Do’s and Don’ts When Working with a Designer

ByAbby Saylor Armbruster

Do's and Don'ts When Working with a Designer

This is a post I’ve been wanting to do for a while, and now I feel like I finally have enough things to say to make it into its own post. As a designer, and just a freelancer in general, you experience working with lots of different types of people in various fields and stages of their careers. Some of my clients are working with a designer for the first time, while others are much more familiar with the process. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what to do, here are the do’s and don’ts when working with a designer!

DO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

This is a BIG one and I’m sure all of you other designers out there can strongly agree. If you’re wondering, do I have to credit the designer? Why is that necessary? Think of it this way — it’s similar to:

  • Crediting the photographer when newlyweds post their wedding photos
  • Crediting the blogger when a brand reposts their image

It’s common courtesy to credit the designer when you share a graphic, document or project they designed for you — whether it’s a logo, website redesign… you name it. Everything. Accreditation and recommendations are the biggest way designers (as well as many other professionals) gain new clients, and giving that credit is the right thing to do. Designers are just as excited to work with you as you are to work with them, so completing a project and seeing that credit wasn’t given is a huge letdown & puts a sour taste in their mouth.

You by no means need to write an essay about them or post a 5-minute video clip raving about their work (though you’re more than welcome to because we love it! 😊) but no matter what, tagging them and/or including their name is not only necessary, but expected. These are a couple super easy ways to do it each time you share the content:

  • Designed by *name*
  • Thanks so much for designing this, *name*!

It’s as easy as that. If you want to be extra complimentary, a quick blurb on your experience working with them and your satisfaction with the final product is always appreciated, especially if you’ve done a lot of work with the designer and are considering working with them in the future. A designer will likely be more willing to squeeze you into their schedule if you treat them right and it’s a mutually beneficial relationship, you know? If you like the work they did for you, say so! Here’s a great example of that:

This is designed by *name,* who I enjoyed working with so much! She/he was so timely and easy to work with and she/he really pulled together my vision and executed what I wanted beautifully. I’m so happy with the result and I highly recommend working with her/him. 

I’m not sure why some people are hesitant to credit designers, but it’s something I see often. My only guess is that that they feel it takes some of the “shine” away from them and directly expresses that they didn’t do absolutely everything themselves, but that is by no means something to be ashamed of. Hiring someone who specializes in a part of your project that you don’t have experience in or don’t want to/aren’t able to do yourself isn’t a bad thing. A big part of running a business is knowing that it’s okay to delegate certain tasks to people who may be able to do it easier and better than you can, and that’s okay! Designers work hard to give you everything and more that you’re looking for, so please don’t jip them in the end but not giving credit where it’s due.

DON’T EXPECT THEM TO WORK FOR FREE

This probably sounds silly and like a no-brainer to 99.9% of you, but believe it or not, people do try to swing this. I don’t know why people think trades or selecting a designer that’s independent and what you consider “smaller” means you don’t have to compensate them. Everyone deserves to be paid for their time, and if the designer’s quote is out of your budget, it’s okay to say “I can’t swing that right now, but thanks so much for your time and I’ll be in touch in the future!

DO UNDERSTAND THAT DESIGN TAKES TIME

Like many tasks (especially when you’re outsourcing), designs can’t be completed overnight. Good work takes time and if you are on a time crunch, do understand that the designer may have to turn you down due to the constraint. A common timeframe to expect for a project to be completed is two weeks (sometimes less, sometimes more). This 2-week time period will often consist of sending multiple drafts back and forth, making tweaks and ensuring you get exactly what you want. Saying “hey, can you design me a logo in the next 48 hours?’ isn’t realistic, so don’t expect it. Be respectful of the designer’s time, work schedule and workload, and keep in mind that they have other clients. We work as efficiently and thoroughly as we can!

DON’T BE UNCLEAR WITH WHAT YOU WANT

It’s okay to approach a designer with a loose idea of what you want, but if you know you need certain things (colors, dimensions, etc.) provide those first. I’ve completed projects and the client says “oh sorry, I actually need it in these specific dimensions” and I have to rework the whole document after I’ve already completed it. As I said, it’s totally fine to give the designer a loose idea and letting them run with it if you’re not looking for anything overly specific, but if you are, share it.

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Those are the big ones! I hope this post is helpful for those of you currently working with designers or are considering it in the future. Thanks so much for reading! I’m currently on the couch feeling superrrrr nauseous from my migraine meds (😅), but I’m pushing through hard while binge-watching vlogs, to paint a mental picture for you 🤪 Anyway, I hope you guys have had a great day & see you in Friday’s post!