Not every designer is made equal. However the important level ground is that everyone is on the same page. You want the very best from your Graphic Designer  I want to deliver the very best to you – that’s a great place to start. Consider this:

1. How to find the right designer for your business.

• Bad design costs the same as good design.

• Consider using a qualified, experienced designer. The Australian Graphic Design Association  (AGDA) is Australia’s peak body for the promotion of Graphic Designers in Australia. As a member I adhere to the code of conduct. Click Here for more on AGDA

• Work with a designer you can trust, ask your business colleagues for recommendations?

• Purchasing design is not like buying white goods! Aiming to get the most features & functionality for the lowest possible price is not getting the best out of your designer.

2. What’s your business communication problem?

• My logo is out-of-date; it doesn’t reflect my business.

• My logo says nothing about what my business does.

• My logo needs to be a vision for what my business represents.

• My printed marketing material needs to support my business –
and it’s only costing me.

• I don’t know the first thing about design or websites, but my business needs it.

• My customers cannot find my website.

• How can I attract new customers?

• My website is old, slow and I cant update anything.

• How can I sell my products online without it costing me too much.

• My website designer has gone AWOL I need someone on my side.

If you answer YES to any of these questions, immediately move to GO! and CLICK HERE to contact me.

3. Who is your customer?

Knowing or profiling your customers allows us designers to create solutions that speak directly to your target market. Design elements like style, typography and imagery are all reflections of your customers wants and needs. Start by asking yourself:

• Who are my customers?

• What do they like?

• Where do they come from?

• How old are they?

4. Uniqueness

You have heard it before and that’s because it is important – what makes your business stand out, what makes you unique from all the rest? These benefits are essential for design and enable designers to fully understand your business.

• Where do you position yourself against your competitors?

• What’s your unique selling position?

• What is the value in your business?

5. The Design Brief

Once you have answered these above business questions, it’s much easier to define a design brief that perfectly outlines your business problem. A design brief focuses on the desired outcomes and the results of a project and it’s requirements.

In it’s basic form, it might look something like:

“Design a logo for our new contemporary brand of clothing that reflects youth street culture. The logo will be used on printed stationery, merchandise, the website and social media sites”.

Be upfront about your budget, timeframes, and resources.

It’s then our job to research and use our big creative to find a solution and surprise you!

6. Engagement

Once you have the perfect logo, website, brochure, then what next?

How are you going to engage your potential customers?

The way business communicates to an audience has changed dramatically in the past 5 years alone. It’s a great time to be in small business and the opportunities are limitless. But here is the catch – once it’s out there, it’s harder to take back. That means it’s critical that your message is clear, brand aligned and communicates directly to your market. A combination of great design rich engaging content, social media and online marketing is the new frontier of for small business.  Use it smartly and reap the benefits.

7. Results

What do the numbers say? I hate numbers, BUT I have myself had to reconcille my differences with statistics and numbers. Numbers and statistics really do give you the full picture and help to highlight areas of your communication and marketing that is working and that of which is not.

So re-nurture your relationship with the numbers and get on top of your competitors.
 Ask yourself:

• How’s it all working for you?

• Is the new design having an impact?

• How is your content being received?

• Increasing sales?

• Increasing leads?

• Does it deliver your intended outcome?

AND…

With plenty of ways to gauge the success of a design project, often tweaking, re-working, changes and feedback is part of the process. That is why it is absolutely essential you maintain a reliable, beneficial relationship with your designer!  Don’t underestimate the value of having a new best friend for your business – A graphic and web designer!