How to pick the best Graphic Designer

1. You need to like their work

This may seem obvious but it happens. A client picks a designer based on a referral but doesn't take the time to look at that designers work. Every designer has a style and it's important that the client and the designers style is a match. If you love the designers work, you'll most likely be thrilled with the work they do for you.

2. They need to be organized and prompt

Designers and creatives have a reputation for being a little flakey. So when you're in initial talks with a designer make sure they are on time for meetings, that they don't reschedule and that they show up prepared. Things like communicating with the client, meeting deadlines and informing the client when and if things are going off track will make or break a project. Making sure your designer is organized and prompt is key.

3. They need to be excited about the project

New projects are exciting! If your designer doesn't seem thrilled with the thought of new work, maybe it's not a great fit.

4. They should possess a sense of urgency

If the client hasn't responded to edits or initial drafts and this is going to effect the deadline, the designer should be on it, 'Just wanted to follow up', 'I wanted to make sure you received the revised', etc. The designer needs to be actively working towards meeting your deadline even if you're the one holding up the process.

5. They need to 'get' you

Some people just 'get' you, if a designer seems confused about what you do or isn't quite understanding they might not be the best fit. Someone who's a good fit will ask great informed questions, they will have worked within your industry or learned enough about it to be clear.

6. They need to be experienced and confident

You can tell by a designers portfolio if they're experienced with projects similar to yours, you can also tell by asking questions. An experienced designer will be able to talk through ideas, design and production with ease, they'll be able to confidently make recommendations in a way that makes you feel comfortable and feel like you're in capable hands.

7. They need to have relationships with vendors

Having great relationships with vendors is a must, there are all different types of vendors with different specialties and knowing who to partner up with to produce the best possible product at the best possible price is an advantage that experienced designers have.

8. They need to be able to problem-solve

There are many problems that arise in projects: design problems, client problem, vendor problem,  production/quality problems or logistical problems. Being able to confidently handle them, come up with creative solutions and communicate to all parties involved in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable is an important skill to have.

9. They should be clear communicators

Clear communication is so important, as a client if you feel confused about what is happening and when it's happening you're going to lose confidence. Designers should be clearly communicating what is happening, when it's happening and what the next step is.

10. Both the client and the designer should be comfortable with each other

If you feel intimidated by your designer or your designer is feeling intimidated by you, either party might not be communicating everything that needs to be communicated. If that's the case, it's not the best relationship. It's not a guarantee that you won't have great results but it could lead to that. There needs to be open lines of communication on both sides, if the client hates the work, they need to say it, if the designer is confused by some feedback, they need to feel confident enough to let the client know so they can get clear. 

Stock Photography | The good and the bad

When you're using stock photography a lot can go wrong. The trick to using these photos is selecting pictures that feel natural and inviting. When you use photos that feel artificial or uninviting, all of a sudden you feel less trustworthy to the client which can hurt your business. The goal is to use images that your customers and potential clients can relate to. Let's quickly breeze through what you shouldn't be using and why.

Things that could never happen

One of the most important aspects of picking photos is making sure they feel realistic and appropriate for your business. Most conceptual images are impersonal, confusing and do nothing more than add a graphic to a piece of paper. These can really distract from your message.

 

Inflating your Company

When people look at your marketing materials or website, they're not only looking at what you offer but they want to get a feel for who you are. If you're misrepresenting yourself with photos that inflate, they don't get a very clear picture which can be off-putting.

 

Overly Happy People

I'm sure there are a lot of people who are excited to be working, but I'd give most people about a 3-5 on the exuberance scale. Even if your job or office is really fantastic, don't show people at an 11, it just feels unrealisitc to be that excited at work.

 

Direct Eye Contact

These types of images just don't feel natural. If you need a shot of someone looking into the camera, try a shot of only one person looking, a whole group just makes the photo feel manufactured.

 

Handshakes

I'm sure there are lots of people that shake hands on a regular basis but these types of photos are terribly overused. If you want to set yourself apart from other companies, don't use this style of photography.

 

So, what should you be using? The photos you use should feel like ones you could potentially take. They should feel consistent with the type of company you are or that you're promoting. If you're looking for images of people, they should feel natural and look like the type of person you're targeting, both in dress, context and overall style. The best thing to do if you're unsure is write down your ideal image, What does that picture look like? What is the tone? What is happening in the photo? Go into your search with a very specific image in mind, a lot of times you'll find it, if you can't find exactly what you're looking for, you can compromise a little bit but if you go in with no parameters a lot of times you'll end up with a really cliché picture.

I've pulled a few photos that feel more natural and realistic for business images, I hope these guidelines help you on your next search!

Work Smarter with These Productivity Tips

One thing employers and clients have consistently complimented me on is my ability to produce high-quality work quickly and efficiently. I've always gravitated towards jobs where speed and accuracy were critical, so I've learned a lot along the way about working smarter. Below are my top 8 tips for working smarter and getting things done more efficiently.

1. Work on your memory

Improving your ability to recall information quickly will save you a lot of time digging through emails or notebooks and answering questions. How many times has someone asked you a question that you know the answer to or have written down somewhere and you need to go back and sift through information, search, or call people to get the answer? Being able to recall information saves a lot of time. Getting enough sleep, exercising, and living a healthy lifestyle can help. There are quite a few techniques for remembering information; this is a great article that covers quite a few of them. You can also play memory games on websites like Lumosity that are both fun and helpful in improving your memory.

2. Stay Organized

It's difficult to get anything done if you're not organized. Having an organized desk, computer, inbox, and mindset will keep everything on track.

3. Batch your work

Even the smallest tasks can end up taking quite a bit of time if you do them individually. By grouping like tasks together weekly or every few days, you'll be able to finish them much more efficiently. Take a week to jot down the types of things you do each day and then evaluate. Pick out a few things or a few types of task you do multiple times a day or week, is there a way to group them? If you check your email every 5 minutes, could you do it 3 times a day instead, or if you have a bit of administrative work on your plate each day, could you designate one day a week for that? The point is, doing similar tasks together when you're already in the mind set of that particular task makes them easier and faster to accomplish.

4. Systemize

By developing consistent systems for things that you do, you'll start to improve them and therefore become more efficient at them. If you do things slightly differently every time you'll be losing time by troubleshooting.

5. Have something going on in the background

This is one of my favorites because it helps you do twice the amount of work in the same time. Figure out areas where you can schedule things to happen behind-the-scenes or have additional work simultaneously taking place and you'll be able to accomplish two things at once. For example, in your personal life, having a load of laundry or the dishes humming along when you're doing some cleaning or having a contractor come work on the lawn while you're working on painting. In your business life, schedule social media and blog posts or autopay on some of your bills or hire an accountant to handle your finances while you focus on your business. The more you can set up to happen while you're working on something else, the more you'll be able to accomplish.

6. Prioritize

I have a system for prioritizing that works well for me. I grab a sheet of paper and draw a horizontal line about 1/3 of the way down the page. Anything above the line is something that absolutely must happen today, anything below the line is something that I'd love to get done but doesn't have a big consequence if it I don't get it done. By listing items this way, the 'must do' list feels more manageable, and if you're basing your priorities on the negative consequence associated with it, it becomes much clearer which items need to get done right away. Usually I end up cruising through the 'must do's' and get quite a few of the other items done too.

7. Stay Focused

Distractions and Interruptions waste so much time. The distraction itself eats up valuable time, but getting re-acclimated with your previous task takes time, too. Just because your phone is ringing or your inbox is dinging doesn't mean you have to address it at that moment; wait until you're done with your task and handle it then.

8. Identify what needs to be done and do it

Pretty standard productivity advice. Things pile up when you don't take action immediately, and that can lead to an overwhelming amount of work. When something needs to happen, don't think about it, just do it!

 

Do you have special tricks that help you work smarter? I'd love to hear what they are! Leave a comment below and let me know how you work efficiently.