PART 3 – Embracing Graphic design

Posted: 22nd May 2017

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By: Linda Wild

PART 3 – Embracing Graphic design

Article 3 of 3

PART 3 : Embracing Graphic Design.

I am Linda Wild – Wild Ideas original graphic design, and I am pleased to have been invited to write a 3 part series to help you appreciate the benefits of professional graphic design for your business.

So last time I helped you get to grips with why you “need” graphic design and the benefits gained from it, so if you have really understood that then you will be ready to embrace things whole heartedly and get stuck in. But how do you establish a relationship with the right designer. . .

Now you understand what graphic design is all about, and you have accepted the need, you are ready to embrace the service, but you want to build some trust with the right designer.

You should end up working very closely with them, and you need to be able to get on with that person, trust, understand, and heck – like them for goodness sake!

Its not just about looking on Yell and picking the first one you see – well that may well work, but us designers are a different breed, we have strong creative personalities and finding someone to fit your personality may take time.

Maybe make a list of the kind of things you are looking for, but it ought to be a pretty standard requisite that you want:

  1. Personal Service

You need a reliable service, a designer who will deliver, someone who will really listen to what you want.

Every project is different from the last, and in order for a designer to come up with a unique design that is personal to you, they need to sit down and discuss in a certain amount of detail what you need from that project.

I have been round the block a few times now and come back to the same conclusion time and time again ( in many situations) that you get what you pay for.
Therefore, a company that quotes a price “off the peg” and does not do a full and detailed briefing up front, will not know what you want from your project and will therefore not be able to provide it.

Please do not be satisfied with a half-hearted chat, and reasonable design, that doesn’t necessarily fit your needs, and an average result.

Make sure you find out what is involved with the service your designer is providing:

Like Wild Ideas does, your designer of choice should

provide a top class quality service, that aims to:

  • establish a valuable partnership.
  • be friendly and ‘available out-of-hours’
  • focus on you and understand what you need.
  • address the needs and goals of your project.

2.  An experienced professional:

with knowledge and skill, someone who is organised, efficient and competent

I believe that the graphic design for your marketing, branding etc should aim to:

Make sure that your graphic designer of choice has an understanding of marketing techniques and methods, and the skills and ability to achieve the goals you have set out for your business.

Wild Ideas 20+ years graphic design experience means YOU CAN

Linda builds your professional branding so YOU CAN

Linda helps you stand out from the competition so YOU CAN 

  1. A proper system of how your project will progress:

with a detailed price, design plan, and agreed timescales.

Make sure that your designer of choice has a system that you are happy with

This is how I do it:

Wild Ideas provides an innovative design solution – in just 5 steps

I believe in your project, understand your passion and is the catalyst that creates a great finished design from your idea.

As part of the thorough, professional 5-step process you will receive:

  • Step 1 : From the very first, completely free, in-depth briefing meeting, I will listen to all your ideas and provide honest advice and offer suggestions.
  • Step 2 : You will receive a written quotation detailing everything you have agreed, so there is 100% clarity on what you expect and what my design goals are.
  • Step 3 : You can now choose to either; walk away with no questions asked, OR you accept the quotation and sign Wild Ideas standard terms and conditions, showing your approval for me to start work on your design.
  • Step 4 : Whilst I develop your design, you have the option of continual feedback and input or you can leave it in my capable hands. I will email a selection of file images and ask for your feedback. You then provide your revision requests for me to complete before receiving your final proofs.
  • Step 5 : Once you approve your design, and confirm written acceptance for detail and accuracy, I will create final high resolution files or order your print. Finally you will receive your finished design files or your completed printed project delivered direct to you. Wild Ideas will normally only invoice you upon approved completion of your project.

Design has very few right or wrong answers, a solution is what works for you. By working together we turn your thoughts into a wild idea and deliver the innovative, workable solution your project needed.

  1. Consistency across your printed marketing and your website:

With cross platform designs and communication between web and print designer.

Your printed marketing should be re-enforced on your website, so if you are using two independent companies for each element you need to make sure you keep them in touch with each other.

If they can’t work together or communicate on the same level then it will create problems.

Your designer of choice should be someone who is skilled enough to do both, or find a company like Wild Ideas that already has a web developer that they collaborate with, making for a smooth and easy transition for all your marketing material across both print and web.

There are plenty of great designers out there, but take your time to find the right fit for you. Make sure you TRUST that they can, KNOW that they will, and BELIEVE in what they do.

you can contact me via my website. www.lindawildideas.co.uk

And you can read more in my weekly online blog at http://www.lindawildideas.co.uk/blog/

Thanks for reading

Linda Wild

Wild Ideas original graphic design.

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