Email: 
Differentiating your business from the competitors in the same niche is very important to sustain and grow your business. In order to do that you need to build your brand image and if you think that just a logo is good enough to establish your brand, then you are making a big mistake.
The brand image of a company can be built by a professional graphic designer. He will design your logo, letterhead, favicon, brochure, business card and lots of other corporate identity elements to reflect the USP of your business. Therefore, you must hire someone who is talented and skilled enough to build your corporate identity efficiently. Here are some suggestions to find and hire the best graphic designer in your city.
Count the experience:
It is important to hire someone who has extensive experience in this field. If you are hiring the designer from a reputed graphic design company, then you have nothing to worry as they employ only the seasoned professionals. On the contrary, some freelance graphic designers often say that they are experienced, but in reality, they have only a few months of experience. Therefore, you should be more careful while selecting a freelancer. Make sure that he is in the field of graphic design for at least 3-4 years. After all, you can trust a novice to know all the tricks of elegant graphic design.
Expertise:
Don’t hire someone who can “only create logo”! You need a master of graphic design who singlehandedly can build your corporate persona. Ask the designer if he can create logo, brochure, business card and all the other necessary branding and marketing material.
Take a look at the portfolio:
This is the easiest thing to judge the quality of a designer. When you check the website of the designer or meet him personally, take a look at the designs he has created for other clients. This will help you judge his true potential. Also, never believe anything blindly. If someone claims that, “I designed the logo of X company”, you must cross check the data.
Read testimonials: While the portfolio reveals the skills of an artist, the testimonials of previous clients reveal his professionalism. Were the past clients happy? Did they like his work? Did you provide revisions? Did his work help the clients attract new customers?
Meet Face to Face:
It is always better to hire a local graphic designer as you can meet him personally. Face to face meeting is important because it helps you understand if you can work with him professionally. A good designer, no matter how much experience he has, always listens to the client’s requirements. He may have better idea about business cards, but he always encourage you to discuss how you want to present yourself to the potential customers. Communication between the client and designer is absolutely necessary for successful creative process.
Turnaround Time:
Every project has a deadline, but it is better to hire someone who doesn’t commit to any impossible deadline. Do you think that a good logo can be created in 48 hours? Then don’t hire someone who says “I will deliver your logo is 48 hours”. Have a realistic schedule and ask the designer if he can deliver the project within that timeframe. A good artist never fails the deadline, but he also never creates graphic designs in a hurry.
Learn About the Process:
It is important to know how the designer works because different designers work differently. Generally, the artist should create 3-4 sample sketches, send them for your feedback, work on your selected design, send it again for feedback, do the necessary modifications, test it in various media and then deliver the work.
Check the Rate:
When you talk to 10-12 designers regarding the project, there is a possibility of finding 2-3 really good graphic designers. In that case, you should ask for a quote to the shortlisted 3 designers and compare the rates provided by them. Select the designer who fits in your budget. However, be aware of the hidden costs. For example, if you want a monochromatic copy of your logo along the coloured one, then most of the designers offer it for free, but some may charge extra. Therefore, ask the designer exactly what you will get for the money you are paying.
Decide the Payment Terms:
You must have clear idea about the payment terms and payment methods. For example, how much money do you need to pay in advance? Will the designer accept PayPal payments or is he more comfortable with online banking? If you hire an overseas designer, then know the currency he prefers. If he wants payment in his local currency then enquire about the exchange rates.
Request for a written contract: Always ask the designer to provide a written contract. The contract should mention payment details, project deadline, terms and conditions regarding secrecy and all the other important factors. A written contract makes sure that if either party breaks any condition, the other party can drag him to the court. You may not really file a lawsuit against the designer, but the fear of a lawsuit prevents the artist from breaching the contract.
So, as it is evident from the above discussion, selecting the right graphic designer is a tiresome process. You need to be absolutely sure that you are picking the right person. Give your brand the boost it needs in 2015 by hiring a veteran graphic designer and customers will always choose your branded products or services.
Related Resources
For latest updates visit our Facebook page – @brochuredesigning
For professional graphic designer, please visit – www.brochureguru.com
To get helpful tips on graphic designing, visit – Brochure Design Blog