9 Reasons To Hire A Freelance Graphic Designer

I can almost hear you groaning through the interwebs.
“Why should I hire a graphic designer? I’m pretty creative, I could knock up a logo in Paint in half an hour! And once we’ve got that, how hard can it be to make a flyer in Powerpoint?!”
Stop. Just stop.
Many business owners fail to see the value a graphic designer can add, and fall into the trap of thinking they can bootstrap everything and still compete within their industry.
If you’re sat there asking yourself “Why should I hire a freelance graphic designer?” then here’s 9 reasons why you should:
1. They know what they’re doing
It’s very easy to know exactly what experience your freelancer has when you hire them. Their website will normally tell you where they went to school, who they’ve worked for, how long they’ve been doing it, and you can see examples of their previous work.
When you hire someone for a phycisal role it’s often very difficult to know how well they’ll perform at their role until they start, leaving you to pay for training, or to find a replacement.
2. It saves you time
If you are one of those people I mentioned at the beginning of this post, then you’ll be saving yourself a good few hours, and the final result will look a hell of a lot better!
Even if you’re not one of those people, hiring a freelancer allows you to delegate a task and move on with something that’s a more effective use of your time.
3. It’s like having an employee you can’t interrupt
Having been an in-house graphic designer, I know how quickly a quiet day can turn into an avalanche of work. Area managers offload two weeks worth of design projects on you during their day in the office, the marketing department needs amends to an advert you thought had been approved weeks ago, and the sales team needs changes to the brochure so they can have them printed for the trade show they forgot to tell you about.
Freelancers, no matter how busy, are often subject to far fewer distractions, which means they can create your idea of perfection quickly and efficiently.
4. You can charge more
Whilst it’s true that not all businesses rely on looks, the customers perception of a brand can often affect how much they’ll be happy to pay.
For instance, £40 might sound like a lot for a steak dinner at a shabby village pub, but it sounds like a great deal when you’re sat in the middle of a luxurious restaurant.
If you can’t hire a full time designer, a freelance designer is a great way to make sure your company looks it’s best.
5. They cost less
The truth is that even at a high hourly rate, freelancers only bill you for the actual time they work, which makes them much more cost effective.
It’s estimated that freelancers are 20–30% cheaper than full time eployees because the hidden costs of pensions, holiday, and extra office space (to name a few) are often forgotten.
You also have to factor in employee downtime between projects or the fact that you’d still have to pay a salary during slow periods.
6. You’re futureproofing your business
By the year 2020 it’s expected that 40% of the U.S. workforce will be freelancers or independent contractors.
Gaining experience in hiring freelancers, and building strong working relationships with reliable contractors will put you in a great position in the years to come.
7. They think differently
Graphic designers are trained to solve problems creatively.
They have experience of what’s worked well for previous clients, and what hasn’t, meaning they can guide you towards making the best decision for your business.
Freelance designers often have experience working within different industries simultaneously, so may be able to give you a fresh perspective on your projects.
8. You can dip your toe in
You’re often forced to invest a lot into relationships you may consider a risk.
For instance, switching to a new supplier might require a minimum order quantity, and hiring a full time member of staff would need contracts and training, on top of their salary.
However, with a freelancer, you have the ability to test the waters before you jump in.
Starting with a small job is only a small financial investment, but will give you a great insight into the process and what you can expect for your money, so that when you’re working on a larger project you can be sure that you’re working with the right person.
9. Because they’ll do a little happy dance
When freelancers get an email from a potential client saying they’d like to go ahead with a project, they secretly do a little happy dance that people may or may not see.
Freelancers work for themselves because they love what they do, so every time someone offers to pay for that privilege, it’s hard not to be a little bit happy about it!
What’s next?
With so much potential value to add to your business, it’s worth exploring the world of freelancers the next time a small project comes up. You never know, you might like it!
