Branding · 6 min read
Choosing a designer in Delhi — 10 questions to ask first.
Most founders pick a designer the same way they pick a restaurant — Instagram, vibe, a friend's recommendation. That's how you end up nine months later wondering why the brand still doesn't feel right. Here are 10 questions to ask any designer or studio before you sign — they'll save you a year of pain.
1. Who, specifically, will lead this project?
Many studios sell on the founder's reputation and deliver with a junior team. Get a name. Ask to see three projects that person specifically led — not the studio's showreel. The seniority of the lead is the single biggest variable in the outcome.
2. Can I see work that didn't go to plan, and what you learned?
Every studio has a portfolio of wins. Few have the honesty to talk about projects that went sideways. The ones who do are usually the ones worth hiring. Vague answers here mean either lack of experience or lack of self-awareness — both bad for you.
3. What's the Week 1 to Week 4 plan?
Ask for a week-by-week breakdown of the first month: research, strategy, exploration, decisions. If the answer is "we'll figure it out as we go," you're paying for improvisation, not process. Improvisation can produce great work — but rarely on budget or on time.
4. How many real explorations will I see in round one?
One direction is too few. Five is fashion-show theatre. The honest answer is two or three genuine, divergent explorations — each one defendable, each one with a clear rationale. Studios that show one direction lock you in. Studios that show five are hedging.
5. What happens if I don't love the first round?
Specifically: how many revision rounds, what counts as a revision, and what happens if we're heading in the wrong direction entirely. Vague revision policies are where projects bleed time and goodwill. Get specifics in writing.
6. What's not included that I might assume is?
The most common gaps: production-ready files for printers, social ad templates, motion versions, font licensing, photography. Ask explicitly. The price you signed for should match the work you actually need.
7. Who owns the work and how is it delivered?
You should own the final brand assets outright, with editable source files (AI, Figma, Blender, etc.) — not just exported PNGs. If the answer is "we keep the working files," that's a vendor lock-in trap. Walk.
8. What's your point of view on my category?
A studio that takes any brief in any category will produce competent work. A studio with a real point of view on your category will produce work that wins. Ask the designer what they think of your category's visual conventions, who's doing it well, and what they'd push against. Strong opinions, lightly held, are what you're hiring for.
9. Can I speak to two recent clients — including one whose project was hard?
Easy clients tell you the studio can deliver in good conditions. Hard clients tell you whether the studio communicates, holds the line, and stays accountable when things get uncomfortable. The second reference is the one that matters.
10. What would make you decline this project?
A designer who has never declined a project for fit reasons either takes everything (a problem) or hasn't been at it long enough to know better (also a problem). The best studios decline brief that aren't right for them. Ask when they last did, and why.
A bonus: how the conversation feels.
The intangible part. Did they listen more than they talked? Did they push back where a push-back was warranted? Did they ask about the business, or only about the design? You will spend three to six months working with this person. The conversation in the first 30 minutes is usually a fair preview.
If you'd like to put us through these questions, we'd welcome it. Our 30-minute consultation is free — and we'll be honest if we think someone else is the better fit.