Around 60% of digital marketers say that visual assets are imperative to successful marketing, which shows it’s an important investment for businesses.

Graphic designers have the know-how to produce arresting images and marketing materials that align with your brand identity. Perhaps you’re planning to outsource your graphic design needs, but you don’t know how to find the best person for the job.

Sounds like you? Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. Here are seven things to consider.

1. Experience

Before hiring a graphic design artist, it’s important to understand your needs. Decide whether you need to redesign your entire brand or you need a freelancer to occasionally produce brochures for your business.

If you’re not sure what you need, list the places where you need to market your company, such as social media. Then, you can find a designer with the relevant expertise.

As you browse candidates, ask about the scope of their work. Perhaps they work solely with GIFs, while others are a whizz with infographics. It’s wise to find a graphic designer who has a wide range of capabilities, so you know they’ll produce fantastic work, like CNC Design Shop.

You should also check the designer’s blog and consider how active they are on social media. Do they regularly showcase their work and engage with their audience? They must have a strong online presence as it proves they’re professional and passionate about their work.

2. Portfolio

When you hire a graphic designer, you must view their portfolio. Reputable designers will either link this on their website or social media accounts. If not, ask for a copy and they should oblige.

Viewing a candidate’s portfolio is the best way to check whether their style aligns with your vision and if they have worked on similar projects.

Flip through to decide whether their work is high-quality and consistent. Note: many candidates may work for a graphic design company, so ask which pieces are theirs or if it’s a collaborative project. But aside from the portfolio, the graphic designer must have great communication skills and respond quickly, especially if working remotely.

As you discuss your design needs, welcome advice, as the designer has likely worked on similar projects. It’s important that the graphic designer expresses their honest feedback and challenges your thinking. After all, they’re the professional!

3. Location

As you hunt for a graphic design artist, decide whether the location is important. Sites like Behance let you access talent across the globe, but this can be troublesome if the candidate speaks another language or is in a different time zone.

Most businesses want to work with a graphic designer during office hours, so sort candidates by location on the filter box to find the perfect person.

4. Testimonials

Ask candidates for testimonials so you get authentic feedback from previous customers. Past clients will likely leave an in-depth review about what the graphic designer produced for them and how their working relationship was like.

These are usually on the graphic designer’s website, under the “Testimonial” section. If not, ask for the reviews to see whether they’re the right fit. As you read through the comments, decide whether they’re mostly positive and if they offer a good insight into their working relationship.

Note: graphic designers who won’t share their clients’ feedback have likely had a poor experience or are embarrassed about what their reference will say. Consider this a red flag.

During the interview process, give each candidate a mini project to test their skills. Hand over your brand guidelines and ask them to design a poster or a t-shirt around it. This will show you whether they can produce visuals that align with your business’s brand identity.

5. The Software Used 

You must ask which software the graphic designer uses. Most designers are experienced with Adobe Creative Suite like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Other popular tools are Canva, Blender, and CorelDraw Graphics Suite.

During your discussion with the designer, mention that you must have access to source files in Adobe format. This is so you can open the files later on.

If not, expect a lengthy conversion process, as you must purchase a converter to open the files.

6. Quote and Price

Once you’ve narrowed down your options to three candidates, ask each designer for a proposal. Outline your needs and deadlines so each candidate can give you an approximate cost for their services. It will take around a week for a thorough estimation.

The type of graphic design will determine the price. For instance, producing seven Instagram carousels is cheaper than asking a graphic designer to redesign your website. Most graphic designers charge on a project price, rather than an hourly rate, as there will likely be numerous amendments.

7. Contract Terms

When you’re both happy with the quote, create a contract with the graphic designer.

Aside from the price and timeline, make sure that the designer provides a guarantee. This is so you get your money back if you’re not happy with their work. You should also check that the final project is legally owned by you, so make sure the designer has the licenses for the images or typeface used.

Hire a Graphic Design Artist Today

Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll hire the perfect graphic design artist for your next project.

Make sure you check the graphic designer’s portfolio, review their customer testimonials, and use the right software. It’s important to get a quote and create a robust contract so you have a smooth experience. Good luck!

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