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I'm sure you want customers to remember you and come back for more. More than likely, you already know how important it is to stand out with your graphic design. The best way to achieve that is by using a professional graphic design service that blows all of your design ideas out of the water. A good graphic designer can help you develop a visual identity for your company and make a name for yourself in a digital age that never stops growing.
If you're new to hiring a graphic designer, then this quick and helpful guide will assist you in selecting the right one for your business. We'll go through some of the top considerations to take into account when making this choice and offer tips on how to find one who's right for your specific needs:
1. Brainstorm your needs
When choosing the right graphic design service, it’s important to do your research. The first step is to figure out what kind of needs your business has and how you want to use the graphic design service in the future. Then, you can find a designer that fits within these needs.
Think about what kind of marketing materials you need or want and how long they will be used for (if it’s a one-time project).
How much work will you be able to give the graphic designer?
Will they have time available while working on other projects, or will they have too many clients?
How much money are you willing/able to spend on graphic design services?
Do you need more than a designer, such as an art director or creative director? Some services like Teamtown offer these key team members in addition to your designers to ensure all of your design elements are in tip top shape.
2. Understand your audience
Understanding your audience is key to knowing the right graphic design service that you need. You need to know what they want and need, how they're going to use your product, how they're going to interact with it, and what problems it solves for them.
The first step in that process is doing some digging. How do the people who are going to buy your product like their information presented? Do they prefer a certain type of design style (modern or traditional)? A print brochure versus an e-booklet? An infographic versus a detailed report? Do they have any biases or prejudices that might make them more receptive or resistant toward certain styles? Once you've done some research into these questions, then ask yourself the following: what do I want my graphic designer's final product(s) to look like?
3. Make sure you find a graphic designers that complement your company's style and culture
As a business owner, you want to make sure that the graphic design service that is right for you is able to create designs that help your company's culture come to life. A good graphic designer will be able to understand the culture of your company and create a design that fits it. You also need to find a service that's good at creating designs for your audience. It's all about balance. A great graphic designer can produce a variety of designs, from simple logos to complex artwork. This is especially important if you plan on using any type of advertising in print or digital media—make sure your chosen service can produce these types of materials!
If possible, try to stick with only one service for all your graphic design needs—this way, there's no confusion about what goes where or who does what work! Graphic Design as a Service providers are a fantastic solution to keep all your design needs in one, easy to organize place.
You should also look for a service that is easy to work with. The last thing you need is to hire someone who does not communicate well or gives you unrealistic deadlines. If you find yourself in this situation, it's probably time to look elsewhere!
4. What types of work can the graphic design service produce?
Before you finalize the process of finding the right graphic design service, it is important to understand the scope of the work that needs to be done in order for your company to have an effective brand. It is also helpful for you to have a basic understanding of the different types of projects that most graphic artists and designers can handle. The following list shows some examples:
- Logo design
- Business card design
- Flyers and brochures
- Motion graphics design
- Environmental graphic design
- Web design
- Interface design
- Printed pages
- UX design
- Movie posters
- Book covers
- Posters (for events or sales promotions)
- Website design (including coding)
- Social media graphics (Facebook covers, Twitter headers, etc.)
You need a designer who can help create these pieces of art and more! Unlimited design services have the benefit of providing the widest range of services for the lowest price, through an innovative new model to the graphic design industry: Creative as a Service.
5. Budget
One of the most important factors in choosing the right graphic design service for your business is budget. It's important to understand what a graphic design service can and can't do before you decide whether or not they're right for your business, because it's easy to get caught up in how much time and money something will cost without thinking about whether or not it'll be worth it.
Before moving forward with any business relationship, make sure that you have an understanding of their pricing structure—and don't be afraid to negotiate on price! The best way to do this is by looking at past projects they've completed (either their own or other people's) as well as seeing if there are ways you could decrease costs on future projects (for example, if two graphic designers work well together on one project).
6. Find what graphic designer is best suited for your business (specifically)
When it comes to choosing the right graphic design service for your business, you have to remember that this is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Each individual business is different, and so are their needs. If you choose a service that doesn’t have the resources or capabilities to fulfill your needs, then your budget will be wasted and time will be lost. You need a cinderella shoe fit.
On the other hand, if you choose a graphic design service that is too small for what you need (or too large), then they won’t have enough staff members available when it comes time to work on your projects.
7. Consider their portfolio
Always make sure to check and ask for a portfolio! A portfolio showcases a designer's best work and can give you a sense of their capabilities and style. It's essential to review the portfolio to determine if the designer has experience working on projects similar to yours. If they have produced work that aligns with your brand, it's a sign that the graphic design service may be right for your business.
The portfolio should include a variety of work, such as logos, brochures, websites, and social media and motion graphics design. This will give you an idea of the designer's range and versatility. Make sure you also look at the quality of the work, the attention to detail, and the consistency across different projects.
It's important to note that while a designer's portfolio is a good indicator of their abilities, it's not the only factor to consider. A designer may have an impressive portfolio, but if they don't communicate well or have a difficult personality, it can make the working relationship challenging.
8. Check their reviews and testimonials
Another way to evaluate a graphic design service is by reading their reviews and testimonials. You can find reviews on their website, social media platforms, or third-party review sites like Yelp or Google. Reading reviews from previous clients can give you a better understanding of the designer's communication, work quality, and overall professionalism. Reviews don't lie! O
It's also crucial to look for testimonials from clients in your industry or with similar projects to yours. If the designer has experience working with businesses like yours, it's a good sign that they understand your target audience and know how to create effective designs that resonate with them.
9. Consider their turnaround time and availability
The timeline for your project is an important consideration when selecting a graphic design service. Make sure you ask about the designer's availability and turnaround time before hiring them. If you have a tight deadline, you need to ensure that the designer can deliver high-quality work within the allotted time frame.
Also, consider their availability for future projects. If you plan on using their services on an ongoing basis, it's important to know that they have the capacity to take on additional work and can meet your needs.
10. Ask about their design process
When selecting a graphic design service, always ask about their design process. Every designer has their own unique approach to designing, and it's important to understand how they work to ensure that visual elements of their process aligns with your expectations and needs.
Some designers may follow a more collaborative process, where they involve you in every step of the design process. Others may prefer to work on design elements independently and present their designs to you once they've completed them. Understanding the designer's approach can help you determine if they're the right fit for your project.
Additionally, make sure you ask about their revision policy. It's important to know how many revisions they offer and what their policy is if you're not satisfied with the final design. Some designers may charge extra for revisions beyond a certain point, so it's essential to clarify these details upfront.
11. Consider their industry experience
If your business operates in a specific industry, you may want to work with a designer who has experience creating designs for that industry.
For example, if you're a healthcare company, you may want to work with a designer who has experience creating designs for healthcare businesses. They'll have a better understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in that industry and can create designs that resonate with your target audience.
Industry experience can also be beneficial if you're looking for a designer to create designs for specific mediums, such as print or digital. Some graphic designers specialize or may specialize in creating designs for a specific medium, so it's important to find one who has experience working on the medium you need.
12. Look for a designer who values collaboration
While a designer's technical skills, user experience, and portfolio are important, it's also essential to find one who values collaboration. The right design service for your business should be willing to listen to your ideas and work with you to create designs that align with your vision.
During the onboarding process, pay attention to how the designer communicates and whether they ask questions to better understand your needs. A designer who values collaboration will take the time to understand your business, target audience, and goals and will work with you to create designs that meet your needs.
Furthermore, make sure you hire a designer who is willing to provide feedback and suggestions throughout the design process. A design service that is invested in your design project, and wants to help you succeed will provide constructive feedback and suggestions to ensure that the final design is the best it can be.
13. Consider their level of expertise
While every designer starts somewhere, it's important to find one who has a solid understanding of design principles and techniques.
Make sure you ask about the design service's qualifications for education and professional experience. A designer who has a degree in graphic design or has worked in the industry for several years will have a better understanding of the latest design trends and techniques. They'll also have a better understanding of how to create designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and effective.
14. Check if their team is made up of graphic artists
Graphic design services and agencies often fill the front line with managers that haven't the slightest clue about graphic design and all the complexity it encompasses. Don't believe us? Try using a service that uses a middleman between you and the graphic designer. More often than not, you'll notice details falling through the cracks that can be attributed to a lack of design knowledge.
A graphic design company should have the appropriate team with the appropriate knowledge in place to ensure aesthetic appeal remains high. Your graphic designers should work closely with an art director (or art directors), as many graphic designers benefit from added support that many graphic design companies just don't offer.
15. Be mindful of your own visual elements
We don't all have the creative skills needed to make our brand identity comparable to fine art. At the same time, we can't all afford a creative director with the communication skills and creative juices to come up with design ideas from scratch. So where does that leave us?
As you've probably noticed, hiring graphic designers in any form is a crucial part of any business. Designers allow you to communicate ideas through a creative brief to come up with visual content that both matches your visual identity and achieves your ultimate objective.
This all begs the questions - "Where am I involved?". Everyone knows to leave an artist to their art, but a good graphic designer needs to know where to start. That's where you come in.
Always be careful that whatever designs are being produced, they should match what you want your visual identity and brand identity to be. You know the voice of your business, you know the personality of your business, and that needs to be effectively communicated to your designers. Designers specialize in a variety of things, and discussing this prior to any engagements can ensure you found the right graphic design service for your business.
Final thought
The key to choosing the right graphic design service is to know what your business needs and then find a designer who can deliver it. Graphic design is a broad category, so there’s no reason why any business should settle for subpar work. The more research you do into different graphic design services and the people behind them, the better equipped you will be to make an informed decision about which one will work best for your needs.
Take some time today to consider how you want your company to look and feel, as well as what kind of message it wants to convey through graphic design projects and its branding material. It may take some time before finding the perfect design service but in the end it will be worth all that effort!
