Is graphic design an integral part of determining the success of a business? According to statistics, nearly 50 percent of business owners surveyed consider graphic design to be an important element that defines the success of a business. An additional 31 percent of business owners do not place as much of an emphasis on graphic design, but they understand it can have a positive impact on consumers. Just three percent of business owners surveyed expressed no interest in the subject of graphic design.

Because graphic design can be a difference-maker when it comes to attracting potential customers, as well as developing a base of loyal customers, how to choose the right graphic design agency has emerged as one of the most important questions for business owners to answer. Graphic design agencies create visually appealing designs and marketing collateral for businesses of all sizes. Although creativity forms the identity of graphic design agencies, graphic designers also must possess strong business skills, such as understanding trends and the psychology of different target audiences.

If you want to improve the visual appeal of your brand, knowing how to choose the right graphic design agency can help you meet your goal.

Tips for Partnering with the Best Graphic Design Agency

How can you find the right graphic design agency to grow your business? Let us count the ways.

Tip #1: Think Small
It seems counterintuitive for a business leader to think small when the whole point of managing business is to focus on getting large. When it comes to choosing the best graphic design agency, thinking smaller is the way to go. A smaller graphic design agency provides more personal client services, such as responding promptly to emails and text messages. Because of the red tape that faces larger agencies, you can expect faster responses to emergencies from a small graphic design agency. One frequent emergency that requires a super-fast response involves changing the design criteria of a project.The smaller the graphic design agency, the shorter the chain of command for making decisions.

Tip #2: Know What You Want to Achieve
When you meet with a graphic designer for the first time, you must articulate what your project is about and what your business expects for an outcome. You should define the target audience, although an experienced graphic designer can help you refine the scope of your target audience to ensure you reach the right base of potential customers. You should clearly convey your expectations for the project to help the graphic designer gain a thorough understanding of what you want to achieve.

Tip #3: Show Me Your Portfolio
Research consists of the most important item on your to-do list when the time comes to hire a graphic design agency. Experience matters, but every graphic design agency on your shortlist of candidates must present a large portfolio of successful projects completed for previous clients. After examining a portfolio, ask for references from both current and former clients.

Tip #4: Diversity Matters
No, not the type of diversity that is the foundation of a recruitment and mentoring strategy. Diversity for a graphic design agency concerns offering a wide variety of services. The agencies that offer the widest variety of services excel at both traditional and digital graphic design strategies. Consider hiring a graphic design agency that has executed a wide variety of projects for clients across the industry spectrum. Working with a graphic designer who has experience working with a wide variety of clients can introduce you to visual ideas that you never considered.

Tip #5: Learn About the Process
You do not have to master every technical term that applies to the graphic design industry. However, you should understand the basics of the process for completing successful projects. Understanding the process for your project also provides you with a timeline for completing the project. Create deadlines for different phases of your project to measure progress, as well as determine whether the agency has the time set aside to give your project the attention that it deserves.

Tip #6: Speak Up
You might feel a bit intimidated when discussing a graphic design project, especially when it comes to hearing highly technical skills. One of the most important lessons taught to us in school was “There are no stupid questions.” This applies to your interactions with the graphic designer you meet during the first meeting. Not only do you receive clarification about technical terms, but you also ensure that you and the agency are on the same creative page. Your designer should make you feel comfortable and welcome any and all questions related to your project.

Tip #7: Keep an Open Mind
You might have developed an idea or two for your graphic design project. Maybe you have the creative skills to promote a certain design element. Before you settle on a design idea, keep an open mind and listen to what the designer has to offer in terms of creative input. What you initially had for a creative design vision can be fine-tuned or even dramatically changed to enhance the visual appeal of your project.

Tip #8: Start with a Trial Project
Completing a short trial project can help you gain insight into whether the agency under consideration is the best fit for your business. A trial project also allows the graphic design agency to determine if it wants to partner with you during a much larger graphic design project.

The Bottom Line: Why Graphic Design Matters
A graphic design agency can boost the image of your brand in several ways. Elevating the brand your company presents to the world can make a profitable impact on your business. The question is not whether you should hire a graphic design agency. Instead, the question is how do you hire the right graphic design agency to help achieve your creative vision.

About Evoke Idea Group, LLC

Evoke Idea Group, LLC is a full-service design and marketing creative agency providing award-winning marketing communications and graphic design solutions since 1996. For more than two decades, we’ve helped mid-to-large size B2B and B2C companies, marketing departments and breakout companies captivate and convert customers through print and digital campaigns. We serve a wide range of clients on a national, regional, and local basis.

We are in the business of bringing awareness to brands and helping to grow companies through strategic marketing, digital marketing, advertising, web design, video and graphic design services. Our fresh, creative approaches are translated through: graphic design, logo design, website design, advertisements, infographics, digital marketing, social media marketing, web banner ads, print materials, flyers, case studies, sell sheets, posters, brochures, branding and identity, brand guidelines, packaging, trade show booths, exhibit graphics, video and animated motion graphics.

Our full-service advertising agency provides freelance marketing communications and graphic design solutions throughout Arizona, Phoenix, Cave Creek, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tucson, Peoria, Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff, Northern Arizona, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Aurora, Naperville, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Elgin, Schaumburg, DeKalb, Joliet, Chicago, Chicago Suburbs, Maricopa County, Yavapai County, Coconino County, Pima County, DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, Will County, McHenry County, DeKalb County, Cook County, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, the Midwest, the Southwest, USA and worldwide.