For my next installment in the series of working with a web designer, I will decode the mysteries of actually choosing your designer. It’s not as simple and easy as it sounds – especially if you are unprepared.

Before you choose a designer to work on your project, you should complete the steps outlined in the first installment of this series – In the Beginning. In that post, I talk about some things you can do to prepare yourself for working with a designer. You’ll be much better off if you’re prepared when you start looking for someone to work on your project.

So, now that you’re prepared, how do you start looking for the perfect designer? Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Referrals. Did someone you know just have a killer website designed? Do you like the site and the style it uses? Ask your friend about the designer. (See “Questions You Should Ask References,” below.) If the designer gets a good recommendation, get their contact information.

2. Google. Search engines are your friend! If you prefer to look for someone local, search for “Tulsa web designer” or whatever your town or state may be. If you have a specialized project, like a non-profit website or eCommerce, search specifically for designers and developers that specialize in that area. See what comes up. Go through the results, look at portfolios, read blogs, check out their styles. If something catches your eye, put them on a list to contact.

3. Twitter and Facebook. Send out a Tweet to ask for recommendations. It never hurts, and you may get a few designers to respond directly. Just check out their work before you ask for a quote.

4. Freelance websites like Elance. If you can’t find anyone using the above methods, you can post a job on Elance and see what you fetch. Many freelance designers hang out there and you’re likely to get good work for a decent rate. Just be careful, read reviews, and don’t work with anyone who can’t communicate well in your language.

How to Decide if the Designer is the Right One for You

Once you make contact and outline your project (don’t forget to give details and budget information), you may have a few potential designers to choose from. If the estimates you get from the various designers are close in cost, you may have to use factors such as communication style, art style, friendliness, or experience to help you determine who to choose.

A good place to start is your gut feeling. If the designer is easy to communicate with, helpful, knowledgeable, and highly recommended, you may have your person. If you feel “iffy” about the designer, it may be best to keep looking.

You can always ask for references, if you feel comfortable calling them. And all designers should be willing to give you  at least one or two people to call or email about their work.

Questions You Should Ask References

1. Does the designer communicate well? This is key to the success of working with your designer. If they don’t communicate well, you may feel “in the dark” about your project. This can lead to sour feelings and bad experiences. Make sure they are available by email during reasonable hours, but don’t expect them to be available by phone. They should be able return all emails within 1-2 business days, but the nature of the business makes it difficult to take calls. This is especially true for designers who work from home and have small children…ahem.

2. Did the designer treat you like a “difficult” client or make you feel like your requests were bothersome? In other words, were they professional? Some designers aren’t the best at customer service, but some are. Even though some clients do ask for things outside the scope of their projects, good designers will gently but firmly explain that a task is not included in the project budget. A good designer will not make a client’s request seem troublesome.

3. Was the project completed within a reasonable time frame? Design work takes a lot of time over the course of several days, weeks, or even months, for larger projects. However, if the designer drags their feet on the project, it could take longer than needed to be finished. Remember that your project is probably different than the person you’re speaking with, so you can’t necessarily expect the same time frame. It also helps to keep in mind that even though you were quoted 6 hours for your project, that 6 hours won’t be done in one day. On any given day, a designer must juggle several projects, emails, invoicing, and all kind of non-billable items that require them to spread their projects out over a period of days or weeks.

General Advice for Choosing a Designer

1. Try to avoid working with a designer who does not have a portfolio. They may say, “Oh, I don’t have time to make one,” but that’s no excuse. You must see examples of their work.

2. If you’re on a tight budget, you might consider working with a student. Don’t expect them to know how to handle some situations, though, and don’t expect to get high-quality work. In this business, you usually get what you pay for.

3. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, don’t expect a fancy logo and website. Fancy, intricate designs and websites can cost literally thousands of dollars. Don’t expect perfection in user experience and illustration if you don’t have the budget for it. Start small and spend the big bucks later down the line – once you’ve made some money.

That should give you a good start for choosing your designer. Next in the series – Getting Started with Your Designer.

Tags: Design, Marketing, Small Business, Tips

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 12:02 pm and is filed under Design, Small Business, Tips and Advice, Working with a Web Designer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.