How do you make sure you hire the right designer? « Back to list

You’ve got the idea, you’ve got the content. How do you make sure you hire the right designer?

Any print or marketing project will benefit greatly from a professional designer. Many businesses use the same designer over many years and if you already have a designer you’re happy with, hold on to them. However, if you’re a new business, been let down by your designer or just think a change and refresh is needed you’ll be looking for a new graphic designer. There’s no shortage of them in Ireland and it can be hard to find one that’s perfect for you so we’ve put together a few pointers to help ensure you hire a designer you can work now and into the future.

How to hire the right designer?

• Ask contacts for recommendations – Other business contacts, clients and suppliers will have used designers so ask around. People are happy to give referrals and equally happy to tell you who to avoid. Word of mouth recommendations are often worth more than any advertising but it’s worth checking if a referral is a close friend, relative or business associate of the person who recommends them.
• Ask the designer for their portfolio and testimonials – Any good designer will have an up to date portfolio showing examples of their work. They can send this by email before you decide to meet. Also, ask for testimonials from their customers and check these out. A reputable designer should have no problem with you contacting their clients to check that testimonials or references are genuine.
• Know what you want before you meet – Before you meet your potential new designer, have a good idea about the feel you want for your brand. If there are designs, brands or campaigns you like, show them to the designer. And if there are styles, fonts or colours you dislike, make sure they know before they begin. Agree on a pricing structure and a budget before any work is started so you don’t get any nasty surprises further into the process.
• Local designer or online? –There are plenty of online designers and design companies. Many of these are based abroad and offer seemingly great prices but you won’t get the same level of personal service and flexibility you have with someone closer to home. A designer in Ireland will be more in tune with what works here and what doesn’t. It’s really up to you to decide if you prefer face to face, personal service or if you can work with someone remotely so make sure you know what you’re looking for before you hire.

DigitalPrintingIreland.ie work alongside businesses and designers throughout Ireland to produce the highest quality, creative print in the country. Our award-winning website allows artwork upload and ordering from any desktop or mobile device. Our print quality, service, prices and turnaround times are all guaranteed. We’d love to be your professional partner in print so if you want to work with Ireland’s leading online printer visit www.DigitalPrintingIreland.ie or contact us today.