We are in a world where everyone loves and looks forward to getting a good deal. From sales in stores, to clipping coupons to go grocery shopping, we seek to receive the best value for our dollars spent. How does this translate into a business relationship for a more services based business?
As a graphic designer, I have been learning and practicing in the field for more than 9 years. As one would expect, as your value increases, typically the price does as well. With more experience and knowledge of the programs the creative profession uses, Adobe Creative Suite, the more value can be placed and added to that person with those defined set of skills.
Recently, my team of creatives and I have been constantly having a discussion of why a certain mindset of low rates permeate people's thoughts, when they think of graphic design services. You have a diverse set of design materials to be created that take time and skill to represent the unique business' brand for each individual client. Over the past several years, freelancing websites such as Fiverr, 99Designs, UpWork and others have caused a type of snowball effect where it is believed that you can get the highest quality and value for the cheapest price. It doesn't necessarily take into account time spent on acquiring those skills to do an exceptional job. A high end professional designer, will spend thousands on equipment and thousands of hours, learning the skills and the programs to create high quality work. The higher the value of their work, selling it at a cheaper price can be almost a disservice to the designer who has put some much into developing their skill set.
There is nothing wrong, inherently in saving money, but a person shouldn't come to a professional with preconceived notions of what that person's skill set is worth. The questions that should come to mind, when considering the right designer for your project needs are as follows:
How much experience does this designer/business have when it comes to my project needs?
Do they have a clear and concise website or business page, that reflects high quality and value?
Do they have good reviews and testimonials from a diverse set of clients?
Will this designer be a good match for truly growing my brand?
Are you willing to establish a relationship with the designer? Or are you looking for just one project completed every few months?
These questions are a good guide to help you think about the process and to understand what you are truly paying for. If you want someone to truly spend time in building and designing your brand, you have to be willing to invest in their quality services offered. Starting a business is truly an investment and there is nothing wrong is getting the highest quality value you can possibly have.