Frequently asked questions
It’s important for clients to ask the right questions when choosing a designer. To help, here I answer some of the most frequently asked questions I receive.
If there’s anything else you want to know, or for additional explanation, do get in touch.
FAQs about hiring me
- How much does it cost to work with you?
- What does the cost include?
- Such and such charges less than you. Can you match them?
- How long will the project take to complete?
- Can you start right away?
- What’s involved in the design process?
- I’ve never worked with a graphic designer before. Can you tell me what to expect from one?
- What exactly do I receive during the course of the project?
- What artwork filetypes do you provide?
- Do you create style guides for your brand identities?
- How much of your project research is based upon client competition and their identity designs?
- You’re in a different country from me. Will this affect things?
- Can we talk on the telephone?
- Can you offer help with stationery printing?
- How do you accept payment?
- Will you use current trends for my design?
- Will you feature my new brand identity in your portfolio?
- Can you recommend any other graphic designers?
How much does it cost to work with you?
Hiring me for a brand identity design project costs between £3,000 and £15,000 Great British pounds (here’s a recommended currency converter for those unfamiliar with the pound).
The cost varies depending on a number of factors.
For example, consider the size of the company I’m designing for: A small-sized enterprise might have just one person responsible for identity usage, and so there’s little need for an extensive brand guideline document.
On the other hand, working with the board of directors of a large multinational may need an exhaustive presentation that analyzes the competition, explores a wider range of strategic variations to achieve committee consensus, and arrives at a comprehensive set of branding guidelines.
Or perhaps a smaller project involves the design of a logo and stationery set (business cards, letterheads), whereas a larger project can also include an online presence (website, social media profiles, a strategy for search engine optimisation, etc.) and a guideline document to ensure consistent use of the identity.
The inclusion of a website normally means I bring on board extremely talented web designers/developers, but I’m also keen to work with web teams chosen by clients.
If you have design needs of your own, feel free to get in touch for a no obligation chat.
What does the cost include?
My personal assurance that the visual identity of the client’s company will stand above its competition. Read my design process for a brief overview about what happens behind the scenes. Full ownership of the completed artwork, along with all original files, is also included.
Such and such charges less than you. Can you match them?
Design is not a commodity.
Just as a client chooses the designer, the designer also chooses the client. It’s up to the designer to work with those who value the service provided. My satisfied client list is extensive, and you can read a few testimonials here.
“A commodity is anything for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market. In other words, copper is copper. Rice is rice. Stereos, on the other hand, have many levels of quality. And, the better a stereo is, the more it will cost.”
— WIKIPEDIA
Image copyright: Alexander Drachmann
How long will the project take to complete?
Time frames usually vary from three weeks to three months, depending on specific deliverables, with the “average” project duration lasting four to six weeks. Every project is different, so I learn individual needs before providing a schedule.
Can you start right away?
It’s possible, but my main focus is on current clients. Get in touch for more info.
What’s involved in the design process?
Here’s a brief overview of the design process.
I’ve never worked with a graphic designer before. Can you tell me what to expect from one?
This blog article should help: 10 things to expect from a designer.
What exactly do I receive when during the course of the project?
I will normally send clients a PDF presentation showing one or two effective brand identity solutions. The designs are displayed in a variety of formats and contexts to give clients a broad overview of how the identity works across all promotional material.
What artwork filetypes do you provide?
Adobe Illustrator (.ai) or Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) are the main filetypes provided for the brandmark (logo). Such files can be scaled to any size without loss of quality, and with the right software, clients can create any other filetype necessary (.jpg, .png, .gif, etc.). I’m more than happy to help with specific file requests, and answer any questions if clients are unsure.
Do you create style guides for your brand identities?
Providing a style guide is certainly an option, and is dependent upon individual client needs. If only one person is responsible for using the design, a style guide is much less important than if the client is a 500 person strong organisation. Guides are supplied as a PDF file, and can be from a single page in length to upwards of 10 pages. They contain usage instructions, such as colour codes, minimum reproduction size, correct page positioning and isolation areas.
How much of your project research is based upon client competition and their identity designs?
A great deal. Evaluating the competition is a necessary part of the process, and should be expected from any graphic designer. Even though I research client competitors for every project, some clients choose not to have this stage documented and supplied, thus saving money.
You’re in a different country from me. Will this affect things?
The vast majority of my clients come from outside the UK, mainly because of my strong search engine rankings. This hasn’t adversely affected any of my design projects, and whilst I’d love to meet face-to-face, it can often save time by communicating only via telephone and email. Just two of my featured testimonials are from clients in the UK.
Can we talk on the telephone?
Absolutely. All clients receive my mobile phone number, and I’m available between 9am and 5pm GMT, from Monday to Friday (except during weekends and holidays).
Can you offer help with stationery printing?
Yes. I have extensive experience dealing with commercial printers, and am more than happy to offer advice about how money can be saved. Here’s a brief primer: 12 money-saving questions to ask before printing your promotional material. The reader comments beneath the article also offer useful advice.
How do you accept payment?
With most design projects, I request a 50% downpayment prior to scheduling the work. This is payable by a number of methods: via bank transfer, PayPal, cheque, or by sending a bank draft in GBP (Great British pounds). Details are included in my invoice, and the remaining 50% is payable upon completion of the project, prior to supply of original artwork.
Will you use current trends for my design?
It’s unfair to have my clients returning a couple of years later when their identity is out-of-date. The brandmarks I create are intended to last the duration of clients’ businesses — not to look trendy.
Will you feature my project in your portfolio?
Although I reserve the right to showcase designs in my promotional work, time constraints mean it’s not guaranteed every project will be included. At the time of writing, there are more than 10 new projects waiting to be added to my portfolio. Finding the time to document each individual process isn’t straightforward.
Can you recommend any other graphic designers?
Armed with details of the project I can happily recommend designers (for identity projects, web projects, or others). In the meantime here’s a little side-project of mine, featuring some of the world’s most iconic logo designers, responsible for many well-known brand identities.
Thank you
Should you have any questions of your own, by all means drop me a message, or if you haven’t already, you’re more than welcome to browse through my graphic design portfolio.
Top image credit: Oberazzi
