Finding Your Designer Love Match
Think about a bad date you had.
Now, think about a time you had a rough go with a graphic designer (or another type of creative).
Are there some similarities? Lack of chemistry, not sharing a vision, poor communication? Did it fizzle out quickly or end in frustration?
Good relationships – and good design relationships – bring out the best in people and in the work.
So think of me as your relationship coach. Your design relationship coach.
Let’s help you make a designer love match. (Wow, did I just sound like a game show host there or what?)
Finding “The One”
So, how do you meet the designer of your dreams?
Start with trusted colleagues and friends. Ask: Have you worked with a designer you loved? What kind of project did you do? How were they as a collaborator? Can they deliver?
Beyond that, check out websites and Instagram sites, search at the directory for the AIGA (the professional association for design) or a directory for a type of person you may want to work with like blackswho.design or queerdesign.club. See what kind of clients the designer works with, what they specialize in, how well they capture each client’s tone of voice in the designs.
RED FLAG ALERT! People share what they’re most proud of. If a designer isn’t sharing the work they do for clients, it means the clients aren’t getting their best work.
Trust is Essential
Without trust, a relationship is doomed. When you begin a new designer-client partnership, there’s no way to know exactly how the vibe is going to be. So first, trust your decision to choose this partnership. You don’t know everything that’s going to happen on this journey but trust that you are going to make something great together. Trust that you will earn each other’s trust. Trust me – it’s going to be okay.
You Get What You Give
Working with a designer is a partnership. You don’t just say “make my website/logo/print materials look good,” then wait. I wouldn’t want to go out with a passive person who never planned a date. Likewise, I don’t want to have a working relationship with someone who isn’t an active part of the design process. This includes getting photos, sharing existing branding materials, deciding if the branding needs to change, and lining up other contractors. If you’ve got a spark going, don’t inhibit forward momentum by not doing your part. As they say, it takes two to tango.
Say What You Need to Say
If there’s one thing I hated when I was in the dating world, it was the game-playing and lack of clear, honest communication that can be part of the “courting” process. Same in business relationships. Be honest and upfront, especially about your budget and your timeline. In return, we’ll be honest and upfront what we can do within those parameters. And when you do find a match, you need to communicate throughout the design process so you can stay on the same page throughout. If something isn’t feeling right, on either side, you need to address it before the relationship – and the project – goes off the rails. Honesty and communication are the foundations of any successful designer-client relationship – and any relationship at all.
One Last Thing
No one-night stands. I don’t mean literally (although I don’t advise that either). I’m talking about spec (speculative) work. Spec work is when a designer completes a small portion of a project (or sometimes a whole project!) as a sort of tryout before the client agrees to actually pay a fee. The AIGA requests that you do not ask designers to put out on the first date.
CHANGE MAKER OF THE MONTH
This month, I’m spotlighting and supporting Patients for Affordable Drugs, the only independent national patient organization focused exclusively on achieving policy changes to lower the price of prescription drugs. As the prices for drugs I use to fight my multiple sclerosis continue to rise faster and faster, it helps to know there is an advocacy group fighting this injustice so folks like me with chronic illness have a better chance at both living and living well.