Which designer makes your marketing effective?
November, 2005
What kind of experience should you expect when working with contracted services? Working with a designer is really not like any other service that you contract out for. For most services, you have a need, you call a service professional, and they provide for your needs. So what makes a designer's job any different?
Let's start at the beginning to keep everything clear. Your business needs to communicate, whether it be to the potential market, to investors, or even to employees. There are a number of ways to go about this, and even a number of services that may help you along the way. What makes this process different than say, having your windows cleaned, is that YOU have the most information about your need.
When you work with a window cleaner, you point to the windows, and they have the expertise to get them clean. Your input doesn't really go any further than that. But when it comes to communicating about your business, no one knows more about your business than you. A designer has the ability to take your message and make it effective, but the message must ultimately come from you.
The next point to consider when choosing a designer is that design is a subjective service. With a window cleaner, you want your windows clean, and any cleaner you work with should come up with the same result. If you asked 5 designers to design a marketing piece, you would get 5 different results, and they all might be equally effective. Individual designers have different skills, different experiences, and different working methods. So how do you find the right one for your business?
The process of working with a designer is really a very close relationship. As I already stated, no one knows more about your business than you, so by working closely with your designer, the most effective communication can be developed that satisfies both your aesthetic tastes and your marketing goals. Since a collaboration works best, you must have a designer that you feel comfortable with. There are two ways that you might find a designer. The first, and probably the best, is by referral. If you know someone who can recommend a designer, then you can find out how someone works before committing to any work. If you do not know someone with a recommendation, then the process requires a little more effort.
A good place to start is your Chamber of Commerce. They usually have a directory with members listed by category. Call a few designers, meet them, get to know them a little, and see some of their work.
It will be rare for any designer to have already done exactly what you need for another client, so pay more attention to how their work fits the needs and goals of each project. Ask about other skills they may have that aren't represented. Ask about project management services. Smudged Graphics works with clients all the way through a design project, including working with a printer, or setting up web hosting.
After gathering as much information as you can, ask yourself if this is someone who you can work with. All these factors should come into play when making your decision. The other issue to consider is cost. The least expensive designer may not be the best, nor even the most expensive. Having a positive experience that meets your goalsand provides a return on your investment is the most critical point.
This short primer has given you some ideas about what to expect when finding a designer. I will add to the series next month by talking about how to get the most out of the process once you've chosen a designer to work with. If you have any questions about your work or experiences, contact us.