How would you choose a branding expert? What about a website designer?

[Deanna Sipe]

There are so so many professionals to choose from these days for Branding and Website Design. If you are coming out with a new video product and you want to narrow your choices down to the right few for you.... how would you do that? How would you interview the candidates to end up with the right one?

[Deanna Sipe]

Thanks Chris, great advice and I agree.

[Jillian Koeneman]

I agree with @Erik, it's all about what your goals are and finding a partner who can help you expand upon those goals and create solutions for you to reach those goals. I'd also look at previous work (websites, branding campaigns) as well as how they give back to the community. I'd also ask to speak to current or former clients.

[Ken Reinstrom]

I would be looking for companies that would want to be long term partners. First becoming mutual customers, then me promoting them and them promoting me. I've found a great resource in RootSEO. We've become great friends, eat and drink together and try to figure out ways to conquer the world.

[Nellie Stout]

I THIRD the importance of "relationship" when developing a brand and new design. You need to trust their advice and value how far someone commits to getting to know your company and goals.
Initial research and establishing goals should be the biggest part of your investment in my opinion.

[Elizabeth Friedland]

I think it's really important to look at their creativity. Many companies and people are claiming to be web "designers" when really they just customize already created templates, such as Wordpress. While templates can be the way to go if you're short on cash, true "designers" do just that -- they get to know your goals and business and then customize (from scratch, not from a template that any Joe Shmow can access).