How to Choose the Perfect Designer for Your Brand

Hiring a designer is an investment of your time, money, and energy, so it’s understandable that you might be a bit hesitant when it comes to choosing the right one for you. There are so many different designers out there, so how do you find your perfect match and ensure you make the most of your time, money AND energy? To keep things simple, here are 5 key things that you should consider when you’re on the hunt for a designer.

ABILITIES & EXPERIENCE

First and foremost, you want to make sure that the designer you hire can actually do the work that you need them to. There’s no use hiring a user experience designer who only works for huge corporations if you’re a solopreneur who needs help with your branding. You’re much better off with someone who specialises in the type of design you’re looking for with people in a similar position to you.

Ask yourself:

• Do they do the type of work that you need? (Branding, web design, illustration, etc)
• Do they have examples of their work in this area?
• Do they have experience working for someone else in your industry or with your business type before?

STYLE

Each and every designer is different and therefore has a unique style that their work will tend to embody. This doesn’t mean that everything that they do looks the same, but due to their past work, inspirations and ideal style, there will be threads that tie all of their work together and it’s important that you vibe with that! For example, my clients are all super different, but all of my work leans towards a minimal, bold, typographic style, because that’s the type of work that I’ve done in the past, love to do, surround myself with, and would like to do more of, and my clients are drawn to that.

Ask yourself:

• Do you like their style?
• Would you like something similar?
• Can you imagine their style applying to your brand?

PERSONALITY

When you’re looking at potential designers, you should get a sense of who they are and what they’re about from their website, social media profiles and any other content that you encounter. You’re going to need to feel comfortable enough with this person in order to share details about your business, trust them with your brand, and give effective design feedback when they get started on the work, so it’s important that you like them!

Ask yourself:

• Do you think you would get along with this person?
• Can you imagine working well together?
• Do you get a good vibe from them?

TESTIMONIALS

When you buy a product online, you most likely look at the reviews on the website, see if a friend has used it, or read what people are saying on social media. The same applies when you’re engaging with a designer. You want to work with someone that you trust and positive reviews help to establish trust, so take a look at the testimonials online, see if anyone else has recommended them, and what the chatter is about them on social media. You’ll soon get a sense of what others’ experiences have been.

Ask yourself:

• Do they have any testimonials on their website or social media?
• What do these reviews say about them?
• What are other people online saying about them?

AVAILABILITY

The last piece of the puzzle is whether they are actually available to do the work and what that process might look like. Some designers will have this information on their website or social media, while others might require a conversation to be had in order to find this out but either way, it will play into your decision. One designer might be free right away but the process will take months, while another could be free in a couple of days but be able to finish in just a few short weeks, and the key steps of the branding design process and the experience you have throughout them will likely look completely different with each designer.

Ask yourself:

• When are they available to start work?
• How long does the process take?
• What does the process look like?

Choosing a designer to work with can be a big decision, but if you consider these five key factors, you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect partner for you!

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