Cheap Graphic Designers vs. Expensive Graphic Designers

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Have you searched for a graphic designer, noticed a wide range in pricing and wondered why?  If you haven’t had much experience working with or a firm understanding of graphic design, you may feel that some designers are charging exorbitant fees.  Especially when you can find cheap graphic designers doing what seems to be the same type of work for a lot less.  I promise the vast majority of designers are not trying get over on you with what may seem to be “high” prices.

Today, I am going to attempt to explain why there is such a variance in pricing and few pros and cons to using graphic designers from each end of that spectrum.

What does it take to become a graphic designer?

To start off, what does it take to become a graphic designer?  I am often asked how I got into this field and if I went to school for it.  For me, the answer is yes.  I did go to school to become a graphic designer and I didn’t go to an “art school.”  My journey to becoming a graphic designer took me through a graphic design bachelor’s degree program at the University of Alabama, in Huntsville.  However higher ed, or “college” is not the only route one can take to becoming a graphic designer.  It  may be an easier route of entry into the field, but by no means the only way.

There are a host of very talented and successful graphic designers that are self-taught.  Some took classes in high school that gave them an introduction into the field, and others dabbled in it on the side and turned it into a full-fledged second career.

When it comes to pricing, experience is the biggest determiner.

The more experience a graphic designer has, the higher the cost to hire them.  This is because you are literally paying for access to their knowledge base, skill level and expertise.  On a corporate level or ad agency level, the same can be seen in graphic design salaries.  School is great, but seeing and learning how what I learned in school translates to the real world is an experience of its own.

There is no way that everything I know now, could have been learned in those 4 years of college.  From paper stocks; printing methods; translating print to digital applications; how marketing principles and advertising factor into design; down to the nitty gritty nuances of local, federal and international regulations for things like packaging design.  Add to that the fast and changing pace of technology, and you have to be living and breathing this field all the time to keep up.

I’ve seen a lot of great work come from newer and less experienced designers and there are some that I think are on track to have excellent careers.  I would recommend them in a heart beat to someone that may have a budget that’s smaller and I have referred work over to them.  However, I also have seen more rookie-type mistakes made that can completely be attributed to experience level. It doesn’t make them a bad designer, they’re just less experienced and the likelihood that they will continue to make mistakes of that nature are slim.  You learn from experience.

This is why salaries for graphic designers range in the same way you see pricing models and rates range with freelancers.

Full-time freelancer vs. A part-time freelancer

You will also see a variance in pricing in regards to whether or not the graphic designer you choose is a full-time freelancer or a part-time freelancer with a day job.  Let’s be honest, the financial revenue needs of the full-timer are probably going to be higher than that of the part-timer.  The part-timer with a day job has another source of income, the day job.  The full-timer has a day job as well…their full-time freelance business.

The part-timer can afford to charge below market prices because they can make up their income needs with their day job.  The full-timer has to charge at least average market prices (in relation to their skill level), because this is how they eat and earn a living.  It is their day job.

There are pros and cons to hiring each.  With the part-timer, you can potentially hire a more experienced designer at a lower rate.  However because they have to work around their full-time day job, they may have less time available to work on projects.  Their turn around times may be slower than that of a full-timer and because they have to be mindful of how much work they can actually take on and do, there may be a waiting period to start your project.

The full-timer may be more expensive, but you may also get quicker turn arounds and have better access to them for questions and concerns.

The proof is in the portfolio

Whether you choose a “cheap” graphic designer or an “expensive” graphic designer, make sure to really sift through their portfolio and don’t be afraid to ask them questions about it.  Unfortunately there are some not so great designers that lift the work of others and place it in their portfolio as their own. If you see a difference in the quality of work through out a graphic designer’s portfolio, it could be an indicator that this is the case.  Ask them to tell you more about that particular project.  If they cannot tell you why they went in the direction that they did and background about the project, it’s probably not a project they actually did.

If you are looking at the portfolio of a designer that is less experienced and you are seeing work done for large brands, don’t dismiss this work as being something they lifted from another designer.  It may be conceptual work done in school or as an exercise to build and broaden their portfolio; they are showcasing what they are capable of doing.  If you ask them about it, they should be able to defend the piece and tell you about the project’s background and why they went in the design direction that they did.  It is a good indicator of what kind of work they could do for you.

A more experienced designer may also have more recognizable brand’s in their portfolio and some may not.  However the majority of the portfolio, if not all of it, will contain real produced pieces.  These portfolio pieces will give you an idea of the type of experience they have and industries, methodologies and constraints they have worked within.

Choose what’s best for you and your budget.

At the end of the day, you have to choose the right designer for your needs and budget.  If your budget is small and your need is immediate, your choices are going to be a bit limited.  However, it doesn’t mean that you cannot still end up with a quality design product.  You may just have to make a few sacrifices with the amount of time it may take to achieve it, the number of revisions necessary and you may need to exercise a little more patience.  Almost every designer wants to please and make the client happy (within reason).  No designer wants to make a crappy design and less experienced designers want portfolio worthy work to showcase their skills.

If you want a more experienced graphic designer and have a medium-sized budget, someone that freelances on the side may be a good fit for you.  They will be more expensive than their less experienced counterparts, but they may be cheaper than someone of the same skill-level or higher that freelances on a full-time basis.  It may be a little harder to get on their docket and for them to take your project on though.  If you have a quick turn-around need, they may not be able to fit the bill.  Because they have a “day job,” they have less available time than someone that does it full-time.  If you can be flexible with your timeline and turn-around expectations, this may be a good fit for you.

For the more experienced graphic designers, you are going to need a reasonable budget because they are going to be more “expensive.”  Think of it in terms of hiring a lawyer.  You can get a “cheap” lawyer, fresh out of school and eager to please, to handle your case and they may do a good job.  However, the more experienced lawyer that has handled hundreds of cases like yours may get you a better result.  There is a lot of knowledge gained with years of experience.  They have been tested and proven by every client before you.  The same is true for graphic designers.  If funding is an issue for you, ask if there are payment options available.  If the designer accepts online payments and credit/debit cards through Paypal, you can apply for a line of credit with Paypal.  It will pay the designer and allow you to make payments.

For all three:  the entry-level designer; mid-level designer; and senior-level designer, you can get good work.  Use your budget needs, their portfolio credit and client testimonies to make a decision on the best fit for you.  Hopefully, after reading this super long (sorry) post you have a better understanding on why some graphic designers are cheaper than others and what this can mean for you.

Why I like doing graphic design contract work

/0 Comments/in , , /by

When I went through a tough time with my design business, I decided to supplement my income by picking up graphic design contract work.  Working graphic design contract jobs was not something that was new to me.  I spent four years working for 3M as a designer in Atlanta…as a graphic design contractor.  Working as a contractor and for such a long period of time, gave me a bit of a confidence boost to launch into my freelance career on a full-time basis.

A lot of graphic designers do not necessarily enjoy graphic design contract work, but I do.  I think it depends on your reasons for doing so.

Graphic design contract work can be a launching point to start a career in graphic design; to gain experience in the field while studying graphic design in college; to fill in gaps during periods of unemployment; to land a full-time position or in my case, fill in gaps when freelance work is a bit slow.

If you are looking for a full-time, permanent position it can be a good starting point, but can be a bit frustrating.  There tends to be more short-term and long-term open-ended contract jobs than there are full-time, permanent placements.  At least that seems to be the case here in Atlanta.

If you are not looking for full-time, permanent work it can be profitable and sometimes a bit fun.  I like working as a graphic design contractor for the following reasons:

Change of Scenery

As a freelancer, I work out of my home office.  Everyday I see the same four walls.  I occasionally re-decorate my space…but it’s still those same four walls. #boring

The first graphic design contract gig I did since I started working as a full-time, freelancer, I literally told the client, “wow. It’s really nice to see something other than my same four walls!”  Being away from my home office and in a new work environment, felt like I was on a work field trip.

I know a lot of freelancers that work out of coffee shops or co-working spaces for this reason, but I have never really been able to do that and still be productive.  I think for me, being in a structured environment like when I am on a contract gig is the difference.  It’s like when I went back to school for my Master’s degree.  I knew I couldn’t do it online and needed a brick and mortar program because I needed the structure that comes with it.

I also find it interesting to see how different companies setup and design their work spaces…weird, I know.  These “work field trips” are like an interior office space design tour that I am being paid to be on.

Seeing What Others are Doing

Speaking of seeing how others are designing their work spaces, I also like seeing how they operate.  What are the business processes and workflows they are using or have developed?  Seeing what’s going on in my field in this regard first hand and in different business types and sizes is invaluable.

During my time so far doing graphic design contract work, I have actually adopted a few new processes and systems for my business that I observed to be useful.  I have also affirmed that a few of the processes I already use are good and need to remain in place.

Working as a freelancer and from home, keeps me in a bit of a bubble.  Doing contract work, takes me outside of that bubble and allows me to see new ways and perspectives that can benefit me with my business.

Finding Out How I Measure Up

That bubble that I am wrapped up in as a freelancer that works from home and often by myself…yeah, it keeps me from seeing the reality of where I really am from a skill and career level.  This is because I have no co-workers.  There is no one for me to make a direct comparison to from a working level.

I can browse portfolios online and look at work done by others, but there is something more that you can learn to make that comparison, by knowing and talking to those same people.

Before my contract Jr. Art Director gig with NCR, I thought I had the skill set necessary to do the job, but I didn’t know I did for sure until I landed the gig and started working.  I’ve done Art Direction work for clients and I have Art Directed and project managed projects, when I have sub-contracted some of my client work.  However, I did not feel like I had “officially” been an Art Director until I took on that contract position.

Now, I am o-ffic-ial. 🙂

Adding to my Skill Set

Working contract has also allowed me to add to my skill set in a couple of ways.  One, it has provided a little extra income that I can now devote towards paying for classes, training courses, etc, to continuously stay current in my field.

Two, opportunities sometimes present themselves on contract design jobs that challenge your current skill set.  For example, while at NCR, I worked on a project that came with a request to make an icon font based on Font Awesome.  I’ve never created a font before, but I was familiar with Font Awesome from my freelance web design work.

I told the client that I would do some research and let them know if it was something I could do.  After researching I determined that I could and I did.  That is something that I don’t believe would have happened with my freelance business.  I believe I would have turned that request down.

Now I can say that I know how to create an icon font…or I at least know a way to do so!

Hermit Prevention

I keep mentioning how I work from home, have no co-workers and see the same four walls day after day.  If I am not careful, this could potentially lead to me becoming a full-fledged hermit!  I’m also an introvert, so it can be a bit difficult to get me out and socializing from a personal perspective.

Working graphic design contract jobs, gets me out of the house and around people.

Enough said.

Easy Money

Because I prefer to take on short-term or part-time graphic design contract work, the work is not normally super labor intensive or has a tendency to be more production-based with templates and brand guideline restrictions.  A lot of designers find this type of work to be grueling or less desirable.

I see it as easy money.  I also see it as a way to stay sharp with skills that are not directly related to creativity.  If you don’t know the production side of things, you can easily conceptualize something that cannot be easily produced or produced within your client’s budget.  Doing production work keeps you sharp and knowledgeable in that regard.

It may not be “glorious,” but it’s necessary.

If you are a freelance creative professional, don’t be afraid to pick up contract work through a creative staffing agency.  You can still freelance, especially if you only take on short-term or part-time assignments.  It’s a way to learn and grow, all while making dough.  Hey, I just rhymed! I should become a rapper.  🙂

How I made it through a tough time with my business

How I Made it Through a Tough Time with My Business

/2 Comments/in , , /by

So last week I announced that I was back from my hiatus and that there had been a myriad of reasons for my absence.  Over the next few weeks or so, I plan to write about some of those reasons that held me back and caused me to take a break from writing.  One reason wasn’t so much a cause, rather a hindrance and stressor that prevented me from writing.  I was experiencing a bit of a tough time with my business.

Prior to my return, my last posting was back in the fall of 2014, September to be precise.  2014 overall for me was a funky year from a business perspective.  I came off of 2013 on a bit of a high.  I saw a significant increase in revenue compared to the previous year and I was on track with my 5-year goal with my business.  I had high hopes and projections for 2014 and I was eager to start the year off.

That year sucked.

The year started off slowly, but that was expected.  I had gotten used to knowing when my high and low seasons were.  Typically the latter part of fall, through the beginning of winter is slow for me.  My busy periods typically are in the spring, the latter part of summer and the very beginning of fall.  My goals have always centered around capitalizing on those periods of time.

So when spring rolled in and rolled right back out without even half of the revenue that I normally would see, I got a bit concerned.  By the time I limped through summer, I was almost in a panic.  Fall was right around the corner and I saw it as my last opportunity and hoorah for the year, but the landscape was bleak.

No new clients, no new projects, and very few inquiries.  It was a tough time.

Prospecting for New Clients

I knew I needed to be more proactive than I had been to get some work to come in.  I had so much work come in during my busy seasons the previous year, that I think I got comfortable.  I stopped working to get work.  I had apparently subscribed to the thought that if I do nothing, they will come.  They, meaning projects and new clients.

So the first thing I did was try to figure out how to get new clients and work.  I turned to a fellow designer friend/mentor and asked the age old question: “How do you get new clients?”  He told me that he targets warm leads, instead of cold calls and pitches.  Basically he looks around locally and identifies businesses that are advertising in some capacity, but may not have very attractive ads/graphics.

He then calls or drops in to see if he can briefly speak with the business owner about their marketing and graphic design needs.  They are a warm lead because they have advertising dollars to spend and are spending it.  The pitch is to get them to stretch those dollars further with better concepts and designs, by spending it with him.  They are going to spend those dollars anyway, why not spend it on better visuals?

Because I am such an introvert, this was a little bit harder for me to do.  So I adapted his method to work for my introversion.  I had a bit more success by targeting businesses that were advertising or targeting digital channels like social media and blogs.

Another thing he suggested that I do was to pitch local agencies for overflow work.  When agencies are busy and don’t have the manpower to cover all of their project needs, they turn to freelancers.

For this, I used LinkedIn.  I signed up for a 30-day trial pro account and used it to identify art directors, creative directors, and principals at local agencies.  I made connection requests and drafted my pitch letter.  I pitched myself for their overflow work needs via the InMail feature and directly through email.

While I didn’t get any immediate work from doing this, I did receive quite a few responses and promises to be put in their databases for those times.

Gigging

A lot of agencies and corporate in-house creative departments turn to creative staffing agencies to staff their immediate short-term and long-term needs.  There are several local to me and contract gigs are something that I have done in the past.  My next step was to sign-up online for all of them.

Gigging would provide me with immediate revenue and I knew that if I could do short-term or part-time gigs, I would still be able to handle my freelance projects and clients.  It would also give me an opportunity to work with more recognizable agencies and brands.

Within about a month of signing up with every creative staffing agency in town, I landed a short-term gig at a large, reputable PR firm in a posh part of town (Porter-Novelli) and then an open-ended gig as a Jr. Art Director at a well established, Fortune 500 company (NCR Corporation).

Tough Time Take-Away

While tough times lead to immense stress and financial strain, I am actually glad that those tough times happened.  I learned a lot of things.  For one, never get lazy or too comfortable.  I always need to be marketing myself in some capacity, even when the work is rolling in endless streams.

I learned adaptability in taking something that worked well for someone else and adapting it in a way to work for me.  I also learned some new sales skills, copywriting for conversions and sales, and a better way to use LinkedIn for my business.

I also learned how isolating my freelance life, coupled with my introversion had made me.  It was kind of nice to see something other than my four walls in my home office and to have actual human coworkers and not just my dog.

By the time the winter of 2015 rolled in, I was back on top.  I was no longer panicked about revenue or watching my savings deplete.  I was actually seeing them increase.  I was also no longer scrambling for clients and projects.  I actually ended up turning a few down that I was really interested in and referring them to some of my freelancer friends, because I didn’t have the bandwidth to take them on.

About two thirds of 2014 sucked, but that last third turned out pretty awesome and it has continued to be awesome through this year, 2015.

Have you had to take measures to get through a tough time with your business?   What were some strategies you used to get through them?  Share your experiences below!

Hiring & Working with Vendors for Your Super Secret Project

/2 Comments/in , /by

Occasionally I am asked to submit a proposal bid on top-secret projects.  No, these are not government backed secret projects for the CIA, military or anything like that.  However, to the initiator of the project, they require secrecy and information is only shared on a need to know basis.  Sometimes I win the proposal bid on the project, sometimes I lose and sometimes I decline to bid because I cannot get enough information to even submit a proper proposal.  I cannot tell you how much it will cost if I do not even know what I will be doing.

Lots of first-time entrepreneurs and start-ups begin their operations under the mask of secrecy.  I get it.  You are afraid that someone will steal your idea, but you do not have the resources and skills necessary to bring it to life.  To do so, you need to hire contractors, freelancers and vendors that have the skill sets you are missing to pull it off.

To really pull it off and bring your product or service to market, you have to be able to trust those vendors.  Because when you don’t trust them, you don’t give them enough information to do their job and you hinder the process.  This results in frustration for all parties involved.  You will be frustrated that things are not going according to plan, deadlines may be missed and the whole experience of working with the vendor may leave a foul taste in your mouth.

If they are a good vendor, they will want you to succeed.  They will want your project to stay on track and will work to help you achieve your goals with the finished product.  If they are really good at what they do, they probably don’t want to steal your idea either.  They have already found a profitable endeavor.  This is proven by the fact that you hired them.

I was curious, so I Googled “Should You Really Worry About Someone Trying to Steal Your Idea” to see what I would get.  What I found around the good ol’ web is the same general sentiment I hold from my own experience.  Being super secretive and guarded with your business idea hurts more than it helps.

I thought this article on the Making it Anywhere blog (found in that Google search), “Worried Someone’s Going To Steal Your Idea? Here Are 4 Things You Should Worry About Instead” had some great counter points to consider.  There are more important things to worry about and answering these four questions may tell you whether or not someone really would want to steal your idea:

  1. Are you solving a problem people will want to pay for?
  2. How are you going to establish yourself as a market leader? Why should they pay YOU?
  3. Does your business idea or model already exist?
  4. How will people know you exist?

If after doing the research and answering those questions you still feel the need to keep things close to your chest, consider using a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) form when requesting bids from vendors.  Most seasoned vendors are familiar with and have signed such forms before, when working with clients.  Using one should give you some measure of peace trust in disclosing the information they need to give you a proper proposal.  If they steal your idea, you can just sue them.

It is important that they have all the information they need.  They determine what information they need to quote you and draft up a proposal, not you.  If you knew what they needed, then you have knowledge of how to do it…and you would not need to hire them.  Answer any questions they have and provide them with anything they request.  Not having enough information may result in an inaccurate quote and a surprise for you when midway through the project, the price needs to be re-negotiated.

Vet vendors you think you might like to work with prior to requesting a proposal.  You can do a general overview by reviewing testimonies on their site, review sites like Yelp and their social media accounts.  If you have a good feeling about them and it seems everyone else does too, ask them if they offer a free “private” consultation.  Let them know up front if you will require their signature on a NDA prior to the consultation.  If during the consultation you are feeling even better about them, ask them to submit a proposal along with some references if you are still a bit scared.

Sometimes the best resources are found from within or through the networks you are already a part of.  Do you have a friend or family member that recently launched a business?  Some of their vendors might be a good fit to get some of what you need done as well.  Ask them if there is a vendor they are using for “XYZ” that they would highly recommend and ask for an introduction or their information.

If after all of that you still cannot trust your vendor to not steal your idea, then the aliens probably really are coming to abduct you. 🙂

 

NDA Resources & Templates:

Wikipedia Definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement

Mutual Non-Disclosure Template: http://www.entrepreneur.com/formnet/form/852

NDA 101 | Rocket Lawyer: https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/nda-101:-what-is-a-non-disclosure-agreement.rl

 

i-dont-want-to-steal-your-idea

Unplugging From Technology to Take a Breather

/2 Comments/in , , , /by

I recently saw an infographic in this article, “6 Myths of Social Sharing” by John Koetsier (@johnkoetsier) in my Twitter feed and I found a very interesting myth debunked.  Before I started posting more frequently on Twitter and was focusing more on my Facebook social media efforts, I operated under the assumption that people were more active on social media on the weekends.  The assumption being that people frequented Facebook more during their free time.  At the time all of the social media princesses, gurus and ninjas hailed this to be true and it probably was then.  Times have changed and apparently this is no longer true.

According to this infographic/article, 49% of people engage with shared content during the weekday.  When I really think about it, I myself fall into that 49%.  My weekdays are full of work, which is on a computer; marketing myself in the digital realm online; and an obsessive habit of checking my phone or tablet to make sure I have not missed an important email or some other notification.  I seem to have an endless stream of chimes, dings and chirps sounding off at my desk all week long.  When the weekend comes, I try to turn it all off.  I truly need a break breather to stay sane agreeable.

Not only have I been unplugging during the weekends, but I have also found myself spending a couple of evenings during the weekday to unplug, listen to music and do nothing at all.  I will not even watch television and the only sound is of my music choice for the evening.  I think we are becoming so bombarded with noise in the form of technology that people are choosing to take time to take a break from it.  You can be in the moment with constant updates on social media, content streaming, etc, but I do not think we can also be in the “physical” moment at the same time.  I think that is what people are yearning for, leading them to take a bit of time off to unplug.  I know that plays a role in why I do it.

Are you a part of the 49% of people that engage more with shared content during the weekday?  Do you take time off on the weekends to unplug?  How do you spend that time?  Share in the comments section!

taking-a-break-from-technology