Archive for March 18th, 2008

Making Contact. Encounters of the First Kind.

This is the second part of an on-going series about starting a new project. To read the first part click here.

So now we know what our mission statement is, when our deadline is, and what we can pay. What’s next? Making Contact!

A simple Google search for “Graphic Designers” gives us almost 5.2 Million web pages to go through to find the right person for the job. Or you need a website? Google “web Designers”. That will give you what you want right? Only if you have a couple of years or so to dedicate to reading 8.9 million web pages. Let’s simplify the process a bit and break it down into three categories.

Category 1: Encounters of the First Kind.

You have a friend or someone you know well that can do the job for you. They know you, you know them. Perfect fit right? Well maybe. Ask yourself a few questions first before asking them. Do they do this full time, part time, or as a hobby?

If they do it full time great. More than likely they have the time to dedicate to your project. Plus it is their professional reputation on the line. But will they be out of your price range?

Part time? Will they have the time for your project? Can they make last minute changes if needed or will they be at their other job? How long will it take them if they can only work on it on nights and weekends? There are many great part-time designers out there, but make sure that their schedule fits with your schedule.

The guy (or woman) that you know that does this as a hobby? Have they done this before? Can they do it? Will they use professional design software to complete the project? (by the way… Microsoft PowerPoint is not professional design software) If they can’t do it right can you afford the time and money to redo it professionally? Be careful of this option unless the project is purely for fun and has absolutely nothing to do with business or your reputation as a professional.

One last thing needs to be said about this category. What if things go bad? When friends and money are involved there are some scary things that can happen. It’s probably not worth ending a friendship over a bad website or a poorly designed business card.

Tomorrow: Encounters of the Second Kind.