Never worked with a graphic design firm before? If so, you may be unsure which criteria are most important. Portfolio? Price? Proximity? Reputation? Needless to say, your own company's reputation may be riding on this decision. So here are a few tips to make your choice of a graphic design or marketing firm less stressful and ensure that you choose a good match for your project and your company.

The Portfolio

Begin by looking at the online portfolios of several reputable graphic design firms. Don't even think about price yet; simply focus on finding quality work - work which looks smart, sophisticated and visually enticing.

Price should never be your primary criterion in commissioning creative work. If the work is first-rate, it will generate profits for your company which far exceed your initial investment. Good design is the most cost-effective form of marketing. So hire the best firm you can, and the results will speak for themselves.

Don't assume that you need to find a design firm with years of experience in your particular industry or a brochure in their portfolio that looks exactly like the brochure you want for your company. Instead, look for an abundance of creative talent and design versatility.

You also shouldn't feel limited by geography. Working with the firm around the corner can be wonderful, but in today's digital universe, it's just as easy to communicate via phone, fax or emailed PDF files.

Freelancers vs. Design Firms

The advantage of using a freelancer is obvious: they typically have less overhead and lower rates than a bona fide design firm.

However, unless this is a simple one-time engagement, you should steer clear of freelancers, who may not be able to provide the full spectrum of services or creativity your company needs. Even if he/she does satisfactory work, a freelancer's output will screech to a halt when they're sick or on vacation, and your company may not be in a position to wait patiently for their return.

Freelancers may be self-taught or have one "signature style" which imparts a predictability to their work. Multi-person design firms, on the other hand, are generally more flexible in handling a multitude of projects and deadlines. They hire the most talented graduates from the leading design schools, who are highly-educated in all the latest design techniques as well as the finer points of typography, color theory, graphic design history, and so on. Chances are, this sort of design team can handle any creative challenge you throw at them.

The Interview

Instead of simply firing off an RFP (Request for Proposal), call up the firm with the best portfolio and chat informally with the owner or creative director.

Tell them a little about your project and notice whether they spend time asking intelligent questions about you and your company's challenges. If their primary focus is on bragging about what they've done for other companies or how many design awards they've won, beware: you may be dealing with a design prima donna who cares more about his/her personal agenda than your company's success.

Ideally, the designer should be peppering you with questions about your competitors, your customers and your sustainable advantages in the marketplace. They should come across as hard-headed, pragmatic business people as well as creative thinkers.

Ultimately, all their design decisions (regarding the use of color, typography, photography and design motifs) should be strategic decisions, aimed at reaching your target audience with a compelling call to action.

Good design is always based on careful research and sound business strategy. It's never superficial decoration. So the best designers are problem-solvers, highly intelligent and well-educated as well as artistically inspired. They possess a rare combination of right-brain and left-brain intelligence which should be evident even in your initial consultation.

With these simple facts in mind, you're bound to hire a great design firm for your company.