WHY use a Freelancer?
I assume you'd like to find out more about what exactly a freelance graphic & web designer is, and WHY using a freelancer like myself can be better for YOU and YOUR business?
If so, please read on...
...A 'freelance graphic & web designer' is still a graphic or web designer, but instead of working in a small design firm or large design agency, they work for themselves and usually from their own home. There are a number of reasons why using a freelancer could be more beneficial to your business, including saving you time and money.
Below is a list of just 9 reasons why using a freelancer, like myself, may be a far better option than working with a larger design business or agency.
1. over 17 years experience.
Whether you choose a freelance designer or a design agency for your graphic or website project, the most important consideration is how much experience each of them have. When a client enlists the help of a creative freelancer they're creating a one-to-one relationship with a professional.
Almost every freelancer has been around the design agency block a few times and already knows their trade inside and out. Their design skills can be as good as, or indeed better than some of the bigger design agencies.
I began my career as a trainee designer over 17 years ago, after leaving design college. Since then I've progressed my way through various design agencies and worked on a number of challenging projects before deciding to become a freelance designer. I believe I've gained a high level of design agency experience and necessary knowledge of various working methods to enable me to tackle most design or website projects.
2. lower costs.
As a freelancer, I work by myself, so I don't have any additional staff to pay like account managers, senior creatives, junior designers, receptionists or even cleaners. Also working from home means I don't have to pay for expensive offices. As a result, my overheads are very low, which allows me to offer my experience and design skills at a far lower cost than the larger design business.
3. flexibility.
Flexibility is the one of the greatest benefits I can offer as a freelancer. This means I can give my clients flexible services to suit their needs, and if required, work outside of normal hours to reach tight deadlines or finish urgent work ahead of schedule. I can also offer greater freedom over time scales and project deadlines to fit in with your requirements or help with last minute projects or changes.
4. a single point of contact.
From the very start you'll be dealing direct with the person creating all your work, that's me! From initial meetings and creative processes, right through to final production and setup of your required design or website. This means communication is streamlined, phone calls come directly to me, and less time is required explaining project details and requirements to different account managers or designers.
Dealing with me directly, also means you reduce chances of mistakes due to lack of efficient communication, plus you won't have to go from one department to another just to get updates or news on how your project is coming along.
5. more creativity and ideas.
Working closely with my clients I have greater freedom as a creative freelancer, and can bring more unique and clever ideas to the table, whilst combining the various elements required to produce a level of work which both fulfills the clients brief and makes their projects stand out from their competition.
6. an extension of YOUR business.
Many businesses, especially small ones, are more likely to be individual 'one man bands' like myself. They don't require a full-time design team in their offices or simply can't afford to pay big design agency prices for what are relatively small design projects, so a freelance designer is the perfect solution for temporally extending the capacity of a business and can also help to keep your costs down.
I can become an extension of YOUR business, when required, to offer the support and knowledge for any design, website or marketing project that you may need help with. Whether it's a simple one off design task that may only take an hour or two, or a larger design project that requires a weekly, monthly or yearly timescale. Whatever the project or size, I can offer you the flexibility of being there for you, when YOU need it!
7. consistency across all work.
Being the same person dealing with your project from concept to completition you can be sure of getting the same, consistent look and results every time. Keeping all your design and website requirements within one place also ensures all your marketing and promotional material is kept together and less likely for inconsistent branding issues or marketing messages being diluted between different businesses.
Working closely with my clients also means it's easier to build a better understanding of their business. As the business relationship grows, knowing where they've come from and where they'd like to be in the future, makes it far easier to plan for and reach these targets and help them achieve their individual business goals.
8. working harder for YOU.
As the majority of my work comes from personal recommendations, being freelance means my reputation is always on the line. A designer in an agency doesn't have that same kind of pressure, as he knows that he'll be paid at the end of every month whatever standard of work he's required to churn out.
Working closely with my clients, my aim is to ensure their projects are a total success and through building a strong relationship with them, the client knows I'm willing to do more for them to get the results they deserve, like last minute changes or working late to get the job out on time. If I can achieve this, AND get at least one referral from that client then that's an extra reward for me too!
9. I'm a 'freelancer' and proud of it!
Like most other businesses there's always some who pretend to be far bigger than they actually are. Offering services or products they know they can't deliver or aren't qualified to do so, or if they do, they deliver a bad level of service that gives the particular industry a bad name.
The graphic design and website industry is no exception to this. I admit, it's a dog eat dog world out there and competition to find new business is tough, especially in the current climate, so a certain amount of artistic 'sales' style copy writing is required to help get yourself noticed.
Of course there are some very good design agencies out there, some big and some small, and you can usually tell if they're genuine or not by the services or products they offer, their client base or the quality of work examples in their portfolio sections.
I know of alot of individuals and freelancers, both locally and further afield, and I know which ones 'pretend' to be big design agencies or offer products and services beyond their abilities. If I cannot confidently offer you a particular product or service, then I won't 'pretend' I can, but instead I'll do my very best to point you in the right direction of who will be able to help!
Personally, as an individual designer, I'm very proud to step out from behind the 'I'm pretending to be a big design agency' curtain, and say "I AM a freelance graphic designer, I DO work alone from home, and I HAVE GOT the right experience that I claim and can provide YOU and YOUR business with all the design and website requirements you need."
If you're still wondering what makes me different from all the others...
...or still confused as to whether you should hire a design agency or an individual 'freelance graphic designer', like myself...