Redefining success: leveraging design outsourcing for maximum ROI

As I run an on-demand design agency, you might think I’m biased for telling you to outsource your design work.

“Of course, you’re telling me to outsource my designs so I can give you my money!”

Sure, but I don’t want your money if I can’t give you value back. This should also be a win on your end!

I understand the challenge of having to balance the need for high-quality design within the constraints of your budget. That’s why I started Deer Designer.

The world of business changes fast, and visual aesthetics play a very important role. So finding cost-effective design solutions can be a real game changer.

Outsourcing your design work is proven to be the most cost-effective strategy.

Think about it: if your hour is more expensive than a graphic designer’s, why would you spend your precious time trying to do things yourself?

So I put together a guide to share my insights on how you can take advantage of outsourcing design and maximize your return on investment (ROI) without compromising on quality.

What can outsourcing graphic design work do for you?

Before delving into the specifics, it’s crucial for you to understand the landscape of outsourcing and what it can do for you.

Outsourcing design tasks involves collaborating with a third-party individual (or agency) to handle different aspects of the creative process.

This could be anything from a single outsourced designer to an agency with a pool of design professionals that provides on-demand graphic design services.

In fact, there are a handful of design outsourcing companies out there that even offer unlimited design services! (wink wink).

The scope of the projects they work on can vary a lot, from setting up your brand guide to developing your website to even creating your product designs.

At Deer Designer, for example, we keep sourcing the best design talents we can find online, so you can have access to a pool of diverse talents for every type of design you need.

You don’t have to comb through the thousands of freelancers online yourself.

Whether you need help with website design, print design, or product design, we’ve got dedicated designers who can handle all design requests for you.

You shouldn’t have to spend time and money sourcing, hiring, and testing different freelance designers for specific project needs.

Logo design, web design—what design projects should you outsource?

Not all design projects are created equal, and identifying the right ones for outsourcing is a key decision.

In my experience, routine and time-consuming tasks, such as repetitive graphic design work or website maintenance, are ideal candidates for outsourcing.

This allows our in-house team to focus on more strategic and creative aspects of projects, enhancing overall efficiency.

Once you start, you might be tempted to start outsourcing everything (trust me, it’s addictive. I would know).

But it’s important to strike a balance and keep control over the core creative processes that define your agency’s unique identity.

So when you evaluate your projects carefully, you’ll ensure a seamless integration of outsourcing into your overall design strategy.

It’ll make more sense this way.

Establishing clear communication with your graphic design service provider throughout the design process

We use digital collaboration platforms, video conferencing, and project management tools to streamline communication with our outsourcing partners.

Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and clear project timelines ensure that everyone is on the same page, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment, which is the ultimate goal.

This way, you can also rest assured that you are getting the most out of the design outsourcing services you are paying for.

Ensuring quality control and consistency in your design team

I’m part of a lot of Facebook groups, and one common concern that comes with outsourcing design work is how hard it is to maintain consistency and maintain quality control when outsourcing design work.

At Deer Designer, we address this by establishing stringent quality assurance processes for every design task.

We develop detailed style guides, provide constructive and clear feedback, and conduct consistent reviews to ensure that the outsourced work aligns seamlessly with our agency’s standards.

Consistency is key to high-quality design work.

By setting clear expectations and guidelines, we’ve been able to achieve a level of consistency across all our projects, whether executed in-house or through outsourcing

This not only safeguards the integrity of our brand but also ensures that our clients get a consistently high standard of work.

And we love getting their “thumbs up” 👍🏼 every time we hit the mark.

Calculating ROI and cost savings of outsourcing design vs having an in-house designer

One of the goals of design outsourcing is to maximize ROI and save some bucks in the process, right?

You might be outsourcing dozens of designs, thinking you’re saving a lot of money because it is an unlimited design service.

But how sure are you that you are actually saving money compared to just hiring a full-time design team?

To make sure that you are getting the most out of your outsourced design services, it helps to track the costs of your projects.

That’s how you can compare the expenses of hiring a full-time in-house design team versus the expenses of your outsourced design team.

Sure, don’t forget to consider factors such as the time you saved and your increased project capacity.

This data-driven approach helps you figure out if your outsourcing strategy is working and provides valuable insights for improvement.

At Deer Designer, we can show you real money benefits because we charge the same fixed monthly rates no matter how many designs or changes you need.

If you find that you are not making the most of your subscription, you can also pause or cancel at any time with no additional fees.

Mitigating risks and challenges of outsourcing design work, especially for startups

Outsourcing design work has many benefits, but it’s important to know about the potential risks and challenges too.

Things like language barriers and time zone differences can affect the effectiveness of outsourced projects.

This can be especially tough for a startup company, where you have to be careful with your time and money.

So before you go ahead and sign contracts, make sure you get to know the freelancer or design service you want to work with.

Check out how they manage their projects, what their past clients say about them, and if they’re willing to adjust to your needs right from the start.

Every partnership has risks and challenges.

It’s all about how they handle those challenges with you.

Fulfilling your graphic design needs through successful design outsourcing

I’ve seen for myself how design outsourcing can make a company more efficient, save money, and boost its creative abilities.

In an industry where being innovative and creative is really important, using design outsourcing not only makes financial sense but also helps your agency do well.

With a good outsourcing plan, you can increase your agency’s creative work, go beyond what your clients expect, and become more efficient so you can grow.

Whether it’s Deer Designer or another design service, give it a go.

You have nothing to lose, it’s a no-brainer!