When hiring a graphic designer, a lot gets laid on their shoulders and depends on their skills. But there are a few things you can bring to the table to get the best from your graphic designer. Here are a few tips.

Know the goals of the piece you want designed.
Is this an informational piece? Is the purpose of this piece more to drive sales? The look and feel of the design will be completely different depending on what you want the piece to accomplish. Communicating your goals to your graphic designer is certainly essential to get a proper design.

Communicate your expectations and deadlines.
Among the first pieces of information your graphic designer needs is your deadline. Everything hinges on that. Your designer will need to work backwards to factor in print time, proof time, revision time and design time. Your graphic designer also needs to know how involved you want or need to be, as well as any fonts and colors associated with your brand. This will allow them to work with you appropriately in terms of how strict a brand standard they need to stick to.

Be clear about your design ideas and inspirations.
If you have a concept in your head – or in your boardroom – of how you want your piece to look, let your graphic designer know now, not later. No one wants to let a client down. And no one wants to spend time on a design that doesn’t match what a client is looking for. If your brand is built upon a Bohemian look, giving a designer free reign may find you getting a highly structural piece back as a result. And you’re not going to like it.

Also be crystal clear about your audience.
While your wants and needs should come into play, a good graphic designer is going to chat with you about who you’re trying to reach, too. As we’ve discussed in a previous post, things that seem like simple choices, like fonts and colors, often communicate “messages” of their own. Having a graphic designer that knows those messages and uses them to your advantage in reaching YOUR audience is crucial.

Ready to get started with your graphic design project? Contact Asterisk Creative today.