What to Expect When Working With a Freelance Designer
So you’re thinking about hiring a freelance designer. Nice move 😉. Whether you’re building a brand from scratch, launching a new website, or giving your business a much-needed glow-up, you're in the right place.
But if you’ve never worked with a designer before (or even if you have), you might be wondering:
"What actually happens once I reach out? Do I just say ‘make it pretty’ and hope for the best?”
Not quite.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work with me. From first hello to final files, or the launch of your brand-spakin’-new website, here’s a little guide so you can feel confident, prepared, and hopefully even a little excited.
Step 1: Let’s Talk (aka the Discovery Call)
We’ll kick things off with a quick call or email convo to chat through your goals, what you’re looking for, and how I can help. This is where you tell me about your business, your audience, your ideas (even the half-baked ones), and anything that’s currently driving you nuts about your branding or website.
Whether you need a visual identity, a full website, or both, I’ll guide the conversation and ask the right questions to figure out what makes the most sense for your project.
Step 2: Proposal & Scope of Work
After our chat, I’ll put together a custom proposal that outlines everything. What we’re doing, how long it’ll take, what it’ll cost, and what you’ll walk away with.
No vague timelines. No mystery fees. Just a solid game plan we’re both aligned on. Once you approve the scope and send over the deposit, we’re officially in business.
Step 3: Creative Direction (aka Moodboarding + Wireframes)
If we’re starting with branding, this is where I pull together a moodboard and visual direction, color palette, fonts, vibe, all that good stuff, to make sure we’re on the same page creatively. If we're designing a website, this is also where I’ll start mapping out the site architecture and wireframes so we’re clear on layout and flow before diving into visuals.
This phase is all about building a foundation. Once we’ve nailed the look and feel, I move on to full designs.
Step 4: Design, Refine, Repeat (but not too much)
This is where the magic happens. I’ll design your brand identity, your website, or both, depending on the scope. I’ll present the first draft, and you’ll share your feedback. We’ll go through a couple rounds of revisions to get everything feeling just right.
With web projects, I’ve got you covered from design to development. That means responsive layouts for desktop and mobile, a smooth build, and plenty of testing before we hit “go.” I’ll even show you around the backend so you’re not left panic-Googling “how do I update my homepage.”
Step 5: Launch + Delivery
Once we’ve got final approval, I’ll send over all your brand assets or launch your site (or both). For branding projects, that means a tidy folder with logos, color codes, font suggestions, and file formats that actually make sense. For web projects, I handle the domain and hosting setup, make sure your SEO basics are in place, and launch the site with minimal stress.
I also offer ongoing hosting and maintenance plans if you want to keep me in your corner post-launch.
Timelines
Branding projects usually take about 4–6 weeks.
Web design projects typically run 6–8 weeks from kickoff to launch, depending on how complex the site is and how quickly feedback comes in.
If you're doing both branding + web? You're looking at around 8–10 weeks total.
I’ll always give you a realistic timeline up front and keep things moving along without you having to chase me down.
Why Work With a Freelancer (like me)?
- One-on-one attention: You’re not getting shuffled through departments or speaking to 3 different project managers. You work directly with me.
- Custom everything: No cookie-cutter templates, no recycled designs. Everything is built to fit your brand and goals.
- Real collaboration: I want your input. I welcome honest feedback. We’re building something together.
- Flexibility: I can pivot and adapt as your project evolves—without the red tape of a big agency.
One Last Thing...
Every project is a little different. The process and timelines I laid out above are meant to give you a general idea, but I get that sometimes you need something faster, more custom, or totally out of left field. That’s cool too.
Just reach out and we’ll figure out a plan that works for you.