About 50% of the projects we receive from our clients come with artwork from their in-house designer or partnered design agency. That being said, even when the artwork is provided, our team reviews the design in order to verify the colors, file types, and bleed marks are set up correctly. This ensures that the final product aligns with a design plan and requirements.
The other 50% of requests we receive don’t have any artwork attached. Sometimes all we receive is a logo drawing on a napkin. It happens! #nojudgement
Not to worry, we have our clients covered! All In Canopies’ team has researched, networked, and partnered with some amazing designers to help support our clients' design needs. Together, with help from our design partners, we take napkin art or a logo without a vector file and make the vision a reality for our clients.
We select our design partners based on our client’s needs, the complexity of the design, product use, and budget. We recognize that one designer can’t do it all, so we have built partnerships with a wide range of expertise and experience.
Just because your "neighbor next door recommended their sister’s best friend from college," doesn’t make that person qualified to be your graphic designer. When looking for a designer, feel free to reach out to us for help. Want to do it on your own? Not a problem, we still have you covered! Consider the following when picking a graphic design partner:
How much volume of work do you anticipate? If you are designing a new logo, this may take up to 10 hours – versus adjusting a color or border around your design, which might only take one hour. If you are looking for a full branding guide, know that it can take weeks to plan, revise and design. Ask your designer for turnaround times regardless of the size of your project, and make sure you know the estimated hours your project will take to complete (including revisions).
Fit matters! Hiring a graphic designer for a project is not all that different than hiring an employee. When looking for a designer, meet with multiple people (we recommend up to three). Treat the meeting like an interview, and ask them questions about their design process. A good designer will also interview you to make sure you're the right client for them. If feel like it is a good fit, then you’ll want to discuss rates in detail as well as potential referrals.
Experience does come with a cost — the more experience, the higher the cost. Experience can mean faster turnaround times and more precise work, however, that’s not always true. Ask your Texas graphic design partner for their rates per project vs. hourly. If you can, ask for a reference so that you can ask others about the designer's talent as well as customer service support.
The person you speak with and hire may not end up being your actual graphic designer. Confirm with your designer that he/she personally will be doing the design, or ask if they are representing a design team. If he/she is heading up a team, ask if your contact will review the project before it is sent to you for review/approval. Be cautious of any designer that is outsourcing your projects, as you may be paying more for the middleman and the designer.
Technology is amazing! These days your designer doesn’t have to be a 20 min cab away, they could be a 20-hour flight away. Technology has made the world smaller and increased the possibilities of working with talented people all over the world. For many design projects, you may not even have to meet with your designer in person. Many meetings can be done over the phone, through a video call, or even via email.
Consider the designer's time zone. If your designer is on the other side of the world, the project turnaround time might be slower than working with someone more local. If you have a lot of urgent and demanding projects, you may want to consider working with a local designer. Ask your designer about their production and delivery schedules.
We want our clients to #BEBOLDSTANDOUT! If you need a little extra help finding the ‘right’ designer for your project, please give us a call or send us a message. We can recommend designers who align with your project, your needs, and your budget. Check out our list of graphic designers we are proud to call All In Canopies’ Partners!
