The cost to hire a graphic designer is not static, having a flat fee. It is either a fixed bill or calculated hourly. Therefore, it is not necessary to have a standard pricing list prepared for all needs.
Graphic designers base their payment billing method on their understanding of requirements for a project, plus the consideration of certain aspects of the graphic design process.
In this article, we will be discussing what graphic designing is and the factors determining the cost of hiring a visual artist.
Let’s continue.
What is Graphic Designing
Graphic designing is an art that focuses on interpreting a thought out or written message into visual cues using symbols, images, or words themselves. It can be in the form of digital, physical, or both.
Graphic designers, therefore, helps aesthetically express ideas and concepts by the use of various graphical tools and elements.
Here are various reasons why graphic design is vital in the business world:
- Gaining relevant attention: With the attention span of people diminishing and the increase in distractions, it is hard to gain the attention of potential clients. Luckily, graphic designers can help to strike the eyes of the viewers, influencing them to make a purchase
- Increasing the memorability of a brand: A great graphic design does help a brand to stand out in a crowd of competitors. Just look at established companies like LG, Samsung, HP, and many more. Apart from their quality products, they also have a uniquely designed logo that tends to have a hidden meaning regarding what they offer.
- Growing sales: When good designs capture a potential buyer’s attention, it tends to generate some interest in the products or services you are offering. The intrigue can appeal to the potential customer’s emotion, connecting them to the benefits of purchasing the services or products.
- Building fruitful relationships: Apart from growing sales, an excellent graphic design can leave a long-lasting impression on the clients. An easy-to-understand visual coupled with an eye-catching can have the buyers returning to make more purchases without them realizing consciously that the graphic design has won their hearts from the rest of the competition.
Factors Determining the Cost to Hire a Graphic Designer
Listed below are the aspects that a creative professional considers when settling on their billing charges for graphic design projects:
1. Experience and Level of Expertise
Logically, the cost to hire a graphic designer with immense experience will be higher than one who is currently starting and building their portfolio. This is because a seasoned creative director tends to work faster while providing more value to their customers. They also give the clientele more insights into their project, matching their value to their pricing. In short, reputation tends to determine the pricing of a graphic design project.
Not every business can afford the cost to hire a graphic designer who is at the top of their field. Some medium-sized companies have had to scale back their advertising budget in 2020 on the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, you should ensure you are dealing with a professional from the start. Use their portfolio as a guide to know their professionalism. Don’t forget to ask them about their experiences too.
2. Reputation
Reputation sells. For example, a reputable brand will always have more demand compared to an upcoming one. The same applies when it comes to graphic design.
A well-reputed designer is always in demand. Thus, they are likely to charge a lot more for the project in exchange for their expertise.
Please note that reputation is directly proportional to the designer’s experience in the field, their access to various top-ranked graphic designer software and materials, plus their success in the number of projects completed up to date.
3. Scope of Work
The project scope is the most significant determinant in the cost of hiring a graphic designer. The creative will first access the amount of work need before they can give you an accurate quote.
It is not advisable to tell the designer how long the project could take. The reason is that no two creatives are the same. Even if you consider the work a quick turnaround, such timeliness is only achievable by an experienced graphic designer who has a lot of wisdom.
Thus, the best method to conduct the project’s scope is laying out all your work requirements upfront. They can include:
- Brainstorming various ideas
- Consultation
- Researching the audience, marketplace, or industry the in general
- Coming up with workable concepts
- Identifying the correct materials for the creative project(s)
- Approval and review process
- Production of the final work
You don’t have to give all the details at once. You can add on more items as the project progresses. However, this might cost extra. Remember, the designer is not only working for you: they have other commitments to adhere to. Therefore, if possible, give all the details to them in the initial brief.
4. Intended Purpose
It is advisable to tell the graphic designer the intended purpose of your project. Informing them helps influence their choice of design early that articulates well with the end goal. (Different file formats like jpg, png, pdf, etc., are suitable for various purposes.)
For example, a text made for a credit card cannot be as extensive and bold as that for passing traffic. In other words, the graphics and text should be legible in either context.
5. Type of the Graphic Design Required
You may be thinking that all graphic design is ultimately the same, right?
Well, they are not.
There’re a lot of different types of graphic design available for use. Some design skills are transferable to other graphic design skills. However, many designers tend to have specific likings for the type of job they want to do. They also have a varying degree of strengths when it comes to design categories.
Some of these types of graphic design are:
- Web design: It can range from designing digital advertising channels to the creation of entire websites from scratch.
- Branding: This can either involve creating and building the elements from scratch or refining the explicit depiction of the venture.
- Layout: This type of graphic design doesn’t require the creation of new design elements from scratch. There are numerous templates available to achieve its success
The above are just a few examples as there are many more to the list.
A freelance graphic designer can be efficient in one or two types of designing but is mediocre in the others. Others have become a jack-of-all-trades. They have experience and enterprise in many kinds of designing but cannot excel at any of them in isolation. Such creatives are, however, very useful in multimedia projects.
Whatever type of graphic design you require, it is essential to be crystal clear about your needs and expectations for the project.
6. Revisions
It is natural for a client to request changes once presented with the final design. The customers may want to tweak some of the details to fit into the desired notion of their campaign’s most valuable selling point. That’s why it is vital to have clear communication between the clientele and the designer.
It is, therefore, vital to check the number of changes specified in the contract that you can request before the designer starts charging for the revisions.
Save yourself the trouble of having extra fees charged to an already strained budget by incurring multiple revisions. Provide the hired creative with a concise brief to ensure that you are on the same page.
7. Estimated Time of Completion
The project’s deadline is a significant determinant in the cost of hiring a graphic designer. If you want the task completed within a short timeframe than the creative would otherwise take, the price will be significantly higher. But if you give them ample time to tackle the job, they will likely offer you a more friendly rate.
Hence, request the designer to conduct the project a few days before the final deadline. Such consideration will offer them more time to prepare the materials and plan for their work. They might even provide a discount for such a gesture.
8. Location
In the old days, freelance graphic designers had to be in proximity to you. Nowadays, this is not the case. With exponential growth of technology and the rapid rise of the gig economy, the world is accessible from all over.
Nevertheless, the location of a freelancer can significantly impact their billing rates for the task: The pricing of a graphic designer from first-world countries is more than those outsourced from the third world.
It is also good to consider language barriers, currency valuation, and time zone differences, apart from the pricing.
Whatever the case, choose a freelancer you can converse with. They should be matching your needs and allocated budget.
Summing Up on the Cost to Hire a Graphic Designer
The cost to hire a graphic designer is not set in stone. It does constantly change to fit the ever-changing dynamics of the creative industry. That’s why most reputable graphic designers view a definitive design pricing list as an odd concept. Even those for the idea will have terms and conditions suggesting the modification of prices to reflect the different aspects of a project.
When you find a graphic design pricing guide and fee pdf, kindly go through it carefully. Make sure you comprehend the different elements used to determine the prices. Use the information to be in a better position to negotiate the overall billing charge of your project.
So, do you want to hire pre-vetted professionals for your creative projects?
Head over to the Bunny studio and have your pick on the numerous graphic designers waiting to make your project a success.
