Working together might go something like this:

THE DESIGN BRIEF  (typically 1 to 2 days) – The initial gathering of information about the project, your business and your industry is the most important step of the design process. There’s no shooting in the dark for good design. Rather, it’s a strategic process that results in visually communicating a targeted message. The Design Brief is the central go-to document for the design process. It contains the scope and goals of the project, information about your company, consumers and competition as well as general design specs and deadlines. If you are unfamiliar with writing a design brief, we can do it together. I don’t work without one … in fact … no designer could.

RESEARCH (typically 2 to 4 days) – Getting to know the ins and outs of your project is essential in maximizing the success of our work together. Types of information that might require additional research not included in the Design Brief could include design trends in your category, canvassing your competition for design and production techniques, understanding the history of your industry or if budgets allow purchasing or hiring market research.

SKETCHING & CONCEPTUALIZING  (typically 2 weeks or more) – The physical design part of the project starts with sketching design concepts. These concepts are fully fleshed-out ideas and communicate the style and design intentions for the finished project. Sketching and conceptualizing is a process that floats back and forth between the creative process of designing and the scrutiny of the Design Brief.

PRESENTATION OF DESIGN CONCEPTS – You will be presented with a selection of unique design concepts to choose from. This is an important part of the design process and its success depends on good communication and honest feedback. Depending on the scope of the project, concepts can be prepared specifically for consumer focus groups or business presentations.

REDESIGN & LAYOUT (typically 1 week or more) – Often, one of the initial concepts is selected as-is or with minor changes. Sometimes it’s important however to go back to the design process in order to fine tune, redesign or explore another design path.  You are not charged for redesign as long as the scope of the project has not changed. Redesign can happen due to a shift in the project, a misunderstanding or the lack of critical information in the Design Brief.

PRODUCTION (typically 2 days or more) – Keeping your designer in the production process is the best way to make sure your final project ends up as intended. Printing technologies and printers vary greatly; what would be important in printing a shrink label using flexography is not the same for printing a silkscreen wrap label.  If needed, having a quick meeting between me and your printer when handing over the files can save a lot of heartache later. If you need help hiring a commercial printer for your project, I can help you find the right fit.

PRICING – I require 50% down payment to secure your project on the design schedule and to begin any work. Depending on the scale of the project, I will either split the remaining balance over the rest of the process or bill you after the project is completed. I also have 30 day, 90 day and longer retainer agreements for extended work. Payments can be made via check, credit card or bank transfer.

​If you are new to hiring a freelance graphic designer, there are some things you should know. Whether we will be working together or not, it's good to be informed.

BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR DESIGN NEEDS – Not all graphic designers are created equal. Don’t hire a designer just because it’s the lowest bid…nor  just because they’ve worked on a national brand. Do you need a seasoned designer for a polished commercial look, or is something cheap and fast good enough? Either answer is fine.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PORTFOLIO – Reputable designers and agencies have a portfolio for clients to review. When looking through it, pay attention to the role of the individual designer in each of the projects. If it is not listed, ask. Younger designers usually only perform a small part of  a design project under the art direction of another more experienced designer.  Also, some design teams for example may have only been part of designing the merchandising display and not the packaging or branding itself. When appropriate, you might want to ask how long a specific project in the portfolio took, or for a brief description of the process behind some of the designs decisions that were made.

COMMERCIAL DESIGN ISN'T PERSONAL EXPRESSION – Don’t hire a designer or design firm because of their “style.” A good commercial designer can design in any style that’s appropriate for the brand. A hip vodka company’s packaging should look different from an organic salad dressing’s packaging…but they both need to be on target. Any portfolio should offer a range of styles showing the diversity of art direction and design. What's the quote? "Design is meant to solve problems while Art is meant to express them".  CHECK THE FINE PRINT – You should be provided with a solid set of terms for the project as part of the estimate. What are the exact fees? Are redesigns free as long as the nature of the project hasn’t changed? What is the turnaround time for each part of the project? If these items are not clearly defined, go elsewhere. There should also be clear information available about licensing, usage and copyright to the finished materials.

DESIGNING "ON SPEC" – Designers do not traditionally work on spec or for speculative work (work done in anticipation of being paid). If you feel like you need to “test out” your designer before hiring them, you should move on to another designer who can provide you with the confidence you need to hire them based on their work and experience.

OUTSOURCING – Outsourcing Creative and graphic design can be helpful. Using low cost design solutions from India, eastern Europe, South America and Asia can save you some money on general lay-out design. However,  if you need strategic design that speaks directly to a certain consumer, it’s best to make sure your design message is not lost in cultural translation and hire a designer “local” to your customer. That may be India or South America depending on your market.