You know that feeling when you’ve created a new piece of marketing for social media or your newsletter, and something about it just isn’t quite right? Graphic designers can help! Not only can they create impactful images, they are also layout masters. Send them that file you’re gnawing your nails off about and in short order, they’ll send back magic. Thinking about hiring a graphic designer? Here’s what you should know.
Hire one for peace of mind.
Hire a graphic designer when your marketing is outdated, you want a new logo, your newsletter needs some sprucing up, to remain a fierce competitor, or when you’re looking to attract more attention. You can hire them for long jobs, short jobs, medium jobs – your budget is the limit. Have a batch of custom social media memes created, or a stunning infographic, or have a custom mascot created to add to your in-house marketing, or get a shiny new direct mail campaign.
Even if you can complete these tasks in-house, in addition to stellar work, when you hire a graphic designer you also free your own time up to concentrate on money-making tasks! And the truth is unless you’re a professionally-trained graphic designer, they’re going to do it faster than you can, too.
Be picky when choosing an artist.
Selecting a graphic artist is like selecting a tattoo artist or portrait artist – artists typically have a specific style spectrum, it’s not a one-artist-fits-all scenario. During the search process, the artist portfolio is your 
best friend. Ensure that they can design graphics and layouts in a style that suits your brand and vision. Next, check out any and all online reviews, and ask around to see if you know anyone else who has worked with them.
Be prepared, but expect the unexpected:
Book a consultation and come prepared with clear vision and ideas. If you don’t know what you want your design to look like, at least have focused explanations and data that demonstrate exactly what you want the project to achieve. For example, if you want a new logo, provide examples of logos you like, colours, and the mandate of your company. During this meet, you need to ask about timelines and deadlines. Expect at least a few weeks between your consultation and preliminary sketches, so book your graphic designer as soon as possible.
And expect the unexpected. The best part about working with an artist is to benefit from their vision. They will provide you with several sample ideas or sketches, and there are likely to be some out of the ordinary options. Review them all! You may just discover they are extraordinary!
Read your contract!
Canadian copyright law protects the work of the creator from the moment work begins. That means they who created it, own it. Your contract will stipulate which portion of the copyright the graphic designer sells to you. In many cases, this is the final design. If you want working files or to use a different design that was offered in the preliminary sketches, you have to renegotiate the contract in order to obtain that right. A great graphic designer will provide you with a final file that can be used in a variety of mediums.
Jelly Triangle loves graphic design projects! Call us at 519-624-8888 to book your commitment-free consultation.
