If you haven't already experienced it yourself,
then you've probably heard some of the horror stories about trying to
find or work with a graphic designer. It can be difficult, time
consuming and frustrating to say the least, but in all fairness it's no
different than any other profession. Think about how some people must
feel when they have to work with some of your competitors.
You'll want to evaluate some basic things first - things that are vital
in any industry. Is your potential designer on time to meet with you?
Do they treat your staff with respect or do they treat them they like
they don't matter? Did they do their homework before coming? Once
you've nailed down the basics, your list of potential designers will
probably be a lot smaller. Now you can start to look at some of the
things that are more specific to our industry.
Presentation - Everything from how a designer dresses to how they
package their sample work will tell you something about them. Take a
look at their clothing but avoid basing your opinion on your personal
fashion preferences. Instead, look at details that will tell you how
much effort they put into their own appearance. Clean shoes are a great
indication of someone that pays attention to details. Trimmed
fingernails are another. You'll also want to pay attention to whether
the work presented in their portfolio is straight. Though these may
seem like little details they will mean a lot in determining the
attention to detail that your designer will take in your project.
Preparation - Did your designer run up to your office door chasing his
wind blown papers across the parking lot or did he stride confidently
to your door, materials in hand? Did he show up with a pen and
notebook? This is important unless you want to spend a lot of time
later reminding them many of the things that you've already told them.
A designer that isn't prepared for the initial meeting is not going to
conduct day-to-day business any differently.
Point of view - Everyone has a different view of the world and it's a
given that those with a similar point of view will work better
together. With that in mind, it's important to find a designer that
shares your beliefs. The advertising for your multi-million dollar SUV
dealership will never achieve spectacular results as long as you are
using a designer that believes that all corporations are big evil
things bent on destroying society for a buck. If your designer doesn't
understand where you're coming from they will never be able to tell
your prospects.
Portfolio - This is really a classic case of "size doesn't matter -
it's how you use it!" When considering designers you may be loosing out
if you dismiss a designer because of a small portfolio. The designer
that came by in a 3-piece suit with a three inch thick portfolio isn't
necessarily the one for the job. Maybe the girl that has no college
degree and a portfolio with nine pages of work that she did at home is
a better fit for you. The most important thing really is quality. The
designer that brings everything may not be able to decide what to
present and what not to present which could mean that they will have
the same problem in delivering a clear message to your audience.
There is one more thing to consider when you choose a graphic designer - they know what you don't when it comes to design. When you say "let's
add more colors" or "make the text bolder" there is usually a good
reason that they're rolling their eyes. We recommend that after you've
done your homework and choosen a competent graphic designer you let
them do their job. Graphic design is a lot more than just making
something look nice. There are a lot of technical details that have
scientific backing that you may not know about. In most cases it's in
your best interest to focus on what you are an expert in and let them
focus on what they are an expert in. You will see far better results
that way.
