Why Does Design Cost So Much?
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
All too often in the past I’ve found myself justifying my prices to prospective clients, friends and family because I genuinely believe most people don’t actually know why designers charge the prices that they do or what goes on behind the scenes. They just see pretty designs showing up on our Instagram feeds - but no idea of what all goes into it. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that play a role.
01 / Designers have skills that have taken years to master.
If something takes an hour to do, you’re not just being charged for that hour of time. You’re being charged for the designer’s skillset and the many hours of courses and research (read: late nights) they have put in that allows them to do that piece of work in just one hour. These things were not just learnt overnight and have taken (and continue to take) a huge amount of time and dedication. Designers are also always having to keep up with new technologies, trends and software to keep relevant.
02 / The output you see is often a result of countless revisions.
We don’t just sit down and draw a pretty picture or recklessly pick a cool font and whip up your designs in a matter of minutes. Although sometimes things can come together quickly due to our experience, the majority of our designs have gone through many, many iterations to get their final state. Testing out all the options that don’t work and tweaking as we go along - if you were to see a designer’s Illustrator artboard, you’d get a glimpse of what I mean. What you see at the end comes after hours of hard work once we’ve selected the best strategic option(s) for your brand.
The majority of our designs have gone through many, many iterations to get their final state.
03 / Like any other business owner, designers have expenses to cover.
It may seem like all we need is a laptop to work, but there are a lot of expenses that go into running a successful design business and offering a seamless client experience. From marketing, education and design tools, to client management, invoicing systems, internet and storage costs, the expenses pile up quickly! Let’s also not forget the premium fonts — because every designer out there knows we spend way too much on purchasing and experimenting with type.
04 / Good branding adds significant value to your business.
A well-designed brand identity adds significant value to your business. Through a solid and strategic foundation, your brand will be cohesive and memorable to your audience. According to the UK Design Council, more than two-thirds (68 percent) of businesses say brand consistency has contributed to revenue growths of 10 percent or more (Lucidpress, 2021). Effective design not only increases brand awareness, but builds strong brand loyalty and differentiates you from your competitor.
While it’s undeniable how important a strategically designed brand identity is for your business, it’s also important to note that every business is in a different stage and space and sometimes you’re simply not yet able to invest larger amounts into full-service strategy and design. That’s why we offer both full-service design as well as design intensives - to meet you where you’re at because every business owner deserves to feel confident in their brand.