Hiring a Graphic Designer for Events: Where to Start

A graphic designer is a design professional who creates visuals for various projects. From websites and videos to brochures and banners, graphic designers add the attention-grabbing elements buyers look for. 

Today’s platforms allow businesses to find and hire talented designers quickly and efficiently. We’ll cover ways you can do the same for your event. But first, we’ll cover 3 reasons why hiring a graphic designer is essential for your events

Compelling Event graphics 

Having eye-catching event graphics is an effective strategy for getting attention. This is especially important in events like expos and tradeshows where competitors are present, and attention can lead to a sale.

Credibility and Trust 

About 50% of consumers would pay more to buy from a trusted brand.  

It’s no secret that building trust with your potential customers is one of the more critical steps to marketing. 

Trust first begins with a positive first impression. 

People quickly judge a brand’s credibility or value the second they encounter it. In fact, first impressions of a brand are 94% design-related.

Graphic designers help you cultivate trust by providing professional quality graphics on your marketing materials (whether it’s a welcome sign for your speaking engagement or a brochure that will help you generate new interested leads.

Let’s look further into how graphics designers help with lead generation. 

Attract More Leads And Stand Out 

Getting attention is the first step when marketing a product or service. Whether you’re selling what you offer in person or a team member is doing so, it starts with attention. 

Graphic designers can create eye-catching designs and copy that get potential customers curious about what you offer, leading to a conversation. The more conversations you’re having, the more likely you’ll convert new customers, and it began with attention.

Graphics designers are easy to find, especially with online platforms. Some include:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Graphic designer listing websites 
• Social media

When looking for graphic designers, consider hiring an agency. 

What makes agencies so effective is their ability to bring multiple services. For example, Compelify is a decorated creative agency that goes beyond graphic design. 

Compelify clients take advantage of copywriting, signage, brochures, case studies, promotional videos, product sheet services, and more.

These are all assets your company can use to convert more customers. You get solutions for each part of the customer journey in a classic marketing funnel (attention, interest, desire action).

Read these 5 steps to make your design hiring process smoother. 

1. Consider What You Want Made

Begin by getting clear on the materials you want made for your in-person event. Knowing this will help you weigh the costs of the project by factoring in:

• Size and dimensions of your event graphic 
• Completion time of your graphic (larger banners may take more time)
• Level of expertise needed

Knowing what you need may also help you cut costs. Many design agencies and professionals offer bundles that may cost you less if you need multiple projects completed together. 

Here are event items that are commonly ordered:

• Indoor and outdoor flags
• Custom Banners
• Printed backdrops
• Folding display panels 
• Marketing brochures 

2. Think About Timelines

Accurate completion timelines ensure that your graphic is ready to be used the day of your event. Aim to have your graphic ready 1-2 weeks before your event to prevent any last-minute stressors. 

Communication is essential here. The graphic design agency you hire should be on the same page with due dates. Compelify does this with ease when working with clients. Right at the onboarding process, we set clear deadlines so clients can depend on us to deliver. 

3. Speak To Graphic Designers

Once your needs and timelines are precise, it’s the perfect time to research graphic design service providers. As mentioned earlier, Upwork, Fiverr, listing websites, and social media are great places to start.

Here are important things to look for when selecting a graphic design team:

• Testimonials of past clients 
• More extended experience in graphic design (5 years+)
• Case studies 

Some of this information can be found on agency websites or freelancing profiles. Sometimes, it may be best to hop on conference calls for more details. 

4. Get Pricing 

Many factors may affect pricing including:

• Project scope
• Experience level
• Overhead
• Timeline 
• Graphic size
• Project rates
• Hourly rates

You’ll sometimes find pricing on an agency’s website, but it’s common for them to give you a quote based on your needs.

Here are the example pricing ranges you can expect:

• Hourly rates: $60 – $150 per hour 
• Per Project rates: 
• Banners: $600 – $800
• Business Collateral (business cards, brochures, flyers, etc.): $75 to $450

5. Choose The Best Option 

Based on all the factors discussed and the information collected, choose the best design agency for your event. 

Once your project is underway, keep communication consistent by being on the same page about start dates, milestones, and due dates.

Events are the perfect opportunity to bring more leads and customers into your business ecosystem. 

Whether you hire a design agency or freelancer, knowing your needs, timeline, and budget helps make the hiring process faster and smoother. 

Compeilfy is a leading design team that creates event designs that build more trust and authority for your company. Learn more about our design edge by contacting us today.