5 great Things To Know Before Hiring A Graphic Designer

Every business comes to a point where it considers hiring a graphic designer. Let’s talk about the five things to know before hiring a graphic designer.

Usually, a logo is where business owners start thinking about their visual brand. Unfortunately, many use a generic, free logo generator to get by. But graphic design is about much more than just a logo for your business. It’s about purposefully using visual cues such as color, imagery, layout, shapes, and type to engage with your potential customers. When it comes to your business, whether large or small, graphic design can make a great impression on your clients. And we all know how essential impressions can be in business!

One of the hardest parts of running a business isn’t so much doing the work or providing your service; it’s getting people to stop and invest in you and your product or service. Once you get people to stop and look, you need to look the part and look professional enough, so they’ll buy what you’re selling.

So, while you can use a free logo generator or a social media design template, you must ask yourself what impression this gives your potential clients and customers. What impression is my business giving to others?

What is Graphic Design, really?

Defining graphic design can be a difficult task. At its most basic function, graphic design uses visual elements such as typography, images, color, and layout to communicate a message or idea to a specific audience.
However, the ultimate objective of graphic design is to create visually engaging designs that effectively convey the intended message, whether that message is to sell a product or service, educate, inform, or entertain.
Graphic design is vital in the perception of a brand or product. It can help establish a business’s credibility, personality, and identity. Effective graphic design can help to differentiate a company from its competitors, attract customers, and increase brand recognition and loyalty.

What does a graphic designer do anyway?

A graphic designer uses their creative and technical skills to design visual content that communicates a message or idea to a target audience. This can include all sorts of stuff like logos, brochures, websites, advertisements, packaging, products, office environments, retail displays, tradeshow booths, coffee mugs, and even the side of a building. Basically, if you can see it with your eyes, it can be designed! You can check out our services page to get a better idea.

The best graphic designers work closely with clients to understand their design needs and develop concepts that meet their business goals. Then, they use various design software and tools to create visually appealing, engaging, aesthetically pleasing designs and effectively convey the desired message.

In addition to creating designs, graphic designers may also be responsible for selecting colors, fonts, images, and other visual elements that help to create a cohesive and visually appealing design. They may also be involved in the printing or production to ensure that the final product meets the desired specifications.

Ultimately, the graphic designer’s primary goal is to create a visually compelling design that effectively communicates a message or idea to a target audience.

So now that we’ve covered some basics let’s talk about why you’re really here. Here are five things to consider when hiring a graphic designer. If you’re wondering how to hire a graphic designer, the following section will be a great starting point on what to look for. Alternatively, if you’re looking to hire a permanent staff position for your company these are good items to include or look for in a graphic designer job description or resume.

5 Things To Know Before Hiring A Graphic Designer

A skilled, expert graphic designer can be an incredible asset to your business. That’s why hiring the best designer for your business is essential. Here, we’ve compiled a short list of things to know before hiring a graphic designer to help guide you.

1 – Great Design Is In The Details

The first in our things to know before hiring a graphic designer is how much attention to detail they have. Design that makes a great impression isn’t done in a few clicks. It takes time and requires great attention to detail. A great graphic designer will pour over their creation to ensure no issues with aesthetics, balance, look, feel, and color.

2 – Organization Is Key

One of the most overlooked things to know before hiring a graphic designer is organization. A lot of time, edits, and drafts go into creating the perfect design. These different edits and drafts often turn into version 112,324 of a specific concept. So if you need a graphic designer, they need to be super-organized. Your designer needs to be able to keep their files tidy so that designs and variations are kept from being lost or mixed up.

This can be especially crucial if your product or service falls under a government regulator such as the E.P.A. or the S.E.C. requiring precise terms to be included in your final design. When choosing your designer, ask how you will receive the work and how it’ll be labeled so you aren’t wasting time looking at the wrong version or receiving trying to open the wrong file type.

3 – Variety Is The Spice Of Life

The best graphic designers are versatile and can work with various styles. When it comes to things to know before hiring a graphic designer, this is one of the most important. This is particularly important for a business to establish its brand style and identity. The last thing you want is to hire an inflexible designer who will impose their design style on your business. The best graphic designers can adapt to each business’s needs in various styles.   

4 – Great Designers Are Great Problem Solvers

This is one of the less obvious things to know before hiring a graphic designer. The best graphic designers are experts at what they do and are great problem solvers. If something isn’t right with a design, they’ll find a way to fix it and incorporate your wants in the design. And if they can’t, you can rest assured there is clear reasoning behind that decision. 

5 – Communication Is Vital

The final item on our list of things to know before hiring a graphic designer is communication. The best design is the design that communicates the right message. A good designer knows how to convey that message effectively. A great designer also knows how to communicate with you, the client. They should always keep you in the loop throughout the project. Your designer should welcome your feedback as the project progresses; this helps minimize any last-minute surprises and expenses.

Do You Really Need a Graphic Designer For Your Business?

Ultimately, only you can answer that question. We hope that this list of things to know before hiring a graphic designer can provide you with some insight. If you find yourself wondering if you need a graphic designer or not, meet with us! Let’s talk and find out. Investing in a graphic designer is a great way to get your business brand foundations right.

Working With Beyond Lines

If you would like to know more about what it’s like to work with us, check out our services page for a detailed breakdown of our phased approach.

You can work with us to build and create consistent brand guidelines, such as the Hickory Choral Society, with whom we helped develop a cohesive brand image, and marketing materials that provide a professional image or a website that gives your business a great home online. In the long run, hiring a designer earlier is much more cost-effective than having one come in and do one-off projects.

If you’re ready to jump in or would like a consultation, please feel free to drop your info in the contact form below!