How to Part Ways with Your Graphic Designer
Parting ways with a vendor is never easy. Whether it is a planned exit or a contentious breakup, you want to make sure that the engagement wasn’t a waste. In this post, we’ll share two tips that will set you up for success when you part ways with your graphic designer.
Before: Ask for the Assets You Need
Before you say goodbye for good, make sure to ask your graphic designer for a few standard assets to help you create marketing materials in the future. These assets include:
- Brand guidelines
- Logo files in vector format
- Icon files in vector format
- Templates for commonly used assets (flyers, newsletters, emails, etc.)
Vector files are image files that can be scaled very large or very small without appearing pixelated and distorted. If you work with another graphic designer in the future, these are the first files they will ask for. If you don’t have a design application that can open and edit vector files, then we suggest you invest in one. Otherwise, you risk creating marketing assets that look blurry and unprofessional.
Templates are one of the most useful assets you can ask for prior to ending the relationship with your graphic designer. They will allow you to continue creating new materials on your own that still have a professional, “designer look.” The templates you will need depend on the types of marketing materials you need to create most often. The template files will allow you to continue creating consistent branded assets ensuring your initial investment is still intact – consistency is KEY!
After: Use the Assets Your Designer Created
Remember that you hired a graphic designer for a reason. If the designer created a brand guide for you, make sure you follow it. Throwing caution to the wind and ignoring the sage advice you paid for will result in inconsistent branding. This is never a good look in your customers’ eyes. Inconsistent branding can happen even when you have the best intentions. Many business owners try to piece together promotional materials on their own rather than using professionally designed templates and following brand guidelines. We’re here to tell you: don’t do this. These ad hoc creations erode your brand and leave your customers confused.
Go Forth with Confidence
We hope that this post has helped prime you for a successful transition as you part ways with your graphic designer. If you find yourself in need of a company that can pick up where your previous designer left off, give us a call. We would be happy to help.
About Kara Franco
Kara writes copy that speaks. She has a knack for creating clear, compelling messages without wasting words. She is passionate about digital marketing and believes that copy is the cornerstone of user experience.
Copywriter + Content Strategist
Kara@diacedesigns.com
