When Do You Call on a Designer?
- Sophia Bauer
- Apr 20, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 28
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I'm going to let you in on the biggest secret that freelance designers avoid telling you: NOT ALL PROJECTS NEED A PRO DESIGNER. Did I really just say that? Yes I did. Do I actually mean it? 1,000% yes! Would my business manager—if I had one—go white as a ghost at my terrible self-advertisement? Absolutely! But here I am, a professional designer, telling you, my reader that I am not always needed.
My clients are different from the typical company or individual a freelance designer works with. For me, I find my joy in serving Christian organizations (a bonus if they're Catholic!) which typically means nonprofits and parishes, and with that clientele work comes limited resources from the get-go. But that doesn't make the mission less important. If anything, it's more crucial than ever to put your best foot forward and reach an audience that already has a limited attention. The trick is knowing when to do this.
So when do you need someone like me?
1. WHEN DO YOU NEED IT?
Everyone has been guilty of a particular crime in the marketing world: There's an event or ministry that needed promoted on social media and in newsletter blasts, but planning fell through the cracks with the endless to-do list of other daily tasks that it wasn't addressed early enough. If you've hit the threshold of days—sometimes HOURS—before an event, it might be time to throw something together yourself last minute, even if it's just a quick description and general picture of your organization's logo or facility.
Not always will a designer be able to make a rushed order on such short notice, especially if it's your first time working with them. They might not know what you're looking for, or even how you normally brand yourself. Plus the rush fees can quickly become astronomical and almost not worth it at that point!
It's always a good idea to reach out at least one week in advance from when you need any project completed. This doesn't include printing if it will be a physical end-product. You'll want to plan an additional two weeks on top of the original deadline to ensure everything is completed. That way you can have time to make changes and updates, no matter how big or small the project is, and you'll get what you paid for, and sometimes even more.
Now this doesn't mean that if you already have an established relationship with your designer that it won't be doable, but it's best to plan ahead and always respect the relationship and their talents!
2. WHAT IS IT FOR?
Some projects really don't need the eye of a true designer. A quick little social media post or a "closed for the afternoon" sign on your office door could quickly be done using a free service like Canva. Did you know they also offer their premium membership for FREE to nonprofits? They have a HUGE selection of stock images and templates, and can turn anyone into a rookie designer in no time! It is DEFINITELY worth it for the small, quick 5 minute posts or fliers.
Now if you're hosting a gala or running a capital campaign, it might be time to reach out to your fellow designer—like me! These are the bigger items that require more attention to detail, and absolutely MUST provide your audience with a lasting first impression. The same tricks and stops that worked for that small, minute post won't capture the attention of the potential investor of your ministry. It's crucial that you take the time to seek outside help if you don't have a staff member with an eye for design, because it is times like these that you should never accept "good enough" when it matters most.
3. HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED IT?
What if you need a project done on a daily or weekly basis? It wouldn't be a bad idea to purchase or hire out for a TEMPLATE, something that you can edit and update on your end whenever necessary. Hiring someone to complete a project with that short of a turnaround would basically become an outside staff member, or put you at their mercy on a regular for completion. Making it a one-and-done template purchase, or even just something created real fast in-house can put your mind at ease and not force you to panic when a designer cannot satisfy the desired deadlines daily. Simply put, as much as we want to treat you as our only client, you can't actually be our only client.
When it becomes more of a monthly, quarterly, yearly, or just a one-time thing, it's time to outsource. The more time you have to prep can deceivingly seem like you can get it done yourself, but time has a funny way of never getting things done. When it's a daily task in the eyes of ministry, those will be the things at your forefront and constantly on your radar. Anything else tricks you into the mindset of "I'll get to it eventually". That's when it's a good idea to call on that designer friend of yours!
The designer's job is to make sure that the project remains on the forefront and moving forward, especially if you have to keep focusing on the daily tasks at hand. We're worth every penny, and can ensure your long-term projects are completed, so that you can focus on what is always going on.
Hopefully these little tips and questions help you plan your next project! Let me know in the comments if you have additional thoughts, or your own process for figuring out when you need to call the pros.
Maybe it's time for us to have a chat!
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