In the era of the internet, graphic design that meets high standards is a necessity to every business, big or small. A new logo, eye-catching social media posts or a complete rebrand are only a few ways that a great design can make your business shine. However, that does not make it very practical to hire a full-time designer, particularly with small businesses, startups, or those operating on a budget.
That is where outsourcing graphic design is obtained in question. You could get access to skilled workers globally at an affordable cost than in-house workers. We will take you through the ins and outs of the process of how to successfully outsource graphic design.
What Does Outsourcing Graphic Design Mean?
Outsourcing graphic design involves contracting the services of an external designer or agency (usually remotely) to take care of your creative requirements, instead of doing it in house or doing it yourself. One can do it project by project, on a monthly retainer or invite freelancers when the need arises.
Why Businesses Choose to Outsource Design?
Businesses are moving towards outsourcing of graphic design because of a number of reasons:
- It might be cheaper to hire freelance or offshore designers than the full-time employees.
- You do not have to rely on locally available talent, but you can tap into talent pools around the world.
- Have only one project? No problem. Outsourcing allows scaling of up and down depending on your needs.
- Do what you are good at and leave the illustrations to a designer.
Types of Graphic Design You Can Outsource
The following are only a few examples of design work that you can outsource:
- Logos and branding
- Website design
- Social media graphics
- Posters, flyers and brochures
- Packaging design
- Pitch decks and presentations
- Infographics
- Stationeries and business cards
Whatever industry you are working, you have to be sure to find a designer who has the skills you require.
Where to Find Outsource Designers or Agencies
Graphic designers can be found in numerous different platforms and ways.
Here are the most common:
Freelance Marketplaces
- Upwork – Suited to extend the partnership agreement with freelancers. You have the opportunity to filter designers by ratings, work experience, and portfolios
- Fiverr – Easiest with small projects with fixed prices. An appropriate location of logos or fast social media illustrations.
- PeoplePerHour – A platform which has a vast pool of freelancers.
- Toptal – A premium platform that checks talent on quality and professionalism.
Design Agencies
A creative agency can prove to be more appropriate in bigger or more complicated projects. Find agencies in preference of local knowledge and face-to-face meetings.
Design Contest Sites
99designs – The idea is to post a small brief and several designers come up with their design. You choose your favourite.
LinkedIn and Social Media
Freelancers are also available in the professional circles or you can find them by hashtags such as #Designer or #FreelanceGraphicDesigner in Instagram and Twitter/X.
How to Choose the Right Designer
However not every designer is an equal.
And here’s how to find the right one to your needs:
- Does their style fit the tone and personality of your brand?
- Have they been pleased with the work of other clients?
- Do they fit into your schedule and project requirements?
- It is better to begin with a small project to test the fit before undertaking a bigger job.
Setting Clear Expectations and Guidelines
This is important in order to prevent miscommunication and wastage of time by ensuring that you present clear and detailed instructions to your designer at the beginning.
What to Include:
- Project brief: What is the purpose of the design?
- Brand policies: Colours, fonts, logos, tone of voice and styles of imagery.
- Target audience: To whom is the design targeted? What should it communicate?
- Timeline: Specify what time you have to get the design done.
- Budget: Be out honest with the amount you are willing to spend.
With clear expectations, the designer will produce a better work and less revision will be done.
Tools and Platforms to Manage Design Projects
Outsourcing can be made more efficient by the use of the right tools.
The following are some of the ones that are effective in business:
- Trello or Asana – A task, deadline, and communication manager.
- Slack or Microsoft Teams – Excellent use on real-time communication and rapid response.
- Google Drive or Dropbox – Perfect to share big files in order to keep them safe.
- Loom – Use this to capture visual feedback or walk-throughs to make design revisions.
- Canva Pro – Convenient in case you need to share simple visuals with others inside the company.
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Graphic Design
Pros:
- In many cases, it is more economical than employing a permanent employee.
- On demand, you can hire logo designing experts, branding, UI, or print media experts.
- Hire additional assistants when you increase business or when business is at its busiest.
- Experienced freelancers are able to deliver on brief when provided with a solid brief.
Cons:
- The language and time zone differences may lead to delays.
- Not all freelancers provide high quality work.
- Consistency: Since the designers may not be the same over time, style conflicts may occur.
- You are going to have to manage timelines, feedback, and revisions.
This knowledge of these advantages and disadvantages will assist you to make superior judgments when employing.
Tips for a Successful Outsourcing Experience
Start with a Clear Brief
You should always be as detailed as possible regarding your needs, audience and the results you want.
Give Constructive Feedback
Be specific. Either say that you do not like it, or ask whether it is possible to use another colour that is more modern.
Stick to Your Brand
Make branding resources and visual aids. Professionalism is important with consistency.
Don’t Always Go for the Cheapest Option
It does not necessarily imply that cheap is good. Find quality and not just low cost. Question to yourself: does this individual know design and business?
Develop Long-term relationships
Once you get a designer that you like, stay with them. They will get to know better your brand and will work more effectively as time goes by.
Kasia Giska