Every small business needs it, but not many have it. I am not talking

about cash flow, clients or even your product or services to sell. Yes, all

of these things are absolutely necessary. But, what I am talking about is

something most small business owners overlook. It is the need to hire

an expert graphic designer. In a highly competitive marketplace, hiring an expert graphic designer

can mean the difference in whether your product or service stands out

and gets noticed or in having it lost in the fanfare generated by your

business rivals. Now, more than ever, hiring an expert to create your marketing and

communication materials (also called collateral materials) is one of the

most vital ingredients in the success of your small business. Hiring the right graphic designer -- a true expert -- is a bit more involved

than just randomly choosing someone from the Yellow Pages or hiring

your third cousin because he is creative and owns a new computer. If you are not careful, you may find yourself hiring the wrong person for

the wrong reasons, which may cause more harm than good to your

small business. This is a big deal. After all, this person will be creating the look and

identity of your small business seen by all of your prospects and

customers. It is essential that you don't just hire anyone. Here are five things you need to do in hiring the RIGHT graphic

designer for your small business. Number 1: Understand that graphic design is an investment, not an

expense. This investment will pay huge dividends for the image of your

business and in determining its future success. You need to be willing to

invest in hiring a qualified, experienced professional, rather than hiring

the cheapest person you can find. The old adage that. . . you get what you

pay for. . . is genuinely true. Naturally, your budget is an important issue in choosing a designer. I am

not saying you need to fork over thousands upon thousands of dollars to

the person you hire. But, if you hire the cheapest you can find and shop

on price alone, I promise, you will get exactly what you pay for. Number 2: Not all graphic designers are created equal. Just because

someone says that he/she is a graphic designer doesn't mean that the

person is necessarily worth his/her salt. The key here is to examine that

person's portfolio of work. Graphic design is more than pretty pictures or cool graphics. It is a visual

means of solving complex business problems by communicating the

essence of your business message and personality. Therefore, when

you are looking at the designer's portfolio don't just take a quick look.

Dig in and ask many questions about the work. What was the design problem? How was it solved? What was the

concept behind the design solution? Why were the colors chosen? Why

was the format chosen? What were the results? Was the client satisfied?If the designer can't answer these questions or answers with "I did it this

way because it looks cool. . . " or "I used yellow because it is my favorite

color. . . " move on. Number 3: Hire a designer with experience. Someone fresh out of

design school may be enthusiastic about working for you, but may not

be the best investment you can make. You should hire a designer who has, at the very least, three or more

years of real world experience under his/her belt. The more experience a designer offers, the better he/she will be able to

steer you away from potential headaches and pitfalls. An experienced

designer can suggest ways to handle your project that you may never

have thought of before. A seasoned designer will also have a good idea of what works and what

doesn't work, such as the best way to format a direct mail piece or which

colors and fonts work best in conveying the message and feeling you

are trying to communicate. Experience relates back to the first point I made. Hiring an experienced

designer is a better investment of your marketing dollars. You probably wouldn't feel comfortable hiring someone with little

experience in medicine to perform surgery on you. . . the same can be

said for hiring a designer. Essentially a designer is performing surgery

on your business by constructing the look and feel of your design

project. Bottom line: real world experience is priceless. Number 4: Check references. If the designer you are considering has

done a stellar job for previous and/or current clients, that professional

should not hesitate in giving you names of people that attest to that fact.

No references should be taken as a big red flag. When contacting references, which you should, ask questions about the

overall experience with the designer. Is the designer a professional? Would you use the designer again? Do

you feel you got your money? worth? Did he/she deliver the project

within the timeframe and the budget upon which was originally agreed?

Does the finished piece solve your problem? Ask, as many questions as

you think will apply to your particular situation. Number 5: Honestly discuss your budget. Budget is usually the

proverbial 800-lb gorilla in the middle of the room. Most everyone has a

budget in mind, but not many want to discuss it. If you have done steps one through four, you will be close to hiring

someone that is not a trained sales killer and is not just interested in

taking all of your money, so you can be open and honest with them. Having a candid discussion with the designer about what you can

practically afford is vital, because:First: It lets both of you know, right off the bat, whether you can work

together. You won't waste time wondering. . . how much is this going to

cost me or do I have the money to hire this person?Second: It will allow for a discussion of what you can expect in

exchange for the money you will spend. Obviously, the key is to hire a designer that can work within your budget. To do that, you MUST have an honest and open discussion about

money. No one wants a last minute surprise about what it will cost to

work together. One last thing. . . You should view the graphic designer you hire as your strategic

business partner and an invaluable member of your team. Sure, you can

hire a pro just once to create only one specific design solution, but hiring

a graphic designer with a rich breadth of capabilities and experience

that you can tap into repeatedly is a much wiser investment. As a small business owner, you have a vision, opportunity and direction

for your business. The designer? job is to come along side you and

develop the best visual solution to fulfill that vision, opportunity and

direction. It is your brand. It is your image. It is your business message that the

designer will be communicating visually. Make sure whomever you hire

aligns with these key points discussed. Hiring the RIGHT graphic designer really is THAT important. Jeanna Pool is President of CATALYST creative, inc. , located in Denver,

Colorado. She helps small business owners who are really good at

what they do, but struggle to market their services effectively to attract

more clients on a consistent basis. She can be contacted at

http://www. catalystcreativeinc. com or call

303. 380. 9100.

Author:
Jeanna Pool