Growing your hive is a big deal! So when you’re building a team for your business or creating campaigns and strategies, it’s important that your worker bees share the same values and are on the same page regarding your company’s trajectory. Remember, good bee’s make honey, and others just sting. Basically, you need people you can trust, vibe, and mesh well with.
One key team member for every successful marketing campaign is your graphic designer. Of course, you probably already know that and we might be a little biased. But every business needs some good design and they need it, well, yesterday.
Whether that designer is helping with your branding or rebranding, planning a whole new website or creating your first logo, designers take your visual communication to the next level. Not only that, but their efforts trickle down through every piece of marketing and customer interaction for years to come. That’s because design is one of the first things a potential customer sees when discovering your business and determining whether to give you theirs. 48% of consumers report that they are more likely to become loyal to a brand during the first purchase or experience! So no pressure on that first impression…
All that being said, it can be overwhelming to find the right designer for the job, especially if you’re not a creative yourself. Before you get to the point of a phone call, save yourself some time by looking at their portfolio. Most designers proudly publish their best work on their websites and instagram accounts. This allows you to get a better feel of which designers’ work you find appealing or similar to the brand voice you want to achieve.
Related Post: Reasons to Use Branded Social Media Graphics
Once you’ve found a few potential candidates, reference these 4 important questions to ask a graphic designer before hiring them:
1. What’s your story? “What made you get started in design? Can You Tell Me About You and Your Business?”
When interviewing a graphic designer, it’s important to know their driving force towards this craft. Understanding their passion and purpose will give you the knowledge of whether both parties are aligned regarding values and experience. Do they have a niche they focus on? What’s their personal background?
2. What’s it like working with you? “Can you tell me about your process? Are revisions included? What deliverables can I expect?”
Design is a collaboration between the business owner and the designer—at the end of the day it’s still service providing. And as with other services, communication is a crucial aspect of the whole process. There will always be times when you provide feedback and suggestions to help develop an idea. Both parties need to marry different concepts to create a compelling piece so it’s important to know what their process is so you can get on the same page.
In that regard, you need to know how they can handle conflict when it arises, how they take feedback and criticism, and how they manage revisions. Lastly, getting to know what deliverables are included in their process will help you ensure you’re getting exactly what you’re looking for.
3. Time is honey: “Tell Me About Your Experience With Similar Projects Like Mine, and What Is Your Typical Timeframe?”
Time is of the essence when creating designs and campaigns for businesses in a saturated marketplace. For this reason, you want to work with designers and branding services who have experience in the same industry as yours and to know how long until they can deliver results.
With this idea, you’ll get a better view of what you can expect and if you’ll need to seek additional services along the way. Ensuring that your designer is transparent about their timeframe and process is key to avoid any misunderstandings.
4. What makes you special? “How is Your Service Different? What makes your studio unique?”
While this may seem like a too traditional interview-style question, in a world full of DIY options and quick-fix 99 cent designs, it’s important to hear from the designer what they bring to the table. Many studios have unique offerings or services that your brand could benefit from, and others might be too out-of-the-box for what you’re looking for. Keep your eyes peeled and be sure to compare!
Bottom Line: Asking Tough Questions Will Help You Find the Best Graphic Designer To Work With
Although a resume and/or portfolio are key resources that could help if you and the designer are a perfect fit, asking the right questions during an interview can better understand how your collaboration and design process would go. With this, you’ll get to find the best designer and branding services who can help you reach your visual goals, allowing your business to flourish in a competitive business market.
How Can Honey Creative Help You?
Creating visual content and brand strategies can be pretty overwhelming. And for this reason, it’s best to work with a creative agency that can provide you with exceptional digital and branding services fit for your needs.
Honey Creative is a branding agency that provides creative resources that make non-profit organizations’ stories easier to tell by fulfilling their mission.
Learn more about our services and how we can help you today!
