It can be hard to get your company to stand out when we are constantly being inundated with advertisements and brand messages throughout our day-to-day lives. From billboards and posters on your daily commute to digital ads while you surf the web, advertising messages appear all around us.
One way to break through the advertising clutter is with a creative presence that sets you apart from the rest. It’s important to find a skilled graphic designer that will be able to come up with the right image and message to resonate with your audience and get them to convert.
If you don’t have any experience working with a graphic designer or have never hired a freelance graphic designer before, there are some things you should consider before starting the hiring process.
Freelance, Full-time or Agency
Before you start the hiring process, you need to determine if it’s the best decision to hire a graphic designer on a freelance basis, or if you really need the help of an agency or full-time hire to get the job done.
If you have a smaller project that requires creating initial logos, brochures, or advertisements for your company then using a freelance graphic designer might be your best option. You will still get the expertise of a talented graphic designer without having to hire them full-time.
However, if you have a larger, ongoing project that requires constant updates and designs, then a full-time hire is the way to go. Or, if you’re going to need more expertise in other areas of marketing like copywriting or social media, then it might make more sense to use a marketing agency.
There are pros and cons to all of these scenarios, but you should choose the option that best fits your business. Some other considerations would be the higher cost of hiring a full-time employee or marketing agency, or how quickly you need someone to start.
Time
Once you’ve determined you want to hire a graphic designer on a freelance basis, then you need to figure out how much time you can devote to working with the graphic designer. Even though most skilled graphic designers will won’t need a lot of direction, you still need to spend time with them to explain your business goals and set expectations.
Do you have the project outlined or a timeline set up? What are your expectations for the graphic designer and how will you measure success? What will be the review process and when will you have the time to review their work?
These may not seem like big considerations to have ironed out ahead of time, but it will help the project get completed quicker and more efficiently. If you’re paying the graphic designer by the hour, you don’t them to have to redo a design because you didn’t spend the time to give proper feedback. Also, the faster the project is completed, the quicker it will be launched and can start attracting potential customers.
Skills
Another thing to consider is how you will determine if they’re a top designer and a good fit for your company. If you don’t have any creative experience or have never hired creative talent, you might not know what to look for. Do some research ahead of time to find out what tools graphic designers should have experience using and what skills are important for them to have.
Don’t just get hung up on their portfolios or design samples either. Graphic designers should be able to explain why decided to use certain colors or images and how this relates to your brand message.
Cost and Expertise
Before you start recruiting and reaching out to designers, do some research on the average pay rate for someone with experience in your industry and location. If you’re willing to hire a remote candidate, remember that the hourly rate for someone in Chicago will be higher than someone located in a small city with the same experience.
Also, a candidate with more experience and advanced skills is likely to charge more than someone just starting out. You will have to decide whether you’re to pay more a better quality candidate. There are pros and cons to both situations. Someone with more experience will likely need less direction and make fewer mistakes, but they will have a larger fee. You may pay a smaller fee with a less experience, but they might not do as great of a job. You will have to evaluate the project and decide what makes the most sense for your business.
Soft Skills
In addition to quality design skills, a freelance graphic designer should also have soft skills like organization and attention to detail. You will need to decide which soft skills are important for the candidate to have based on the role requirements and your culture.
If this person is going to be remote, it’s especially important for them to be able to manage their time and multiple projects at once. Or if they’re going to be working closely with your current staff, are they team players and have good interpersonal communication skills?
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