Choosing who designs your brand or packaging is one of the bigger decisions a growing business makes. The work will represent you for years, and a poor fit costs time, money and momentum. Portfolios help, but they show outcomes, not process. These questions get at the rest.
Before you start looking
Be clear about what you need:
- Scope. A logo? A full identity? Packaging for one product or a range? A website?
- Budget. A realistic range helps everyone.
- Timeline. When do you need finished files, and what is driving that date?
- Decision-makers. Who will approve the work?
Questions to ask
1. Have you done work like this before?
Look for relevant experience — not necessarily your exact category, but similar problems. Packaging for a food brand needs someone who understands print, dielines and shelf. A software identity needs someone who understands screens.
2. What is your process?
A good partner can explain their process clearly: how they learn about your business, how many directions they present, how feedback works, how many rounds of revisions are included. Vague answers are a warning sign.
3. Who will actually do the work?
At some agencies, the people you meet are not the people who design. Ask who you will be working with day to day. Working directly with the designer usually means fewer misunderstandings.
4. How do you handle strategy?
Ask how they make sure the design is grounded in your customers and competition, rather than personal taste. Good design starts with questions.
5. What will I receive at the end?
Clarify deliverables in detail: logo files in which formats, colour specifications for print and screen, a brand guide, packaging artwork prepared for print, source files.
6. Who owns the work?
Make sure you will own the final design and have the rights you need. Ask about usage of fonts and images, which may carry their own licences.
7. Can you prepare artwork for production?
For packaging especially, ask whether they create print-ready artwork and work with your printer. Beautiful designs that are not properly prepared for print cause expensive problems.
8. How do you price?
Fixed fee, hourly, or by phase? What happens if the scope changes? A clear estimate and a written scope protect both sides.
9. What happens after launch?
Will they be available for new products, adjustments or additional materials? An ongoing relationship is often valuable.
10. Can I speak to a past client?
A short conversation with someone who has worked with them tells you more than any case study.
Red flags
- No questions about your business before proposing design
- Promises of unlimited revisions with no defined process
- Unwillingness to put scope and fees in writing
- A portfolio that all looks the same, regardless of client
Trust the fit
Beyond experience and process, notice how the conversation feels. Do they listen? Do they push back thoughtfully? You will work closely together, and the best results come from honest collaboration.
Every identity in our portfolio, from Kelley & Co‘s foil-stamped stationery to Food Garden Market‘s full store programme, came out of that kind of working relationship.
If you are looking for a design partner, we are happy to answer every one of these questions. Get in touch.