design project.  Rather, gather the input of staff beforehand and send the requirements to the designer.  Then, appoint 1 person to take the lead.  5 people have a hard time agreeing together on where to eat lunch, so don’t expect agreement on your design project.Do: Have a written contract with your designer.  This will clear the air on the requirements for the project and set timetables for delivery.  It will also offer you leverage in the event your designer does not perform.Don’t: Pay for the entire job up front.  Most reputable freelancers and design firms will require a 25%-50% deposit up front, with the remainder due before you receive the final files.  This is normal practice for the industry.  If a designer wants the entire balance up front, you may need to look for a new designer.

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