With thousands of brand identity designers online and probably hundreds of local options, finding the right designer for a company logo can be a difficult task. With little experience in selecting a brand identity designer, it is often very difficult to decide which artist is the best fit for your business. Below I summarize the most important criteria to consider when hiring a designer for your corporate identity.
Look at the portfolio of recent work.
Ask to see some of the work the designer has done in recent months. When examining an artist’s portfolio, look for quality rather than quantity. Many graphic brand identity designer give their clients huge portfolios with great logos but also very low quality creations. It is better if the graphic designer has always done high quality work with a style that fits the image you want to convey. If the graphic designer cannot show quality samples produced in the last few months, or can only show a portfolio of 4 or 5 images, it is a sign that they do not always produce high quality work.
Ask to see case studies or design documents produced as part of previous projects.
A designer’s portfolio is of limited value if it is just a collection of images. It is much more important to explain the design process that led to the final design for a particular client. What message does the design convey? Why was a particular typeface or graphic used?
What target group was addressed? Why is the design successful?
A good designer will be able to share with you some of their initial research, mind maps and sketches, and give you insight into the design process. It will help you understand the purpose of a particular logo and why it helps convey the client’s brand message.
Consider the graphic designer’s communication skills during initial conversations.
If your graphic designer doesn’t seem like an expert, doesn’t address your issues, or takes a long time to answer your questions, it may be a sign that he or she isn’t very good at communicating.
While the design may be marginalized and limited to pencil strokes and company names, communication plays an essential role in the entire design process. The goal of your logo design is to communicate your company’s message. Make sure you hire a designer who can articulate your message and help you achieve your broader communication goals related to your corporate identity.
Ask questions about the design process, timelines and cost.
Every graphic designer has a slightly different process for designing a logo. However, there are some basic steps that are crucial to the process, and if a designer does not follow them, it is a very bad sign:
Great logos are not created overnight. If your designer suggests that a two to three-day turnaround time is typical, it means they will not invest a lot of time in your project. Successful identity design projects often take several weeks or months from start to finish.
Consider working with several brand identity designers. If you are willing to invest a little more in the design of your new logo, it can be very helpful to work with several brand identity designers to develop the concept. Each designer will have a slightly different style, process, and creative strategy, which will help you focus on your strategic vision.
For a small company, it is usually optimal to work with two or three brand identity designer, while larger companies may consider working with five or more brand identity designer. However, keep in mind that it is best to hire high-quality brand identity designer directly.
