#1) It takes time! The design process should never be rushed. Yes, it feels urgent, and you need to get this business up and running, but don't forget presentation is everything, and the brand you are building is representing you as much as it is representing your practice. In order to make it something you're truly proud of and will be showing off for years to come, you'll need to give you and your designer plenty of time to perfect it.
#2) Start with a contract. Every single step of your design process is legal from the very moment you first shake hands with your designer. Know your contract. If your designer is not willing to walk you through your contract and legal terms you should be very weary. Make sure your contract isn't hiding anything, especially the improper allocation of ownership of any of your business assets. This ensures transparency on both the designer's side as well as the client's side.
#3) Expect a deposit. There isn't a single designer out there that hasn't spent hundreds of hours on work they never got paid for while trying to build their portfolio up and do their best work. Once a deposit has been collected the designer will be very driven to produce their best work possible. Your designer should discuss payment very openly with you.
#4) Clear and concise communication is key! Be very descriptive. It's quite frustrating for both parties to get through a big pile of proof sheets before a clear vision of what you really want is reached. The more information you can give right up front, the better it is for both parties.
#5) We need content. You play a huge role in the design process. Your story comes from you, so In order to build a brand or a website, we're going to ask you for your bio, your mission, your values, your services and then we'll add, expand and envision the rest for you.
Hopefully this article has given you some good insight on what to expect. CUhlDesigns takes care in every part of our process to be sure that you are telling the world the best story you have to tell. We look forward to hearing from you soon!