When it comes to good design, being proactive is key.

Too often, businesses will wait until a project deadline approaches to begin thinking about their message, or even contact a graphic designer. While a business may have luck in finding someone to pump out a quick design, it typically comes at a financial and quality cost. Most graphic designers charge a rush fee for last minute projects, if they agree to take on the project at all. There will be less time for revisions and creativity, making the final project less than top-quality. It even puts stress on the printing company to turn a project around quickly and doesn’t allow for mistakes.

Consider these tips to being proactive with your graphic needs:

• Map out your upcoming needs for the next few months;
• Determine when you need the finished product;
• If you are coordinating the project printing, figure out how soon you need the finished design to the printer to get the product when you need it. That’s the date your graphic designer needs to have the design finished
• Ask your graphic designer what kind of lead time they need on your project (most require at least two weeks to a month);
• Meet with everyone involved to determine the message and purpose of your product, and have it ready to send to your graphic designer in the required lead time.