Hire a Freelance Graphic Designer for Your Project

Many individuals and businesses swear by do-it-yourself (DIY) graphic design software because of ease of use and cost. Templates are available to use, and you can have the designs ready in a jiffy. However, when you hire a freelance graphic designer for every project, you are assured of their experience and skills. They’ll provide you with high-quality designs that you’re sure to appreciate more. So, maybe you might have some experience with design, then that’s when you can choose to go for DIY.

But you should hire a freelance graphic designer or use a graphic design service because you get to focus more on business operations, and they’ll do the design work for you. The best you can do is to set and manage expectations and communicate regularly. 

In this article, we discuss why you should opt to hire a freelance graphic designer than using DIY graphic design software. We also explore the alternatives in hiring a freelancer for your graphic design projects.

 

Freelance Graphic Designer

design team working

Several small businesses and startups would opt to hire a freelance graphic designer for their graphic design project. Since it’s a project-based situation, they can find graphic designers for logo design, website design, or illustrations. Even big companies would hire freelancers to save on costs.

They would save on overhead by hiring a freelancer. Most freelancers would charge an hourly rate. So, according to Upwork, graphic designers usually charge $5 to upwards of $150.

They’re easy to search as well since you have websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Toptal that have freelancers in need of new projects. You can hire different freelancers for a variety of projects. You might have to find one that specializes in different designs or choose to hire a freelance graphic designer for every project.

Sometimes, though, businesses may not have stellar experiences with freelance graphic designers.

A common concern from people who have used freelance graphic designers is they might not capture your company’s branding. Some freelancers might take time to get familiar with your branding, so it can take up some time to agree on a design that fits your brand.

Many do observe that some freelancers aren’t reliable either. Some designers won’t communicate with their clients or won’t do their work and abandon ship.

That’s why some would go for a full-time graphic designer so they won’t have to worry about finding freelancers on a project basis.

 

Full-Time Graphic Designer

designers sketching

Once you’ve got footing and can add another person to your organization, a full-time graphic designer would be an alternative to hiring a freelancer. To find a full-time graphic designer for your team, you might have to post job listings on sites like Monster or Indeed. There, you’ll have to wait for an applicant.

In some cases, some freelancers might take up a full-time offer. That way, you can develop a better long-term relationship with the graphic designer.

An advantage of having a full-time graphic designer is you can easily talk to them and provide all your requirements for the design. Since they’re in your office or working remotely, you can talk to them or send them a message at any time during office hours. 

A full-time graphic designer is best if you’re investing in graphics or doing marketing or advertising campaigns all year round. That way, you would get designs immediately and run your campaigns as soon as your designs are available.

One of the downsides of having a full-time graphic designer is if you no longer have a project, it may no longer be advisable to have a full-time designer.

According to ZipRecruiter, an estimated annual graphic designer salary is at $39,799.

A full-time graphic designer is probably the most expensive out of all the choices in this list. You may have to reconsider hiring a full-time graphic designer, especially if you’re cutting back on costs or prioritizing other positions in the company.

As an alternative to having an in-house graphic designer, some businesses would resort to using other professionals like creative agencies or graphic design services.

 

Creative Agency

creative agency

Many praise creative or design agencies for the quality of work they produce. These agencies have years of experience to boot thanks to the professional graphic designers on board.

Some examples of creative agencies are Brand New School, Happy Cog, and Stink Studios.

An advantage of using a creative agency is they’ll pour all efforts like the smallest of details in branding, packaging, and marketing. You would see how detailed they are from fonts to sizes.

Another thing about creative agencies is that they’re reliable and available. You know that there’s a team working on your design, and they ensure timeliness of the design as well.

One of the downsides of tapping a creative or design agency is the cost. You’ll have to pay a premium, so you get the visuals you request.

Prices vary between creative agencies, but according to previous clients of design agencies, you might have to pay $300 to $900 or possibly even more. You might get steeper prices than the ones we’ve mentioned, and it will break the bank. 

You do have the option to go for a boutique creative agency. They don’t charge as much, and they don’t compromise on the quality of designs either.

If you plan on getting a creative agency and if they have other clients in line, it may take them some time to accomplish your work. In this case, you might have to consider hiring a freelance graphic designer or use a graphic design service to fulfill your design needs.

 

Graphic Design Crowdsourcing

pen and paper

Aside from these other options above, you can search for a graphic design service that also has a project basis option. Most of these services offer a “design contest” or crowdsourcing,  where graphic designers show you their work, and you choose the design you love.

You can hire a freelance graphic designer from them too, but their difference with Upwork and Toptal is you have an option for a design contest. At least, with them, you have different options on the type of service you need for your graphic design project.

Examples of these graphic design services that offer a “design” contest are 99designs and Design Crowd. To start, you’ll need to give a design brief. That way, designers have an idea of what you want for your graphic design.

One of the key issues in using a crowdsourced graphic design service is that you may have some language barrier. It can be a hindrance when communicating with them so you could relay your vision to the design.

Another pressing issue that many find about using these graphic design services is ethics. Since you’re crowdsourcing for designs, only the winner from the “design contest” gets paid. It can become demoralizing for some graphic designers. That’s why you should hire a freelance graphic designer instead.

Based on reviews by those who’ve used either service, say you might have to pay for a higher premium, so you get professional designs. Prices for these crowdsourced graphic design services can go up to $1300 for the highest tier. So, it’s best to stick with freelancers if you don’t want to spend a lot on your graphic design project.

 

Unlimited Graphic Design Service

man working in an agency

An unlimited graphic design service is the best for your small business or startup to save up on costs. You may ask why.

If your business relies on design in most of your projects or campaigns, an unlimited graphic design service can provide your visual assets with a quick turnaround. Plus, you get ownership of the design files once the project is over.

What makes it different from just a graphic design service?

As the name implies, you get unlimited designs and revisions during your subscription. You’ll get your designs within 24 to 48 hours. However, if you have more visual assets to request, it may take some more time to accomplish. Nonetheless, you’ll still get the designs you need.

An example of an unlimited graphic design service is Design Doctor. As mentioned, you’ll have a quick turnaround on your graphics, such as flyers or advertisements. You’ll get a team of experts to work on your project, and they’ll make sure to give you high-quality designs that match your requirements and branding.

What’s the best perk of using Design Doctor for your graphic design projects? You can get all your designs for as low as $329 a month. You won’t have to worry about computing hourly fees.

Once the project is done, you can choose to cancel your subscription and subscribe once you need more designs for the next one.

 

Final Thoughts

Aside from going for a do-it-yourself option, you or a service that meets your needs. That way, you don’t have to stress out by using templates or making a design from scratch.

In the end, it’s up to you on which service you want to choose for your graphic design projects. Professional designers or an unlimited graphic design service may make a dent in your budget, but they’ll ensure you get value for your money with every design deliverable.

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