Advice needed -new logo design site

[gareth1614]

Hi all, I need some advice here. I just bought a turnkey logo/banner design website, which is going to be outsourced to 'reputable' designers according to the seller, and I would take a percentage of every sale. Having minimal experience in website design, I wanted to know if anyone has any tips. Firstly I don't yet know if the designers are any good, so I'm gonna ask them for some samples. If they're not, I have a friend who's great at logos etc. I don't know if I should just get friend to do logos or not. Also, is it a good idea to use the designers the seller sets me up with? Do they normally expect a 12month contract or anything that would tie me to them? Any advice much appreciated!

 

[phz]

I believe they will work as freelancers.

But if quality is what you look for. Then big NO NO is when the "designers" are from India, Pakistan, Malaysia or from other less developed countries.
I apologize if I have insulted anyone by that, but people from those countries have made a dirty mess in design market all over the world.
In other words, owning a camera does not make person a photographer.

Freelancer.com is one big example, where quantity rules over quality. I have seen "designers" who claim having over 15 years experience in graphic design, and all I see is clip art taken from web. And yes, most of them are from India. No matter how great the logo will look, but if it's done in few days and sold probably less than 200$, then it's probably meaningless junk.

First thing you definitely want to know about the designers, is their work progress.
What kind of research they do, before getting to work. Do they just need some company name or product to get started. Or do they need to know about the company history, future plans, products, main purpose, where the design is going to be used, who are their customers, where are they from, how old are they.. and so on
A very thorough research is always a must, no designer should work without it.

And you should also want to know, how they process their information.
Do they just begin drawing and matching different objects in illustrator.
Or maybe they spend days brainstorming and sketching with pen and paper.

I hope that made things little more clear, as the old saying goes, you shouldn't be judging a book by its cover.

 

[Catfish]

OLD POST I KNOW. I was asked about this the other day.


Firstly some of the best designers I have seen come from Malaysia and other countries.

I do agree that the market has become saturated with crap and I could rant on about IMO why that is but hey, life is short.

YOU CAN:

Visit various forums that have contest for design/banners.

Find the best of the bunch.

PM with your offer of what you are willing to pay.

Ask if they mind doing an initial run. "Most of us have heard, DO WELL AND I HAVE MORE FOR YOU..!" I delete those messages with a quickness.


So, we now have 6-10 designers we can use for various things..

Here's the deal.. Know your designers..!

Who does illustrations the best like mascotts, etc.

Who does web 2.0 logos best.

Who does whatever the best...!

Once you have the project in, since you know your designer so well, you know who to assign what to.

Plus your cost ratio. You sell logo for $150.00. Design cost at (2) designers x (6) concepts @ $25.00 per designer. $50.00 to make a hundred.. Blah, blah. Hopefully you have this thought out already.



ALSO IMPORTANT:

Get a project management system in place that you can track everything on. Don't deviate from this, learn it, use it, love it.

a. Receive job
b. Assign job
c. Track job
d. complete job.

DO NOT get caught in the vicious unorganized mess that is email.. Keep that crap in one place and you keep a good head of hair for years to come.


Hope some of that helps.


Regards,
Catfish.