10 Tips on How to Not Be Robbed by Sketchy Designers

Be warned, not all clients and designer relationships are good ones. It’s a delicate balancing act of power between you and the designer. What starts out as a positive, creative atmosphere suddenly alters the instant feedback is given and/or the minute money change hands. Some designers will help you on the path to your vision, but some are there to break your heart (and your wallet!).

Before a bad relationship reaches its boiling point, watch out for red flags telling you that you and your designer will have a major meltdown.

1. Designs without your design brief

The design is in the details. It is necessary for designers to have what’s called a “design brief”, and it collects all the information about the project, and acts as a guide for the designer to work and help them reach your vision. Those designers with the bad habit of being overconfident and start the project based on what they think you want, without your comments, will end up poorly. You can’t work that way in design.

Source: ThinkStock/designaart
Your design should “hit” the right audience.

2. Missing the target market

Your design is expressing a message and your designer can’t ignore the target market of that message. Graphic designers that will work this way make a weak and aimless design that draws no one for your business. You have, or need to have, a target audience in mind with your design. Analyze your intended customers and focus on what you want to say to them. Provide this information in your design brief.

3. Refusing to give up the master file

Graphic designers who demand to keep original artwork set off red flags. Don’t let them control the business relationship, but set out a contract that benefits you both. Let them have the rights to show the piece in their portfolio, but get that master file!

Your design needs to offer plenty of flexibility if your situation changes in the future, and without the master file, you are unable to make changes if necessary. Eventually, you will hire someone else to redesign your project from scratch.

Source: ThinkStock/Thinglass
Designer: We’ll talk.. eventually

4. They avoid contacting you

Some designers get into the industry believing they will never have to talk to people. If they aren’t getting back to you on time or asking questions about your reaction, be wary. They are not going to keep your project on schedule and will cause conflict in the long run. Time is money. Communication is the key to any good relationship, and one-sided relationships never work out well.

5. They are procrastinating

Chances are, when you started this project you had a deadline in mind. If they are falling short of their deadline or constantly requesting extensions, they are not professional. Graphic designers are efficient, just as much as other business professionals, and if they weren’t, they would be fired in any other industry. Have respect for your project and your deadline, and find professionals that have basic business sense.

6. Designs in the portfolio are several years out of date

Staying up-to-date with the latest design trends is especially important for graphic designers. As new technology upgrades every day, there are newer and better ways to get the design result you want. If the designer isn’t getting any recent work or showcasing new skills in their portfolio, they are not going to help your design be successful.

7. Really low-prices

Low-price doesn’t necessarily mean shady, but it should make you cautious. If you have already approached several graphic designers and received quotes and this designer is 1/3 of the price, read all the details in the contract very carefully and watch the wording.

For example: You want to buy web design services. You find this inexpensive designer, chat back and forth about the project, and they hand you a contract. Everything seems perfect and so, you sign! But you didn’t see the small print which included a clause stating the designer won’t give you the source file (aka the master files).

Instead of getting a website built for you, which you can modify when necessary, you are actually buying a “monthly hosting” plan and will be unable to change anything about the site without hiring this designer again for additional services and fees.

8. Dissatisfaction with other clients

Source: ThinkStock/IPGGutenbergUKLtd
Are you even reading the design brief?

When you go to a designer’s web site and clients have expressed serious discontent with the designer, trouble is coming your way. Don’t let the designer fluff you with how much they would love to work for you because XYZ, it’s only a matter of time before you get upset with the way they work.

If you really want to work with the designer, contact the previous clients and find out what really happened in that relationship.

9. Pressures you to make quick decisions

Some designers who talk about a massive workload will suddenly have the free time for you, if you sign a contract. Don’t fall for one of the oldest tricks in business! These designers want you to think they have limited availability, this way you will glance quickly over the contract details.

If they are pressuring you to make a decision now or else, they are not the right designer for you. You need to read over the contract details carefully, and if they are rushing you, they are hiding something.

10. It’s not plagiarism, its inspiration!

You hire your graphic designer to give you original work and something that will bring attention to your brand, separating you from your competitors. Sure, you find that one company’s web site amazing, but you don’t want one exactly like it.

Double-check designers’ work to stop them from passing off other people’s work as theirs. Your credibility will take a hit if they get caught.

Have you ever fired a graphic designer before? How do you handle a good relationship with your designer? Let us know at @zilliondesigns or comment below.