Top 5 Tips to Hire a T-Shirt Designer

Whether you want to start a small business or you want to create some stellar merch, hiring a designer that knows their way around apparel design is always beneficial.

In this quick guide, we’ll walk you through 5 of the most critical tips to hire a t-shirt designer that you should always keep in mind.

1. Write a Brief About Your Expectations

Kicking off the list with one of the most critical tips for finding a good t-shirt designer. The process of finding a creative designer to make your t-shirts start with you.

Communication with the designer is extremely essential to find what you’re looking for and many business owners overlook that part. Make a written design brief that with all your expectations before setting out to find the right designer, pointing out aspects like:

• Original works or improving on your existing ideas
• Expected deadlines
• Budget
• Negotiable and non-negotiable terms

2. Check Out Freelance Designers

There are some seriously underrated designers out there that are just getting started. These designers will usually offer their services on freelance websites, such as Fiverr and Upwork.

Always check out these websites and make a short list of potential candidates. Although this method is tedious and time consuming, some of these hidden gems are absolute bargains that are totally worth it for low-budget startups!

3. Never Prioritize Price Over Quality

Some people will simply opt for the cheapest freelance designer out there without checking their works.

Avoid prioritizing the price over quality because it’ll hurt you in the long run and always scan the online portfolios of potential candidates before checking their prices so that it doesn’t affect your judgment.

4. Watch Out for Red Flags

Watch out for obvious red flags that will cause problems ahead, even if the designer is skilled, such as:

• Taking long to respond (indication of late deadlines)
• Avoid showing you samples or references (indication of problems with previous customers)
• Aggressive behavior and makes you feel uncomfortable (you’ll have a hard time communicating what you expect

5. Flexibility is the Key to Retain a Good Designer

Lastly, if you strike gold and land an excellent designer that understands you and provides you with quality results, you should try to retain them.

Even if they cost you a little higher, you should consider being more flexible with them, as it’s going to save you time and improve the quality of your t-shirts, so it’s more cost-effective.

Final words

Hiring a good t-shirt designer is not hard as long as you keep in mind the things I’ve mentioned above. It starts with you having a good brief, looking for quality, being patient, and not rushing, your designer is an important part of the business.

Finding the right designer will help your business grow faster.