You’re ready to level up your biz and invest in custom designs for your coaching brand. You start to look on Instagram and Facebook to find the right fit but aren’t quite sure what you should be looking for. You’ve seen the horror stories of designers ghosting or coaches hating what they got. This is an investment in you and your business, so there’s no time to waste on bad experiences. Below are four major red flags to keep an eye on when searching for a graphic designer.
- No Contract - A contract is fundamental to protect both you and the designer. It should lay out essential project milestones, payment methods, as well as who owns the files. Without this in place and ownership clearly stated, the designer could resell your “custom” designs to someone else.
- No Vector Files - Vector-based files are not only industry-standard for designers. As you look to grow, you’ll need these files, perhaps have items printed, or work with other designers. This means no Canva designers.
- No Process - A designer should have a transparent process for how working together will go. Every designer will have their own style, but knowing how things will go will ensure a smooth experience. This process should clearly state the number of revisions included (be weary of “unlimited revisions” - 2-3 is more typical), timeline, how communication works, and your involvement.
- Design-only focused conversations - This may seem counterintuitive, but if a designer is only asking you questions related to aesthetics...RUN! This is a tell-tale sign that you will end up with 20 revisions, missing your old logo, and no closer to growth. Instead, an experienced, qualified designer will be translating your business into visuals. While your input is vital and the designer will always consider your preferences, a strong designer is an expert in solving problems for your business, not just making something pretty.
