Unless you work in the design industry, hiring a graphic designer can feel overwhelming. There are thousands to choose from, they describe themselves in different ways, and it is hard to know from the outside who will do justice to your project. A little preparation makes the choice far easier, and the results far better.
These tips cover the different kinds of designer you can hire, how to brief them well (including where AI helps, and where it can get in the way), and the dos and don’ts that make for a good working relationship.
Freelancer, studio or agency?
Graphic designers come in different forms, and each is usually better suited to a different scope and budget. Knowing which you need narrows the field straight away.
Freelancer
Hired by the hour or the day, as a temporary (or recurring) extension to your team. Some offer fixed prices for popular requests, such as an 8 page brochure or a brand identity design, which is useful for gauging cost.
Studio
Usually has proven processes, a strong portfolio and more experience. You approach a studio looking for a fixed and specific outcome.
Agency
Larger teams and many resources, with the scope to cater to larger brands, including services such as consumer testing.
Start with a clear brief
Before you contact anyone, be clear about your expectations and goals. Taking the time to work out what you want gives a prospective designer enough information to judge whether it is a project they can take on, and do well.
A good brief includes:
- Details of your company
- Your objectives, both short and long term
- Your intended audience
- Deadlines
- Any potential obstacles the designer may face
If the project is a brand identity, the brief is really the beginning of a brand strategy, and worth treating as such.
Use AI to sharpen your brief
AI is a genuinely helpful way to flesh out a clear brief: organising your thoughts, describing your audience, and putting into words what you are looking for.
What helps a designer most, though, is a handful of inspirational brands. Names you admire, inside or outside your sector, with a note on what appeals about each. That gives a clear sense of direction while keeping things fluid.
A word of caution on AI concepts
Some clients now arrive with logo ideas or layouts they have generated with AI. These can be useful as a loose steer. But they are not a step you need to take, and sometimes it is a wasted one, because a designer has to go through their own process anyway.
The danger is in getting into the specifics too early. It narrows the options to the point where your designer isn’t given the freedom to explore the best possible ones.
Potentially useful
Shared as a loose steer: ‘something in this direction’.
Potentially quite dangerous
Shared as ‘please recreate this’. You then lose all the benefits of a designer working through the process of creative problem solving.
Allow your designer the freedom to elevate beyond the obvious. That’s what you’re really hiring them to do, after all.
The dos and don’ts of hiring a graphic designer
Do
- Write a clear brief before you make contact
- Use AI to help flesh out the brief
- Share inspirational brands, and steer on personal preference
- Explore the designer’s previous work, and ask why they made the decisions they did
- Expect to be involved: providing information, giving feedback, proofing concepts
- Take time to get to know them
Don’t
- Hand over an AI concept as ‘please recreate this’
- Get into the specifics too early
- Leave out deadlines or potential obstacles
- Hold back details of your business, sector or audience
- Hand the project over and step away
- Judge on skills alone and overlook personality
How to assess a designer
The best graphic designers can think on their feet and find unique solutions to even the most complex of problems. Their portfolio is the first place to look, but a conversation tells you more.
One way to assess this is to ask them to critique a piece of design and explain what they would do differently. Don’t forget to ask why they would make those changes. The reasoning matters more than the answer.
(If it is a website you need, I’ve written a separate guide on how to hire a web designer.)
What a good designer will ask you
Good design is a two-way process, and you need to be involved as well as the designer. So it is worth finding out early what they expect from you. This could range from specific documentation and information to providing feedback, proofing concepts and being involved in design decisions.
Your graphic designer should also want to know about:
- Your business and your sector
- Your brand, and how you envision yourself
- Your intended audience
- Any plans you have to change or expand in the near future
A designer who asks none of this is designing without the information they need.
Don’t overlook personality
Choosing the right graphic designer is not just about skills and the technical aspects of the project. It is also about personality. Take time to get to know your potential designer. Find out about their inspirations, why they are in the business and what keeps them motivated. This makes it easier to see whether you share the same vision for your business.
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