Know your budget
While the graphic designer you work with will almost always be willing to provide an estimate for your work, it can be worthwhile to think about what you’re willing and able to spend before reaching out. This will leave room for discussion around the scope if the estimate is out of your budget. Most freelance designers can offer advice and suggestions of how you could modify the scope of the project to lower the cost.
Be clear about scope
The more specific you can be about the scope of your project, the more accurate the designer’s suggested budget and timeline will be. Before reaching out for a quote, I recommend making a taking the time to make a list of the following information:
- The deliverables required from the designer
- Names of stakeholders who will be involved in the decision making process
- Assets that you will be providing to the designer for use in the project (images, logos, text, etc.)
- Outside vendors the designer will need to communicate with (web developer, print shop, etc.)
Communicate your timeline upfront
The deadline you need materials from should be included in the very first communication with the graphic designer you are looking to hire. This will eliminate the possibility of going through the process of getting an estimate only to find that they don’t have capacity to do the work on your timeline. On top of when you need to have the final product in hand, it is important to consider if the timeline needs to account for production after the designer’s work. If the piece needs to be printed or integrated into a web project, it’s worthwhile to know how much time those processes need so you can set deadlines with the designer appropriately. If do not have a preferred print shop, etc. then most graphic designers can make recommendations and may even have an idea of how much time that vendor needs.
Find existing work you like
Being able to point to existing designs that you like, either in the designer’s portfolio or out in the world, will help your designer create work that you like with fewer revisions. And that means a lower budget!
Establish intermediary deadlines
When you agree to move forward with a designer, they will usually establish intermediary deadlines to keep the project on track. These will likely include the date when the first draft will delivered for each piece of the project and can include timeline for you to get feedback to them for revisions.
Be open
Ideally, working with a graphic designer is a collaboration. You have ideas and so will they, so if both parties come to the table open to discussion about the best way to achieve your goals, that paves the way for a successful project.
Beware of scope creep
Many design projects suffer from scope creep—where the scope of the work slowly grows over time. It usually takes the form of many small additions that, on their own don’t take a significant amount of time, but can quickly add up. An experienced graphic designer will know how to manage scope creep and should communicate clearly when it looks like it might break the budget, but as a client it’s worth keeping an eye on it yourself to ensure that project stays on track.