{"id":30217,"date":"2022-04-13T21:45:11","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T04:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ericasneubauer.com\/?p=30217"},"modified":"2022-04-22T14:39:40","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T21:39:40","slug":"how-to-find-a-freelance-web-or-graphic-designer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ericasneubauer.com\/how-to-find-a-freelance-web-or-graphic-designer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to find a freelance web or graphic designer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t
There comes a time in many organization’s life that you need to find a website designer (or brand designer, or even a print designer), you don’t want to hire in-house, and your budget isn’t a good fit for your local marketing agency. What do you do? The answer is simple- hire a freelance (or contract) designer. The complicated part? Finding<\/em> said freelancer- one who’s experienced enough for the work, skilled in that particular area, and available for taking on new projects.<\/p>\n If you’ve been in marketing and the corporate world for a while, you may be aware of the multiple “marketplaces” available where companies can list their projects and get matched with pre-vetted designers. Sound like a perfect solution? Not quite.<\/em><\/p>\n The truth about designer marketplaces<\/strong><\/p>\n Not wanting to point fingers, but most of these places represent an absolute race to the bottom in terms of pricing. This is bad for companies for two reasons:<\/p>\n Another reason why these marketplaces aren’t great for companies is because of how you are locked into the platform once you find someone. Consider this scenario which came up in a recent conversation:<\/p>\n A busy law practice with an in-house marketing team needed more occasional advanced help with their Wordpress website, but specifically did not want to work with an agency. They found a platform claiming to be a matchmaking service, signed up and found a freelancer that was perfect for the job- knowledgeable about Wordpress and a good fit for the culture. When they read the fine print, they realized they could only work with this freelancer within the platform itself, including all payment transactions, resulting in higher fees for both the freelancer AND the company. They could not approach the freelancer for at least one year without becoming liable to potential (and significant) fees and litigation from the platform. At this point, the company felt disillusioned with the marketplace, failed to get what they needed, AND still needed to find a freelance web professional.\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n This scenario actually erases one of the main benefits of working with freelance\/contract designers- the flexibility to find a new one if it doesn’t end up being a good fit, or the opportunity to adjust the terms over time if you find your unicorn.<\/p>\n Instead of a marketplace, try this:<\/strong><\/p>\n Here’s some ideas for how to find a freelance web designer without resorting to a marketplace.<\/p>\n But how do I vet them?<\/strong><\/p>\n Good question!! First off, here’s what you should NEVER do- ask or expect that they’ll do the work before payment, to see how it goes. This is a major red flag that most designers look out for and will get you a quick “no thanks” from anyone not totally desperate.<\/p>\nInstead, do two things: first, carefully check their portfolio of work and testimonials. Do you see examples of the style they are looking for? Are they able to work outside that style at times (this is important, because you don’t want them imposing some pre-defined visual constraints simply because its what they are good at. Each project is different and your designer should work with you to determine the best style for your project before starting). Read all their reviews and testimonials (common places you can look for reviews are on Google Maps, Facebook, LinkedIn and\/or on their website). I like to use the external review sources personally, because it seems clearer that they are made by an actual entrepreneur or company. Should I search for designers “near me”?<\/strong><\/p>\n That’s up to you- do you like to meet in-person with your designers? If so, you can search by location in LinkedIn results, and in Google by typing in “logo designer near me” for example. Keep in mind, this may limit your available pool if you live in a rural area. Also, thanks to the internet and Zoom, you can absolutely do a great branding and website process remotely. I’ve had many clients from all over the US, the UK and even in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n Whatever route you take, once you find a great web, graphic, or branding designer you love working with, hold on to them! There’s so many advantages to forming long-term relationships with contract designers- they’ll understand your business better, you’ll get quicker and better results as time goes on, and no one has to waste money on paying the middle man.<\/p>\n And now here’s my plug:<\/strong><\/p>\n Chances are, if you’re reading this article, that you are actively looking for a freelance web or graphic designer. Time to put these steps into practice, and why not start right here- on the website of a freelance web (and brand, and print) designer? Take a look at my\u00a0portfolio of work<\/a> <\/strong>and read my client testimonials<\/a><\/strong>– and when you’re ready- let’s chat about your design needs!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There comes a time in many organization’s life that you need to find a website designer (or brand designer, or even a print designer), you don’t want to hire in-house, and your budget isn’t a good fit for your local marketing agency. What do you do? The answer is simple- hire a freelance (or contract) …<\/p>\n\n
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\nSecond- consider doing a test project, for pay. Pick a small project like a flyer, or social media graphics, or a landing page design, and ask them to complete it for a fixed price. You can let them know that its a test project with the potential to work together more if it works out. More than likely, they’ll appreciate the chance to feel the waters, and if the test project isn’t a success, you’re only out a small amount of money.\n