Outsourcing design may sound like a complex and risky process, but the truth is that it’s actually much simpler than you might think. Outsourcing design is a great way to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality standards.
The right design firm can make your business look professional and produce effective marketing materials in a fraction of the time it would take if you attempted to do this work on your own.
Reducing cost, time, and stress are all important factors when you’re launching any new business venture. Outsourcing design can help you accomplish all three of these things in one fell swoop.
This article will give you an overview of what outsourcing design means, why it’s beneficial to your company, and how to get started with the process as quickly as possible.
Let’s get started…
Outsourcing Design vs In-House: Which is Better?
One of the first questions you’re probably asking yourself is why you would choose to outsource design work at all.
For many companies, the decision simply comes down to which is less expensive: hiring a company to do your design work or training your employees to do it internally?
Let’s paint the picture of which is the best option in the tables below!
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Design
| Pros | Cons |
| Quick access to high quality talent anywhere | Outsourcing to the wrong company |
| Saves time and resources | Short term commitment |
| Downsize smartly without leaving a vacuum | |
| Hire only the best at least possible cost | |
| Only pay for services, not tools. | |
| Easily change the skills set as the project progress | |
| Innovate quickly and seamlessly | |
| Get more free time to foucs on other aspects of business | |
| Ease the burden on your in-house team Scale your team easily |
Pros and Cons of In-house Design
| Pros | Cons |
A team of experts working towrds a common goal No external access to your project Seamless Collaboration | The cost of building an in-house team in high Regular payment without any risk Overhead Costs Scaling your team will be expensive and slow. |
That’s not all!
From the discussion above, it's evident that outsourcing design is way more beneficial as compared to in-house design—and you don’t want to miss on the benefits that come with it—as you minimize the cons.
Now that you understand the rising motivation behind outsourcing design, the next section will highlight outsourcing design benefits that you need to leverage.
Outsourcing Design: Benefits
There are many clear benefits to outsourcing design instead of doing it in-house. Some of them include;
* Improved Efficiency
By assigning work that cannot be completed internally in a fair amount of time to those who are specialized in the industry and have the resources to do it well and fast, outsourcing enables a business to become more efficient.
That’s why 53% of manufacturing organizations use offshore outsourcing to increase productivity and reduce expenses in the long run.
* Increased concentration on key business operations
By letting your personnel concentrate on their primary responsibilities and long-term plans, outsourcing can free up your company to concentrate on its strengths.
That’s why statistics show that 65% of businesses that have used outsourcing in the past or currently use outsourcing plan on increasing their outsourcing efforts in order to remain focused on key business tasks.
* Regulated costs
You can free up money to invest in other areas of your organization by using the cost savings from outsourcing—that’s why 70% of brands that use outsourcing cite cost reduction as their top reason.
* Expanded reach
Through outsourcing, you will have access to resources and facilities that would not otherwise be available to you if you did the in-house design.
* Greater advantage in the marketplace
You may utilize information, talents, and your entire supply chain through outsourcing—in turn, it will give you much-needed exposure and competitive advantage…
Now that you know the benefits of outsourcing design, you will agree that before you start anything, having some top-notch tips will guide you in making the right decisions. The next section is dedicated entirely to that, let’s have a look…
Outsourcing Design: What Should You Keep In Mind?
When you’re considering outsourcing design work, it’s important to keep a few tips in mind.
* Specify exactly what you want
Even though you’ll be outsourcing the design work, you’ll still be responsible for the end product. If you can’t communicate exactly what you want, you’ll likely get a less-than-satisfactory result.
* Be aware of the total cost
Outsourcing design is not cheap, but it’s something you should expect to pay for when it comes to quality design.
And keep in mind that even if the designer offers a fixed pricing model, there will be additional costs along the way, such as research and design tweaks.
It’s best to communicate your budget from the beginning.
* Check the track record of your outsourcer
A good way to ensure your outsourcer is reliable is to check their track record. It’s possible to find reviews and testimonials from former clients on their websites or social media pages.
* Ensure a smooth workflow
It’s important to have a clear understanding of the client-designer's workflow and your schedule so that you don’t keep interrupting their progress.
* Set reasonable expectations
It’s important to set reasonable expectations from the beginning. Some designers may offer a delivery date that is a little too optimistic.
If the project is behind schedule, you can always ask them to speed up their work or find a new designer altogether.
* Take care of legalities
It’s important to have a thorough contract with your designer to avoid any misunderstandings.
All the details about the project, such as the total cost, payment terms, and project schedule, should be included in the contract.
* Don’t be afraid to walk away – always have a backup plan
If you’re not happy with the work your designer is doing or they are consistently behind schedule, walk away.
There are plenty of remote designers out there who are eager for your business and will be happy to earn your business.
The next section will help you figure out what and how to get started with outsourcing design. Let’s dive in!
Outsourcing Design: How To Get Started
Once you determine that outsourcing design is the best option for your company, you’ll want to get started as quickly as possible.
The sooner you begin this process, the easier it will be to find a design firm that meets your needs.
Follow the process below to get everything right:
Step #1 Analyze Your Problems
One of the first things to do is to analyze your problems.
* Why do you want to outsource your project?
* What are your main goals?
* What needs to be solved?
The more specific you are, the easier it will be for your future web design partner to understand the challenges at hand.
Ask yourself:
* Why do I want to outsource my web design project?
* Do I have a team that can handle the project?
* What are the costs of hiring a professional team?
* What are my project’s goals?
* Is there a deadline or a specific time frame for the project?
* What is the project’s budget?
* What expertise do I need for the project?
* What are the project’s requirements?
Another important thing to keep in mind is that you should have a clear idea of what you want your design work to accomplish.
This will help you communicate your needs, expectations, and goals to the design firm that you select.
Step #2 Choose the Best Outsourced Design Model
The next step is to choose the best model of outsourced design. Once you’ve decided which services you want to outsource, you can search for potential partners online.
There are a few major models of outsourcing that you need to know about before anything:
* In-house design: In-house design is suitable for only the smallest of startups since you’ll have to hire and manage a whole team of designers, programmers, and project managers.
* Buying design services: If you’re looking for a more scalable option, you can buy design services from a talent pool of freelancers. This is a great way to get the design expertise you need without adding a large overhead to your monthly expenses.
* Hiring a design agency: If you want to get your product off the ground as quickly as possible, hiring a design agency might be the right choice for you.
* Outsourcing to a product design company: If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for your design, engineering, and marketing needs, outsourcing to a product design company might be the best option for you.
The next section will excite you because we will walk you through reputable tricks and tips.
Expect to get started immediately after you finish reading it.
Step #3 Select Agency or Freelancer (+Hiring Tips & Tricks)
First, you want to make sure that you’re choosing a reputable company from outsourcing platforms.
You can do this by looking for design firms that have a long track record in your industry.
It’s crucial to have an understanding of;
* Does the outsourcing partner have the expertise and proven track record that you need?
* Is the outsourcing partner responsive to your communications or has a good reputation?
* Will the outsourcing partner be able to meet your project’s milestones or capacity to support it?
* Does the outsourcing partner have an upfront pricing model?
Now, this is important, do not fret or lag behind…
If you are interested in freelance design from design experts, Legiit has hundreds of talented designers ready to design stuff for you that will represent your business, and grow your business revenue by promoting your brand image to the world and getting shares and engagements.
This will outwardly improve how you do business and give you a competitive edge. You should make a point of looking at the pool of freelancers and picking the best for yourself.
There are many designs to pick from;
* …among others.
Step #4 Write Product Specification ( Requirements & Contract)
After you’ve selected an outsourcing design team, you’ll need to write a product specification (a document that describes the project requirements in detail) —it should include a brief overview of the project, the project’s objectives, the project goals, and the project’s scope—before signing a contract.
Next, you’ll need to create a sample design, mockup, or prototype that illustrates the project’s aesthetic and functionality in the simplest way possible.
Step #5 Start your Hiring process
Now, start your hiring process.
You can begin by finding a few potential candidates and reaching out to them. Because this step is closely tied with STEP #3 above, it’s important that you refer back as it offers you a simple, realistic, professional and confidential way to recruit and hire.
Make sure to clearly communicate your project’s scope, desired aesthetic, and goals though, as you would do for anyone.
When interviewing outsourced designers and programmers, you should pay attention to the following:
* Does the candidate understand your project’s scope?
* Does the candidate have experience and a track record with similar projects?
* Does the candidate have the aesthetic and creativity you’re looking for?
* Does the candidate have an understanding of the project’s goals?
Step #6 Set KPI and Analyze Cooperation
Finally, set your KPIs and analyze the cooperation. The KPIs are the key indicators that will help you determine whether your outsourcing team is meeting your expectations.
They can be used to monitor the design and development process. As the project manager, you’ll need to regularly review your outsourcing partners.
Remember, outsourcing is a process, and it will take time for you and your team members to get used to each other. If a project doesn’t go as planned, try to figure out what went wrong, and don’t give up.
It's Your Turn—Outsource Your Design
Regardless of whether your brand is large or small, with design outsourcing you can get a successful project done quickly.
If you decide that in the eternal dilemma of in-house designer vs. outsourcing designer, you opt for the latter option, that’s fine, the main thing to focus on is to carefully choose experts for cooperation so that you don’t waste time and money while getting less of it.
Some of the key tips—you should not miss include;
* Determine what you want and how you want it done
* Look at the portfolio and reviews of the designer you have settled on
* Provide all the necessary resources and information
* Always provide feedback.
Once you understand this, you will realize that there are many benefits to outsourcing design: you can take a fresh creative look at your business, reduce costs, save time, and more.
If you need help with designing all ranges of products, from graphic design to web design, that’s what Legiit freelance marketplace has great expertise in.
Check out our wide range of experts and contact us to have your questions answered—or join our Official Legiit Facebook Group and connect with even more experts in the industry.
That’s a wrap, all the best as you outsource design for your business!
Outsourcing Design: Frequently Asked Questions
What is outsourced design?
Outsourcing design work is a well-accepted idea in the digital marketing space. Product development is an integral part of a day-to-day business which you cannot do without if you want to make sales for your business.
As you look into business growth or marketing, outsourcing your design to experts is important to growing your brand image.
How do you outsource design work?
Engaging in rigorous planning goes a long way when you want to outsource your design work. Be sure to follow the following steps:
Step 1. Have a well-formed project idea and understand why you need a design
Step 2. Prepare all the required materials and information for designers
Step 3. Do your background research and then conduct interviews
Step 4. Organize your design workflow
Step 5. Provide feedback fast and often
Can you outsource product design?
Brands that outsource product design benefit more from a wide range of skills and knowledge that produce products that match the brand’s paradigm.
As a result, these companies end up with products that match the customer's needs, which gives them a competitive edge in the market.
Is graphic designing outsourcing?
In the prevailing marketing climate, now more than ever, clients prefer brands that understand design and put it into practice.
To get that high-quality look, many companies are now outsourcing their graphic design services for all their advertising and marketing needs.
Besides, it's a much more affordable option for startups and brands.
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