10 things you should ask your graphic designer before working with them - xHeight Design

1. 10 things you should ask your graphic designer before working with them Finding a great graphic designer can be transformative for any business, but how do you make sure you hire the right one? There are a number of key points you need to take into consideration. For example, do they have the skills, experience and values that will deliver on your brief, and will they be able to provide you with enough support throughout the whole process? It’s also important to remember that even the best graphic designer in the world may not be the right match for you and your team. This is because, like in any good partnership, making sure that you share the same vision, goals and are on the same wavelength will make the collaboration run far more smoothly. To make your life easier, we’ve outlined below 10 of the most important questions that you need to be asking any prospective graphic designer or agency before you take the plunge.

2. Let’s get into it! 1.ARE YOU AVAILABLE? – Now this does seem pretty obvious, but making sure that the graphic designer you have in mind actually has the time available to work with you is probably worthwhile before you make any commitments. For example, are they going to be able to work with your deadlines and be available for catch- up calls and meetings when required, or are they going to ghost you and leave you on ‘read’? 2.WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A CLIENT? –This could be a surprising question, which means you’re likely to get a more honest answer. Finding out what qualities a designer likes – and dislikes – can help to ensure that you don’t end up with someone who is the wrong fit for your personality or work style. 3. WHAT’S YOUR APPROACH TO STARTING A NEW PROJECT? –Ideally, you’re looking for someone who prioritises getting to know their clients’ needs before jumping into deeper elements of the graphic design process. In addition, making sure that they understand your business and its overarching goals is a bonus, as it shows that they’ve done their research into who you are and what you’re about. 4. CAN YOU GUIDE ME THROUGH YOUR PORTFOLIO? –Another question that may sound silly, but you’d be surprised at how many people jump into a partnership without ever seeing the work their chosen graphic designer has previously commissioned. By taking the time to do this, it gives you a chance to review their work and see if their style and approach will fit with what you are aiming to achieve. 5. WHICH BRANDS OR DESIGN PROJECTS DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? –Make this specific to your project type and you’ll be able to get an idea of the designer’s artistic approach, creative preferences and how well they understand the business they are in.

3. 6. HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE AND WHAT HAPPENS IF WE RUN OVER TIME? – Graphic designers work at different speeds and ideally you need to partner with someone who will deliver in line with your expectations. It’s also going to be vital to get clear on what happens if the project starts to run over time – is this the designer’s problem to fix, or are you going to be paying through the nose for extra hours if they make it yours? 7. WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS? – You may not get an in-depth answer to this question, as designers can be quite precious about it (trust us, we know a few!) However, you should be able to see how the designer incorporates your goals into their system to make sure that everyone is on the same page during each stage of the design process. 8. HOW DO YOU WORK WITH THE REST OF YOUR TEAM AND OTHER AGENCIES? – Crucially, how do they work with others, such as copywriters and web developers? Are they here for the journey, or will they check out when their bit is done? Better still, can they make recommendations for other good suppliers and can they manage the process for you? 9. WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS CONFLICT WITH A CLIENT? – Again, this will reveal a lot about your graphic designer. Ideally you will find someone who is willing to stand by their work, collaborate and explain what they’re trying to achieve and do this in a smart and respectful way. 10. WHAT MAKES A GOOD DESIGNER?

4. – This open-ended question can encourage someone to reveal their own strengths and weaknesses. This will also give you great insight into their way of thinking and highlight whether their values truly align with yours. Asking these questions up front will prevent you from a load of stress and broken promises further down the line, as well as making the whole process ten times easier. To find out if the team here at xHeight are the right people to partner with for your next graphic design project, please feel free to contact us via email at hello@xHeightdesign.co.uk or call us on 01403 586 002. We can’t wait to hear from you!