10 Common Mistakes When Outsourcing Design (And How to Fix Them)

TL;DR: While outsourcing is quick, easy, and convenient, making these common mistakes may result in unfavorable creative output. Here’s what you need to avoid and the fixes available.

Many businesses have now discovered the convenience and benefits of outsourcing design services.  They see it as a shortcut to efficiency. Instead of building their own design team or working with unreliable freelancers, they now turn to on-demand graphic design services. However, there are instances in which, rather than saving them time and money, the opposite happens. Here are ten common mistakes companies make when outsourcing design and how you can fix them:

Mistake #1: Treating Design as a One-Off Project

The Problem: Many business owners think outsourcing design services is just a quick fix. They hire a freelancer for a logo design, use a DIY design tool for that social media post, and then move on. This often leads to mismatched designs that weaken your brand’s recognition and trustworthiness.

The Fix: Use a graphic design subscription service to get ongoing design support. These on-demand graphic design services typically have teams of design professionals that will learn your brand’s style to craft consistent visuals every time.

Mistake #2: Prioritizing Price Over Process

The Problem: Opting for the cheapest graphic design subscription may seem a smart move, but more often than not, it backfires. Inexpensive can sometimes mean rushed work, limited communication, and no room for revisions. This incurs the hidden costs of outsourcing design services: delays, revisions, and inconsistent branding that drain your budget and time.

The Fix: Look for a reliable, unlimited graphic design service that offers as many designs as you need for a fixed monthly rate. Penji, for one, offers unlimited revisions, making a plan even more cost-effective.

Mistake #3: Outsourcing Without Clear Brand Guidelines

The Problem: Your designers are not mind readers. If you submit a design request without clear brand guidelines, you’re risking your project looking different. A missed font, color, or tone of voice will most likely result in inconsistent output and wasted revisions.

The Fix: Before outsourcing designs, get your brand guidelines ready. Share your logo files, color palette, typography, and references to your preferred styles. These can help your on-demand graphic design service deliver consistent results for each request.

Mistake #4: Expecting Strategy From Execution-Only Designers

The Problem: Some business owners expect creative strategy and execution to be part of the package. In reality, most designers focus on creating visual assets, not shaping your brand’s direction. Without a clear marketing strategy, it’s like you’re asking execution-only designers to strategize for you, something they aren’t equipped to do. Doing so leads to good-looking visuals but misses the bigger picture.

The Fix: Separate strategy from execution. This is what your marketing team or brand strategist should be doing. Have them define your brand goals, messaging, and audience insights, then get your visuals from your on-demand graphic design service. Your strategy will guide your design team in crafting visuals that support your marketing objectives.

Mistake #5: Working with Too Many Freelancers at Once

The Problem: When you work with multiple freelance designers simultaneously, it often creates more chaos than efficiency. Different styles can lead to mismatched visuals. Instead of saving you time and money, you’ll end up with endless revisions and design delays.

The Fix: Simplify your process by getting designs under one roof: an on-demand graphic design service, an unlimited graphic design platform, or a graphic design subscription. These offer dedicated teams that will learn your brand and craft cohesive visuals over time.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Turnaround Time Until It’s Too Late

The Problem: Slow turnaround times delay your campaigns, online ads, and content schedules. And in the marketing realm, speed is of the essence. Missed deadlines can translate to missed opportunities.

The Fix: Set your clear turnaround expectations from the get-go. Work with unlimited graphic design services that deliver fast.

Mistake #7: Not Aligning Design Output with Business Goals

The Problem: Don’t go for designs that only look good; focus on visuals that stun AND align with your business goals. If you don’t link your designs to KPIs (leads, clicks, retention, or trust), you risk spending time and money on assets that don’t drive growth.

The Fix: Share your clear objectives and goals with your design team. Connect each of your requests to measurable results. Whether you choose on-demand graphic design services, an unlimited graphic design platform, or a graphic design subscription, guide them with your strategies.

Mistake #8: Overloading Designers With Vague Requests

The Problem: Poor or vague requests or incomplete briefs can lead to endless revisions. When you overload your designers with unclear requests, expect your projects to slow down.

The Fix: Structure your requests and make them as specific as you can. Include your brand assets, goals, and references or examples upfront. This way, your design team can get a clear idea of what you want and craft it accordingly.

Mistake #9: Choosing Providers That Don’t Scale with You

The Problem: When your business grows, so do your design needs. The right graphic design subscription should be able to scale with you.

The Fix: Find one that will adapt to the increase in your design requirements. Penji offers scalable graphic design services without compromising quality.

Mistake #10: Thinking Design is Not an Ongoing Investment

The Problem: Don’t forget that design isn’t a one-off task, it is an ongoing endeavor. When you stop and restart your design work, you’re disrupting your brand’s momentum. Don’t treat design as a “nice-to-have,” but as a continuous journey.

The Fix: A graphic design subscription is an excellent way to get ongoing design support. These services provide you with continuous visuals for all your campaigns and a strong brand identity.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing design doesn’t have to be complicated. Making the most out of your graphic design subscription is easy when you avoid these common mistakes. Follow the fixes included above, and you’re on your way to quick, easy, and reliable design assets for your business.

For efficient, unlimited graphic design services, work with Penji. Watch our quick demo video here to know how your business can get all the visuals it needs for less. Or you can start today by sending your first design request here.

FAQs

• How does unlimited graphic design work?

Unlimited graphic design lets you send as many design requests as you can for a fixed monthly rate.

• What’s the difference between a graphic design subscription and an on-demand graphic design service?

A graphic design subscription provides continuous design support for flat monthly rates, while on-demand design services are flexible, meaning, you pay per project or design request.

• Why is Penji better than building your own design team?

With Penji, all you need to do is submit your request, and the team will handle it. On the other hand, building your own design team means paying for salaries, benefits, software and hardware, and other overhead expenses.