Non-profits face many challenges when it comes to raising money and awareness. Hiring a graphic designer can help solve these problems, as designers have the ability to create engaging fundraising campaigns and marketing materials that help bring in donors and awareness. Non-profits should consider hiring a freelance graphic designer to help them with a variety of projects, such as logo design, social media posts, and event flyers. This not only helps with the immediate needs, but can also help build a long-term relationship with a professional who can help with larger scale projects in the future. Having a relationship with a professional designer frees up valuable time for the Communications Manager to focus on what they do best: communicating with members!
As a small non-profit, hiring a freelance graphic designer can seem like an expensive luxury, but hiring a designer doesn't have to break the bank. In this article, I'll share some strategies that will help you hire a great designer that will help you achieving the look and feel you want for your cause.
Your first step should be finding a designer that has experience designing for your cause. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds, as many designers specialize in a particular cause, rather than designing for the broad non-profit sector. Your best bet is to do some research, looking for designers who have worked with non-profits in the past. This will help you find designers with the right experience, and at a much lower cost than hiring a full-time staffer.
Your best bet is to find a local graphic designer that specializes in nonprofit marketing and fundraising. They will be familiar with the challenges facing non-profits and have the ability to provide great advice and recommendations. Search online for 'nonprofit marketing designers' or 'fundraising designers,' and you'll find plenty of options.
One of the biggest mistakes non-profits make when working with a designer is not having a clear picture of what they want in advance. This is especially true for large nonprofits, which may have a large number of different departments that each have their own ideas about design. Begin the design process by identifying the overall goals for your design project. What do you want the design to accomplish?
When working with a designer, it’s important to have a clear timeline in mind. Most designers will provide a timeline for the project at the beginning of the process, but it’s important to have a written schedule in place as well. This will help you manage the project, as well as ensure that you’re working towards the same goals. It’s also a good idea to have a conversation with the designer about how you want the project to progress.
The next step is to have a discussion with the designer about the artwork that will be created for your project. This is a chance for you to provide feedback on the designs, as well as approve a final version. You should also specify what file types you’ll need to receive the final artwork in. This will help the designer keep track of the project, and ensure that you receive the final files when you’re finished.
Hiring a graphic designer is a complex process, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! By following these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to working with a professional who will help you achieve the design goals you have in mind.