If you are just starting out on your business or you wish to relaunch it with a new concept, you need a designer to help you shape your brand's identity. After all, the logo, business card template, website design, and social media graphics are some of the things that make up a business' professional appearance.
You can easily find freelance designers online, but working together through the Web can present some unique challenges. Business owners and designers may not always be on the same page. To help you collaborate efficiently (on time and on budget) with your designer, we have listed the following pointers:
Find the Designs You Like
Employers often make the mistake of starting a project without knowing exactly what they're looking for. You can't tell a designer that you are still thinking about the design, but they can go ahead with the work and you would just decide if you like their output or not. In this day and age, no designer would sign up for that. Clarity in specification helps both parties move forward without wasting time and effort.
If you really are unsure of the design you want, provide at least five examples of images, logos, websites, etc. that you love (it doesn't have to be in the same industry). Explain to the designer why you love them, what color or style appealed to you, and any other factors that stood out. Providing this information helps articulate or demonstrate your taste to the designer.
Get the Best
Finding the best designer online is the first priority. Going to an established platform where designers offer their services is recommended as they have most likely set up a profile and have received feedback from past employers. Choose wisely and ask for work samples so you can see if their style suits the design you have envisioned. More importantly, find out if they have genuine interest in the project. If it's obvious that they are bored and are just doing it for the money, look elsewhere.
Once you have picked your preferred designer, set the expectations, discuss payment schemes, and schedule deliverables. Avoid micromanaging but make sure that you are on top of things.
Be Honest and Decisive
This is the part where the designer has already come up with something and has presented it to you for review. Avoid going back and forth by being honest and opting to have wholescale revisions rather than having a lot of small staggered changes that might not add up in the end. As much as possible, stick by the decisions and agreements you've made in the beginning until the project is complete. If you have to steer away from the original plan, make sure that the changes would fit right in the end goal.
Starting the project with a concrete plan and communicating what you have in mind effectively will give your project a better chance of success.
Are you ready to collaborate with a designer? Post a project now!
