Great design truly makes a difference

It’s time; you’ve got to admit it. A new website, logo or brochure is in your business future…but what now? You may be asking yourself, “”How much money will it cost? How do I know what I need? Where do I go to start the process? What will my return be on this investment?”” These are common questions and major considerations.

Distinctive, highly usable design is paramount to the success of your business. The look and, more importantly, the feel of your visual brand are what help to instantly establish a connection between your brand and your customer. Consistency, color, shape, messaging and even the feel of the paper for printed pieces combine to create a good or bad feeling about your business.

So where do you begin?  Here are 10 things to do to find the right Design and/or Web Design team:

1. Research online for companies that are local. Working locally with someone is always more convenient and can be a real pleasure. Face time strengthens every relationship.
2. View their portfolio do you see a consistent body of work that is professional and visually appealing?
3. Call them and discuss your project. Ask about their qualifications, experience and years in business. A newbie out of college may not be a good fit for a business with aggressive sales goals. They may not have the marketing experience required to achieve strategic business goals.
4. Ask who would work on your project and what experience they have.
5. Ask them to walk you through the process on three of their current jobs.
6. If you are looking for a strong graphic design component, be certain that someone on staff, preferably the creative director, has a strong background in art. There are some principals to good design that should not be ignored.
7. If you are looking for a website developer, experience is absolutely key. If they have not been developing for at least 5 years, walk away.
8. References, references, references! Call clients on their portfolio list. Ask around. The reputation of a company is important. If they have trouble meeting deadlines or provide shoddy work, learn this up front and save yourself the disappointment
9. Don’t fixate on price above all other factors. We are constantly fixing other designers’ glaring errors. Do things right the first time and you won’t have to re-do them time and again. After all, how cheap is something when you have to pay to have it done over? It’s not just the money, what is your time worth too?
10. Ask potential design firms to define their value… what will they truly bring to the table in terms of achieving your goals? Can they define their value?

For more tips and advice about hiring the right designer, give us a call. We’ll help you find the design team that is right for you and if it’s not us, we’ll point you in the right direction.