Graphic Design: Inhouse vs Agency vs Freelancer

You will agree with me that graphic design is an integral part of marketing, be it online marketing or traditional. But for many marketing managers, the dilemma is choosing between an in-house graphic designer, an agency, or a freelancer. In this article, we explore the advantages of hiring any of the three options to scale your marketing.

Freelancer
The proliferation of the internet and technology has created a pool of talent dubbed the freelancers’ community. You will find various different kinds of freelancers, including writers, developers, online marketers, and even designers. A freelancer can work either as a digital nomad or render services in a particular physical location.

The advantage of hiring a freelance graphic designer is reduced costs. Just make sure you are using a freelancing invoicing tool such as rimuut to keep records of the payments. You don’t need infrastructure, and the human resources requirements, including benefits and salary to get the work done. Just log in to any of the freelancing websites and find your match at an affordable rate. On the downside, it’s quite hard to find the perfect designer who understands your company’s background and, ultimately, your marketing goals. Also, freelancers tend to become dodgy when it comes to matters of deadlines.

Agency
Agencies have been here for quite some time and have helped companies and businesses leverage their on-demand services. These agencies have full time and part-time designers, and a development team that scouts for business.

The advantage of agencies is the reduced cost of projects as the agency team works remotely. There are no infrastructure costs. Another benefit, agencies have the best teams, as most have designers who have worked on different projects and understand what each business wants. They also know the right influencers. On the downside, agencies don’t share the goals, mission, and vision of your company.

In-House
These are designers your company hire on a full time or part-time basis. But the underlying factor is that you are providing the basic infrastructure (computer, internet, and office space).

You want to hire a full-time designer if you have a lot of work to be handled. This is the best option if you are a large organisation with enough budget, as all your projects can be monitored easily, and the designer can get in line with your company’s objectives. On the downside, you have to foot the bills that hiring a professional tag along with.

Which is the Best Choice?
Well, there is no better option than the other; it all depends on your needs. If you are in constant need of graphic design, you will have to opt for an in-house graphic design team. For businesses with varying graphic design tasks, an agency will come in handy as you have someone ready to handle your needs on-demand. Lastly, the freelancers are a reserve for small businesses looking for graphic design services occasionally.