Times are tough, there's no secret about that. And with tighter and tighter budgets, it can be tempting to look at ways to cut corners. The lure of free design is a tempting proposition and one we often find ourselves up against but here's why I think it's damaging for your business.
Something has to give.
I passionately believe that when design is 'free', something has to give. When someone isn't making money from something, how much effort will they be putting into your design? And remember, a great design is crucial to a piece of print working. If the design doesn't communicate your offering in the right way, you'll be reducing your chances of a response. Do you think someone doing free design for you will be giving your company the consideration and time it deserves?
Who takes the hit in the end?
Along the theme of 'something has to give', money has to be made somewhere. If the designer is also producing the print for you, and they're doing the design for 'free', then the profit has to be in the print and this can often mean cheap, flimsy papers and cards. Think about the impression you'll be giving of your business if you hand out cheap business cards featuring a shoddy design at your next networking event (Vistaprint, anyone?).
Get to the back of the queue!
How long are you prepared to wait? If there's no money in it for the designer, how likely are they to prioritise your job? Chances are they'll stick you way behind the people who are paying or they'll have so much on because they're working for free, you'll be waiting a long, long time for a piece of sub-standard design work. You'll likely lose more money waiting to get your marketing out than you would have paid to have a professional design produced!
A false ecomony.
On a practical level and in our experience, companies who give away their services for free are rarely around in years to come. This can often mean that your design files, or even your website, can disappear with them. On this point, a company that has longevity must be doing something right in their own business. Taking note from successful suppliers can do wonders for your own!
Give your company the attention it deserves.
Why use someone to produce design for your business who undervalues their own service so much that they'll give it away for free?! You have to question a designer who is having to give away their service in order to win work. Or maybe they simply don't have confidence in their own skills. The cost of a designer often reflects their skills and knowledge. Pay nothing and you're likely to get nothing of value in return. Invest in your business and you'll see the return.
Something has to give.
I passionately believe that when design is 'free', something has to give. When someone isn't making money from something, how much effort will they be putting into your design? And remember, a great design is crucial to a piece of print working. If the design doesn't communicate your offering in the right way, you'll be reducing your chances of a response. Do you think someone doing free design for you will be giving your company the consideration and time it deserves?
Who takes the hit in the end?
Along the theme of 'something has to give', money has to be made somewhere. If the designer is also producing the print for you, and they're doing the design for 'free', then the profit has to be in the print and this can often mean cheap, flimsy papers and cards. Think about the impression you'll be giving of your business if you hand out cheap business cards featuring a shoddy design at your next networking event (Vistaprint, anyone?).
Get to the back of the queue!
How long are you prepared to wait? If there's no money in it for the designer, how likely are they to prioritise your job? Chances are they'll stick you way behind the people who are paying or they'll have so much on because they're working for free, you'll be waiting a long, long time for a piece of sub-standard design work. You'll likely lose more money waiting to get your marketing out than you would have paid to have a professional design produced!
A false ecomony.
On a practical level and in our experience, companies who give away their services for free are rarely around in years to come. This can often mean that your design files, or even your website, can disappear with them. On this point, a company that has longevity must be doing something right in their own business. Taking note from successful suppliers can do wonders for your own!
Give your company the attention it deserves.
Why use someone to produce design for your business who undervalues their own service so much that they'll give it away for free?! You have to question a designer who is having to give away their service in order to win work. Or maybe they simply don't have confidence in their own skills. The cost of a designer often reflects their skills and knowledge. Pay nothing and you're likely to get nothing of value in return. Invest in your business and you'll see the return.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair, American Oil Well Firefighter
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