When owning a business, there are certain things you’ll need such as a logo. Depending on your business, you may also need additional printed materials including:
- business cards
- brochures and flyers
- letterhead
- postcards and more.
You basically have one of two options. You can either pull out your computer and put something together yourself, or you can hire a trained professional graphic designer to design a custom logo that truly defines who you and what you can offer. We currently provide online graphic design services.
Resource: Primoprint Design Gallery
Many graphic designers have spent years working with businesses and have learned how to use a creative approach that allows them to speak to their current and potential customers. Graphic designers can create a piece that is visually appealing and allows a business to proudly display their brand everywhere the business goes.
When choosing a graphic designer, there are a few things that stand out.
View their Portfolio
First, view their portfolio. Every designer should have a website or some sort of digital collection available that you can browse through and get an idea of their style. Look through each piece carefully. If you don’t care for the work on their site, you probably won’t care for the work they create for you. Some designers post their projects on Dribbble.
But, make sure you don’t rely too much on their portfolio. Ask the designer about their portfolio and what inspired them to make those particular choices. By asking questions, you’ll understand their inspiration and creativity, which can determine if they are a good fit for your design.
Expand your Search
With the digital world we live in, don’t be afraid to look outside your neighborhood. There are thousands of fantastic graphic designers all over the country. And through email and phone calls, you can efficiently work with a designer in another time zone.
Ask Around
Look for recommendations. Ask other business owners who they hired for graphic design services. If you see a business with a fantastic logo, they probably can recommend the designer that created it.
Cost of Design Services
Pay attention to the price. Ask for an approximate cost for the design project you need, which can help if they are within your budget. Most designers will send a detailed proposal, usually within a week of your first request.
As the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” If a logo design cost seems cheap, it probably will look that way too. Graphic designers usually charge between $50-$125 per hour. That may seem expensive but think of this as an investment in your business. Not only is it tax-deductible, but a fantastic logo and business card are going to stay with your company and brand forever.
Postcards, brochures, etc. may need to change depending on your message, but once you have an initial design, it’s easy for a designer to pick up the design and alter it slightly to fit the new message. It’s much faster than creating a design from scratch, and it also helps brand your business by tying everything together. At Primoprint, we offer graphic design services, and we keep the files to help with the quick edits and changes.
What’s Included?
Learn up-front what you get for your money. A good designer should have an outline as to what they will provide you when creating your design. For example, $300 for a logo may include four initial logo concepts, three rounds of revisions, and the final logo provided in 4 different file types that you can use however you need. Also, make sure your design is one-of-a-kind and that the designer will not use the design again in the future for another company.
Be Clear About Your Expectations
Once you have chosen your designer, it’s important that you think about what you are looking for. Designers are creative, and they can usually come up with beautiful work with little direction. But if you have something specific in mind, make sure you express it to the designer upfront.
There’s nothing worse than having a designer spend hours creating a logo he or she thinks is perfect, and then the client coming back later and telling the designer there’s something specific they want as the design.
Each designer will have their own process, so read their emails carefully and make sure you answer each of their questions to the best of your ability. Sometimes it’s best to give more information than what you think is relevant, but make sure you keep it focussed and to the point.
What Will Be Required from You?
It’s always a good idea to ask the designer what they expect from you to make sure they achieve the best result. This can include concepts, fonts, color elements, and more.
Below are additional items to think about and be prepared to discuss.
- What is the name of your business?
- Is there a special meaning behind the name?
- Why did you name it this?
- What is the main purpose of the company?
- What do you make, sell, or provide?
- Do you have any specific images in mind?
- Any specific colors you’d like to see used?
Are there any logos or artwork that you like or would like the designer to reference? Feel free to list links. You don’t want to copy a design, but if there are logos that you like the look of, the visual reference helps. Feel free to create a Pinterest board and share it with the designer. Any other information you feel is essential may be helpful in the design process.
If you have a designer, create a postcard, business card, brochure, etc.; make sure you put together all of your text and photos before giving them the job. It is beneficial to have all the pieces before you start laying the project out.
Additionally, if you can provide text that is as close to 100% complete as possible, it also helps the designer. Also, the more pieces you provide in the beginning, the less time you will be charged in the end.
Working with a designer should be fun and shouldn’t be a stressful process. With as many designers as there are out there, I’m sure you will be able to find one that you feel comfortable with and who will feel like they are a part of your team.
Let us help you with your next print project. Contact our design team, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.
