So you think you
don't need to use an outside Graphic Design Agency . . .
It seems there are a large number of Companies out there that
think it is an extravagant and unnecessary expense to hire an outside
Graphic Design Agency to do their work for them. Their beliefs
are that they already know what they want and they have a member
of staff that is able to do the work in-house, or perhaps they
are simply unwilling to pay for outside graphic design services
that they 'think' are too expensive when costs are an overriding
concern.
But, is this actually true? Companies may well be saving on costs ‘doing-it-themselves’ but
at the expense of the quality of design, skills and experience
an outside Graphic Design Agency can bring to bear on a particular
project.
So, let's go back to the beginning and try to find out if these
Companies are correct in their thinking . . .
Marketing and Communication is essential to every Company's ability
to grow their client base. In a nutshell, it means putting that
Companies name, products and/or services out there in front of
the general public so that people then buy from them or use their
services. There are a variety of different ways this can happen,
including the use of a bespoke logo, advertising in print or other
media, promotional displays, brochures and leaflets, vehicle liveries,
web banner advertising or signs and signage to name but a few.
For those that don’t already know it, what does a Graphic
Designer actually do when they create something for a client? Well,
Graphic Designers plan, analyze, and create visual solutions to
communications problems. They consider cognitive, cultural, physical,
and social factors in planning and executing designs appropriate
for a given context. Sounds complicated, and it is . . . to a point.
Bottom line, they get the Clients message out to the public with
the intention of selling said Clients products or services. Simple!
In most instances a Company will turn to an established outside
Graphic Design Agency for help in creating bespoke solutions for
their specific marketing and communication needs. These Companies
will already understand how important it is to project a consistent
and effective view of themselves through their marketing materials.
They will know that putting an effective message across to their
customers is essential to continued commercial success and will
also know it is vital to be one step ahead of their competitors
in exciting and interesting their existing and future customers.
In some Companies though, in-house Designers or existing staff
with some design skills are often used to create the marketing
materials. This has its advantages, but also has a lot of drawbacks.
Cost is a major consideration with Companies and they often think
that it is cheaper to keep everything in-house by hiring their
own Designer (or doing it themselves) and acquiring all the software
and hardware required to produce the projects in-house. This sounds
great in principal, but in an effort to keep their costs as low
as possible, they don’t always hire someone with the necessary
skills or experience, nor do they obtain the numerous and extensive
resources required. Another drawback to the in-house option is
the actual cost of setting up a studio in-house. The computer systems
and software required can be very expensive and when you add up
the costs of employing someone full time and the costs of setting
up and maintaining a studio it is actually quite a considerable
expense. For most smaller companies these are expenses that are
just not viable.
Another aspect to take into account would be the quality of files
supplied to the printers. Smaller companies that produce the artwork
themselves do not necessarily have the skills or knowledge required
to create artwork that is ready to print, so when the files are
sent to the printer, additional costs and time delays are incurred
whilst the printer sorts out all the problems. Rather than concentrating
on how to get a message across in a simple way, the in-house Designer
is fighting with the programmes, learning on the fly and trying
their best to implement any design at all. The outside Graphic
Design Agency has the advantage here, being already experienced
in all the software programme’s commonly in use and will
fully understand all the design and production tricks of the trade
that helps to achieve effective design with the fewest problems.
The final thing to take into account could well be one of the
most important. Design itself. An in-house Designer will often
have a problem moving the company forward into new territories,
because their imaginations and creativity are being stifled working
within the same business sector, using the same stories and visual
solutions again and again. An outside Graphic Design Agency has
a huge advantage here, working on a variety of different briefs,
from different clients within different industry sectors. The Designers
within the Graphic Design Agency are constantly exposed to the
ongoing evolution of design ideas with colleagues, client interactions
and the design media, whilst continually drawing on the years of
training and development acquired whilst actually working within
the Design business for a number of years.
Maybe after reading all of this you are beginning to see why your
competitors are snapping at your heels because customers are being
drawn away by more exciting and effective design; by designs that
they perhaps feel more able to identify with and trust. Perhaps
cost-cutting is not the over-riding factor after all. Perhaps effective
design is more important.
Maybe it would be better to contract an outside Graphic Design
Agency to do the work on a job-by-job basis which costs less in
the longer term than you might expect.
Maybe you do need an outside Graphic Design Agency after all .
. .
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