How to Choose a Professional Partner for Graphic Design

Graphic design plays an enormous role in businesses large and small. From sole proprietorships to Fortune 500 companies, the need for outstanding skills and proven talent means that you have to take care when choosing a professional partner for graphic design. How do you choose such a professional? Actually, it’s not as complicated as you might think. Below, you’ll find several important steps to vetting potential partners.

Experience with Your Needs

It might sound odd, but not all graphic designers can fill all roles. That means you need to ensure the professional or agency you’re considering has experience handling projects similar to yours. For instance, you wouldn’t hire a graphic designer that specializes in book cover design to create your website graphics. Those two areas are too different. Likewise, you wouldn’t hire a logo designer to create your book cover, or choose a website designer to illustrate your children’s story. Make sure the professional or agency you choose has experience with projects like yours, and then ask for examples of that experience.

Education Trumps Talent

Yes, all graphic designers are artists to one degree or another. However, not all graphic designers have the same level of education and training. While artists can all create art and design to some extent, formal education and training are necessary elements in a professional partner. What type of design education does your preferred professional have? What college or university did he or she attend? What design program did they complete? What software training have they undergone? Verify your professional’s education and training. It trumps pure talent in most instances.

Portfolio of Work

Any graphic designer should have a portfolio of past projects. It might be a physical portfolio, or it might be an online portfolio. Either way, make sure that the portfolio is full of evocative pieces, and judge them for both their artistic merit, as well as their adhesion to client specifics. Also, while it’s fine for a portfolio to contain a few personal pieces, beware of those that include only personal work. This is a sign that the designer has little or no professional experience. Even the most talented designer might be a poor choice if he or she has no actual experience working with clients.

Willingness to Explain the Process

Creating graphic designs shouldn’t be shrouded in mystery. Make sure the professional you choose is willing to sit down and discuss the entire process from beginning to end. Not only will this ensure that you know what process will be followed, but it can help you finalize your timeline and work out any kinks in the system well before they become problems.

Your choice of graphic designer matters a great deal. It goes well beyond the quality of the final design, as well. It speaks to the entire process of working with the designer, the number of hurdles and roadblocks you’ll encounter, and your ultimate satisfaction with the project.

– Back Office Pro