2. Take your time and do your research. It is never good to rush into a design with someone. Take your time researching and browsing their website. But if you have a deadline, don’t wait until the last minute! It can be difficult to work under pressure as a designer – they might not be able to make “that” connection immediately with you.
3. Make sure communication is good. It’s just like working with someone in person and face-to-face. You need to know that who you’re choosing can clearly communicate with you. Be familiar with them to some degree.
4. View their portfolio. Take a look at the projects they’ve completed. Always remember that their job is to please EACH individual customer, so you may not like everything. However, if you don’t like the design of something, judge its quality; you should at least see that in their designs.
5. Listen to others and read testimonials. What other people say about a designer can say a lot about the kind of work they will do for you. Of course, not everyone will rave about what they do, but if you don’t hear too many good things, that should be a warning bell.
Let’s say you’ve found your designer. Now what? Here’s what you need to know about communicating with your designer.
7 Tips on Working Effectively With Your Designer
1. Follow the terms. Terms are not made to prevent you from using a designer’s work. Terms are made to protect the designer’s work. Why? People sometimes abuse their privileges.How do you agree to terms? Sometimes all it takes is to make a deposit. Some designers have you agree to their terms when you fill out a design questionnaire.
2. Be prepared if you’re on a design wait list. If you are working with a designer who has a waiting/design list, make sure that you’re ready to respond and act once your name gets to the top. If you’re not quite ready when your turn is called, just let your designer know. Often, they can just bump you down two or three on their list instead of moving you to the bottom.
3. Send all of your information upfront. And, send it organized! Most designers require that you send all of the details concerning your job and any deposits you have to make before they put your job on a wait list. This will prevent confusion on everyone’s part. Keep your info and details organized.
4. Have some vision. You don’t have to know that your blog will consist of stars and stripes, but it’s helpful if you know that you want it to look “chic” and “modern.” Descriptive words can do a lot in the designing world!
5. Be patient and understanding. Naturally, there are limits to this, but it’s always best to be as patient and understanding as you can be. A designer is (hopefully!) a creative mind, but can’t read your mind. The process can take several cycles. Also, realize that most designers are extremely committed, but they can’t always respond to you immediately. Sometimes people in this particular line of work have multiple jobs at one time. Respect the process!
6. Have an open mind. Sometimes your designer will have better ideas than you. It’s always best to know what you want while keeping an open mind. If you can crack open a designer and let their creativity flow, you’ll end up getting more than you ever thought you could!
7. Give specific, constructive feedback. You can tell a designer that you don’t like something, but also tell him/her WHY. Make a firm decision on what you do/don’t like about their design and be able to express that to them so that the designer can take the next step. Make sure the feedback is constructive, and not hurtful.
If you follow these tips, you’ll likely have a great working relationship with your designer and be very pleased with your end product! Give us a call today to get your blog started!
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