How to check a designer's past work suits your kind of business

You've just shortlisted three designers whose websites look polished and whose about pages say the right things. Now comes the hard part: figuring out whether any of them actually know how to design for *your* kind of business. A portfolio that's brilliant for hospitality might be useless if you run a B2B software firm. Here's how to move past the surface and check whether their past work genuinely suits what you need.

Dig into their actual portfolio, not just the highlights

Every designer curates their best work front and centre. What you need to see is range and depth within your sector or adjacent ones. Ask them directly: show me five completed brand identity projects where the client operates in an industry similar to mine. If they hesitate or offer unrelated work, that's telling.

When you review those projects, don't just look at aesthetics. Study the *breadth* of what they delivered. Did they create a full identity system—logo, colour palette, typography, applications to business cards and website mockups—or just a logo? Did they show how the brand works across different formats: print, digital, small sizes, monochrome versions? A designer who only shows hero images hasn't demonstrated they understand the real-world constraints of your brand living in the wild.

Check the dates. Work from three years ago might not reflect current design thinking, client feedback systems or software capabilities. A portfolio mostly from 2019 raises questions about whether they've evolved. Recent work is a better signal of what you'll actually receive.

Look for evidence of thinking beyond the visual. Did they document the strategy or reasoning behind decisions? Do the case studies explain the client's challenge, the designer's approach, and the outcome? Designers who can articulate *why* they made certain choices—not just *what* they made—tend to deliver work that lasts.

Verify their track record through direct contact

Portfolios are self-edited. References are not. Ask for three recent clients in your industry or a closely related one, and commit to phoning at least two of them. Prepare specific questions: Did the designer understand your business from the start, or did it take several rounds to get there? How collaborative was the process? Were revisions handled professionally? Did you receive all the files you needed in the formats you expected?

Listen for whether the referee speaks about the designer with confidence or relief. "They were fine" is different from "I'd hire them again tomorrow." Ask whether the final brand has actually been used across the client's marketing and how it's held up. If a designer's identity work was shelved after launch, that's a red flag you need to understand.

Before you hire, ask the designer for examples of brand guidelines or style guides they've created. This shows whether they think in systems. A good identity designer doesn't just hand over a logo; they hand over clarity about how the brand should be applied consistently. Request a mock-up or extract from a previous client's guidelines—anonymised if needed—so you understand the level of detail you'll receive.

Check their professional standing where relevant. Ask whether they're registered with any industry bodies and confirm the registration number independently. This doesn't guarantee quality, but it does confirm they've met minimum standards and are accountable to a code of conduct.

Finally, run a practical test before committing to a full project. Many designers offer a paid discovery phase or initial consultation where they outline their approach to your specific brief. Pay for this. It's a small investment that lets you see how they think about your business, how they listen to feedback, and whether the working relationship feels right.

When you're ready to find a designer with a proven track record in your space, Strove lets you review portfolios from verified designers in your area, read client feedback, and connect directly to discuss your project.