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How to Work with a Graphic Designer

9/3/2020 | admin

A while back, we wrote a blog post that provided some great tips for DIY graphic design.

While it’s technically not rocket science, there are time-tested “best practices” that can help improve the overall impact of your design. However, not everyone can channel their inner Michelangelo when it comes time to sit down and design letterheads, event cards, or any number of printed marketing materials. A professional graphic designer, such as the ones at AlphaGraphics of New Bern, has the experience and know-how to create something that will deliver outstanding results. Read on to learn more about the best way to work with a graphic designer so that they’ll be able to create the perfect design for your next project.

Pause and Reflect

Before you pick up the phone to call in a professional graphic designer for help, take a few moments to pause and reflect upon the vision that’s inside your head. Or, if you’re working with a team, call a meeting to discuss and come to a group consensus. However, if you’re running short on creative juices or just can’t seem to come up with any ideas, you can always gather up a few marketing materials samples from other companies that you like and pull your inspiration from there. By doing so, you’ll be better able to communicate the abstract thoughts inside your head to the graphic designer. This will enable them to go to the literal drawing board and come up with some mockups that closely reflect your initial vision.

Communicate Clearly

Once you’ve settled upon an idea, it’s now time to pick up the phone, send an email, or stop by AlphaGraphics of New Bern to speak to our in-house graphic designer. You can best accomplish this through both words and pictures. Feel free to tell them as much as you can—and don’t worry—you won’t be talking their head off! This is known as the collaborative process, and the more info you give the designer, the better able they’ll be to deliver results. Keep in mind that the design process is just that—a process. The graphic designer knows how to keep it moving forward and will, at some point, present to you several mockups for your consideration. Take your time to examine them, write down your thoughts, and then communicate that to your designer.

Have an Open Mind

The reason why many businesses and organizations hire a professional graphic designer is that they’re experts in what they do. There’s a good chance that they’ve worked on a project just like yours and understand what does—and doesn’t—work. While the final design is up to you to approve, keep in mind that your graphic designer is only working off what you gave them. They were not present for your internal office meetings or conference calls. This is an advantage as it provides them with an outsider’s perspective that you may not have considered initially. Graphic designers are experts in using fonts, shapes, colors, and images to achieve the desired results. If you don’t understand why they added this or subtracted that reach out to them and ask. They will provide you with a great explanation of why they feel the design they created will have the biggest impact and achieve your desired results.

Explain Why

Once the graphic designer emails you the proofs for your inspection and approval, take detailed notes regarding your thoughts and emotions. If you simply respond back, “don’t like it”—that offers nothing for the graphic artist to go off of. Instead, reply with detailed reasons as to exactly why you didn’t like it, and this will open up a dialogue that the designer can use to really dial it in.
Good Design Takes Time
[caption id="attachment_610" align="alignleft" width="200"] Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels[/caption] Graphic design is a creative job that requires the artist to create something out of nothing. A good graphic designer is not different than an artist sitting in front of a blank canvas with a paintbrush. They need time to think and create. They will provide you with a turn-around time after the initial email or phone call. If they tell you “1 week,” please don’t call them in 2 days, asking if they’re done. If you need a “911 rush” design job completed, be sure to inform the graphic designer when you first talk to them. They will let you know if that time frame is possible or not.
Hire a Graphic Designer in New Bern
If you have already tried the DIY graphic design method and are coming up blank or you would like to skip that process and let the professionals handle it, give the experts at AlphaGraphics of New Bern a call. Our expert graphic designers have helped countless local businesses create the perfect design that makes the greatest impact. At AlphaGraphics of New Bern, we’re much more than a print shop. We’re also marketing experts who you can count on to help you when it comes time to market your business. To learn more about how AlphaGraphics of New Bern can produce and design your next project, you may email us, request a quote, or call us at (252) 633-3199.

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