Simplicity, colour contrast, relevant font styles and typography are just some of the elements that can make a brand logo stand out among the rest. However, it can be a little challenging to get a logo designed for your business, blog or personal brand. One of the first things that you have to look for is the right designer to collaborate with.

It’s important to work with someone who has impeccable professionalism, great technique, and a creative mind. But how do you find this graphic design soul mate of yours? It can be tricky to find someone who meets all the requirements immediately. 

Let’s look at how to approach finding the right Designer for you. 

What to look for

Keep a list ready of what to look out for when searching for a Designer. From budget to their unique style, most things need to align with your brand strategy for this partnership to bear fruits. Here are a few things to check for: 

• Experience
• Cost for the deliverables 
• Portfolio 
• Client testimonials 
• Customer service or client support 
• Charges for additional revisions (Some designers offer one free revision)
• Clear communication (They should be asking about your brand needs, business goals, history and target audience)
• Deliverables (They should send you the design in all file formats such as JPG, SVG, PDF and AI)

Know your brand inside out, upside down

Consider the elements that make your brand stand out. When you think about colours, be mindful of what they represent and the emotions they invoke for your audience. The clearer you are on your brand vision, the easier your search will be; find someone whose portfolio aligns with your brand.

Make room for change

The flip side of knowing your brand intimately is growing so fond of it that any attempt to modify it can seem sacrilegious. Remember that logo design is a creative process. You’ll have to see a lot of ‘versions’ of your perfect logo idea before you arrive at something that is ideal. With the right Designer, each version will be one step closer to your perfect logo. 

You might think your luxury goods business has more of a black and white personality, but keep an open mind to see how it looks in purple opulence. 

Don’t hire your Designer friend – Unless they’re REALLY good

It’s not always a good idea to hire your friend. For the partnership to work, their design style, work ethic and creative approach need to align with your brand.

In most cases, when people hire a graphic designer through the grapevine, it’s done due to budget constraints. However, a bad design can cost you way more than just a one-time fee. It can harm the impression and image of your brand, affect your profits, require more marketing, and hence, more costs. It can also require a brand image re-do way sooner than you had originally planned. 

Budget

Your budget brackets will narrow down the search pool for you; keep some room to manoeuvre in it. Sometimes, you may need to stretch your budget to accommodate changes or revisions. If so, keep that amount in mind when going through potential designer portfolios. Having a stretchable logo design budget can help you access better, more experienced designers. 

Freelance designer platforms like Behance, Dribbble, The Creative Pool, are great places to find designers, browse their portfolios, and look at their fees. Keep in mind, though, that the fees may change depending on the scope and type of the work, and how much time they’ll need to spend on it. 

Digital presence 

Though it isn’t necessary, a designer having a functioning blog is an indication of their level of commitment to their work. If a designer runs an active blog, it lets you know that they are passionate about their craft and will usually have fresher and more original ideas, compared to artists who work passively. They will also have better connections, be aware of trends, and are probably always looking to improve their technique. For the latter, you can check their portfolios; improvement will be apparent there.

Good luck with your search! 

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. Remember to be open in your communications with potential designers and you’re bound to find the right match.

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Meet the author: Christy Young

Christy Young is a professional copywriter who’s just started her freelancing career. She writes on diverse topics including business, marketing, branding and real estate. From blog writing to ad copy and SEO writing, she delivers top-notch content to her clients. Keep up with Christy on Twitter.