Graphic Design Agency: A Complete Guide to Outsourcing Design

TLDR: Great design grows business while poor visuals cost you. Outsourcing graphic design to a graphic design agency may just be the game-changer you’re looking for. Here’s what you need to know about working with a competent graphic design company and understanding what design-as-a-service is.

It can be puzzling that in this age of a visual-first marketplace, you still find brands using mediocre designs. This often happens because many business owners are unaware that their brand aesthetics directly impact how it is perceived. And the sad truth is, poor design costs more than lost sales. It weakens trust, erodes messaging, and prevents your business from being recognized.

This is why investing in the right graphic design agency is no longer a luxury but a brutal necessity. They are no longer just visuals that beautify; they are assets that tell your story, add consistency, and drive conversions. If you’re looking for help in this area, you need to learn all about graphic design services and design-as-a-service platforms.

What Exactly Is a Graphic Design Agency?

A graphic design agency is a creative solution that will help you visually communicate your brand, message, and value. Also known as design-as-a-service platforms, these are typically made up of professional graphic designers, illustrators, and art directors. Together, they specialize in converting your ideas into visually appealing assets. This includes logos, web and app designs, social media content, packaging, or brand identity.

When compared to traditional methods of getting visuals, graphic design companies are true game-changers. They offer a scalable solution that brings structure, creative direction, and consistency to your designs. While outsourcing graphic design to freelancers or building an in-house design team can seem cost-effective at first, they often end up being more costly. They are also time-consuming and challenging to handle in the long run.

In short, graphic design agencies can make your business look good, help it work smarter, and connect more deeply with your audience. In essence, they are the best ways to outsource graphic design without compromising speed and quality.

Why Do Businesses Outsource Graphic Design?

More and more businesses are outsourcing their graphic design needs to these agencies for a variety of reasons. Firstly, outsourcing is strategic. Yes, it is also an excellent way to cut costs, but alongside it are the many factors.

They are as follows:

• Flexibility: As mentioned earlier, outsourcing your graphic design can be good for your finances. After all, when you build an in-house design team, you’ll pay for salaries, benefits, and other overhead expenses (utilities, software, hardware, etc.). In contrast, a design-as-a-service firm gives you the visuals you need when you need them. In short, you pay for what you consume.

To illustrate, here’s a quick breakdown:

Expense Category	In-House Design Team	Outsourced Graphic Design Agency
Salaries and Benefits	High	None
Software and Equipment	Ongoing	Included
Training and Management	Time-intensive	Handled by agency
Scalability	Limited	On-demand

• Access to a Diverse Talent Pool: Working with a design-as-a-service platform is like having your own in-house team, but bigger and better. In fact, most graphic design companies have teams with diverse talents and specialties. This allows you to get a wide range of design types and styles that an in-house design team simply can’t match.
• Speed and Efficiency: Furthermore, graphic design agencies are built for speed and efficiency. Their systems prioritize fast turnaround times and easy revisions. This means you no longer have to wait weeks or even days for that landing page. In most cases, outsourced graphic design assets get to you in as little as 24 to 48 hours.
• Consistency: One essential design basic is consistency. So, for your brand visuals to succeed, they have to be consistent across all your platforms. That said, juggling freelancers or overworking your internal team won’t do your brand good in the consistency department. Instead, a graphic design agency offers structured workflows, brand guidelines, and dedicated account managers to maintain it for you.
• Focus: Lastly, graphic design is essential, but it is not your core business. Therefore, outsourcing graphic design allows you to focus on strategizing, product development, and many other business processes that you alone can handle. Let the experts take care of the visuals, they’re better at it, anyway.

What is Design-as-a-Service and How Does It Work?

A subscription-based business model, design-as-a-service (DaaS), provides graphic design services to businesses and marketing teams. Instead of paying per project, they charge a flat monthly rate for unlimited design requests and revisions. Thus, this frees you from the overhead expenses and the hassles of managing freelancers (which can sometimes be unreliable and unpredictable).

How is it Different from Traditional Agencies?

In contrast, design-as-a-service platforms offer convenience, speed, and efficiency when compared to traditional graphic design companies. While they operate on a per-project basis, design-as-a-service companies provide the following:

• A dedicated design team
• A straightforward request system
• Fast turnarounds
• One transparent monthly fee

In other words, this means no more proposals and quotes, long timelines, and chasing down your freelancer.

Traditional Design Agency vs. Design-as-a-Service

To better illustrate:

Feature	Traditional Agency	Design as a Service (DaaS)
Pricing	Per project/hourly	Flat monthly subscription
Turnaround Time	Varies (often weeks)	24–48 hours per request
Request Volume	Limited by scope	Unlimited (one at a time)
Revisions	Typically capped or billed	Unlimited
Workflow	Manual, proposal-based	Optimized, platform-based
Scalability	Slow, requires hiring	Instant, flexible

Who is Design-as-a-Service Best For?

DaaS is suitable for a wide range of users, the most common being the following:

• Startups that need visual assets but don’t have the budget yet for a full-time designer or an internal design team.
• Marketers who have multiple clients, juggling campaigns and content calendars
• Agencies that need to scale but don’t want to hire more designers
• Small and medium businesses that want excellent designs without the stress of managing a creative team

Penji’s Design-as-a-Service Model

Essentially, Penji has built its entire platform around the design-as-a-service model, where clients get access to its team of vetted designers. Its user-friendly dashboard is where you’ll send design requests, revisions, and designer communications.

What are the Benefits of Hiring a Graphic Design Agency?

Modern brands go beyond aesthetics, meaning, their visuals should perform. With that in mind, here are a few critical reasons why you need to work with a reliable graphic design agency:

On-Demand Creative Expertise

Graphic design agencies aim to deliver. For this reason, the better ones have placed a comprehensive roster of graphic design services under one roof. Instead of scouring the internet for freelancers, build your own internal design team. In fact, many design-as-a-service companies have seasoned creatives with various specialties, ready to take on your projects.

Strategic Design Thinking

Great design carries both meaning and purpose. That’s why a great graphic design agency will give you a sweet blend of creativity and strategy. They do this by aligning your visuals with your business goals. As a result, every pixel created serves a purpose.

Straightforward Scalability

Need a dozen designs for social media tomorrow? A new landing page next, or a hundred visuals for a product launch? Fortunately, a good design-as-a-service platform will help you easily scale your design output up or down.

Professionalism

Working with a graphic design company is an investment in reliable, diverse talent. Agencies are accountable, deadline-driven, and equipped to handle feedback professionally. While a rogue freelancer can make you wait for revisions, graphic design agencies will handle them without question.

Global Talent

Finally, many graphic design companies have team members from around the world. This brings diverse perspectives and fresh ideas to your brand. Over time, an in-house team can fall into the trap of unconsciously using the same styles repeatedly.

How to Choose the Right Graphic Design Company for Your Brand?

Since discovering how convenient and cost-effective these graphic design agencies are, many have made the switch. This opened the market for more, all competing to get your attention. Thus, choosing the right design agency has become a huge challenge. Here’s how you can find the right one:

• Define Your Design Needs: What exactly are you aiming to do? Are you looking for a complete brand identity, a redesign, or a long-term design partner? Know your scope to filter agencies that specialize in what you need.
• Review Portfolios: See if a graphic design agency’s style matches what you need. Also, look for diversity and the ability to craft as many design types and styles as possible.
• Assess Their Design Process and Communication Style: See how they manage requests, revisions, and feedback. Ask about their communication process, as these are keys to getting the perfect designs and avoiding miscommunications.
• Understand Their Pricing Plans: Agencies bill differently. Compare their per-project rates, retainers, or subscription rates for DaaS. 
• Check Reliability, Turnaround Times, Customer Support: How are their delivery times? Do they provide support on weekends? Are they open to urgent requests? A reliable graphic design agency is one that has systems in place to meet your timelines and keep you updated.

Questions to Ask Before Signing Up

• What’s included in a plan?
• How do you handle revisions?
• Who will work on my projects?
• How do you ensure brand consistency?
• Can you show me client feedback or testimonials?

While many graphic design agencies offer affordable rates, it is still a big investment. Take your time, ask questions, explore a service before signing that dotted line.

What are the Common Challenges When You Outsource Graphic Design (and How to Avoid Them)?

Working with the right graphic design agency offers many advantages, however, it’s still nowhere near perfect. You’re sure to experience a few hiccups along the way. To help you prepare, we made a list of the most common pitfalls you need to watch out for:

• Unclear Project Descriptions: Vague project briefs will most likely lead to vague results. In other words, designers can sometimes miss the mark on your tone, audience, or goals. To avoid this, write solid descriptions. Include goals, target audience, your brand’s guidelines, examples, and timelines.
• Time Zone: Turnaround issues are common, especially when working with a graphic design agency that has team members from across the globe. Fortunately, most companies use project management tools such as Slack, Trello, or, in Penji’s case, its built-in dashboard, which holds all the requests, revisions, and communications in one place.
• Inconsistent Quality: Not all designers are the same, and some will not match your brand’s aesthetics. To prevent your brand from getting inconsistent assets, ask for regular updates, drafts, and feedback loops. Monitoring your project helps keep it on track.
• Hidden Charges: Sometimes, graphic design companies may charge you for extra revisions, rush jobs, or file formats. Therefore, it’s best to clarify these before proceeding. You can ask for a trial to test the waters first.
• Data Security and Copyright Concerns: Sharing brand assets and proprietary content requires trust. Because of this, you need to be in an agreement to avoid intellectual property and copyright issues. Ask who owns the final designs, what you’ll get, and what’s included.

All these may scare you into hesitation, but outsourcing graphic design isn’t that risky. You just have to find one with the right systems and expectations in place. 

What Types of Projects Can You Outsource to a Design Agency?

Not all design-as-a-service companies are the same, that’s why you need to review your options carefully. That said, most of these services offer the same graphic design services, so, generally, you can outsource the following:

• Marketing Collaterals: These are flyers, brochures, posters, and event materials. Businesses typically require large quantities of these, have tight deadlines, and often need quick turnarounds.
• Web Graphics: Web banner designs, landing pages, and hero images are some projects you can outsource to your chosen graphic design agency.
• Social Media Graphics and Ads: Your social media platform will need daily doses of these visuals, plus paid ads and seasonal campaigns. 
• Product Packaging: Packaging design is a mix of technical precision and creative flair. Many graphic design companies have designers specifically skilled in this.
• Pitch Decks and Presentations: From internal presentations to pitching to investors, this service is crucial for growing businesses. A capable design agency can convert your most complex data into compelling visuals.

How Does Penji’s Design-as-a-Service Model Compare to Others?

The success of design-as-a-service companies lies in their speed, scalability, and simplicity. Because of these advantages, many businesses are making the switch. On the other hand, traditional graphic design companies run on strict timelines, unpredictable pricing, and limited design scope. As a result, Penji has become the go-to design solution for many businesses. 

How Does Penji Work?

When you subscribe to Penji’s fixed-rate graphic design services, you’ll get access to its user-friendly dashboard. This is where you’ll submit your design requests, revisions, and communicate with your designers. It’s this simple:

• Submit your request
• Get your first draft in 24 to 48 hours
• Request revisions (if any)
• Download your final files

No contracts and no hourly billing. Just high-quality designs when you need them.

What Sets Penji Apart?

• Unlimited design requests: Send as many projects as you want for one flat monthly subscription fee.
• Top 2% of global talents: Work with Penji’s team of vetted designers who specialize in branding, illustrations, marketing, and many more.
• Fast turnaround times: Get your project within 24 to 48 hours, while revisions are done within 12 to 24 hours.

Who Can Benefit Most from Penji’s Model?

• Startups and Small Businesses: Those with limited budgets can get high-quality designs without building an in-house team or hiring freelancers.
• Marketing Teams: For teams that handle multiple clients that need plenty of visual assets weekly or daily.
• Agencies: Allows these companies to scale their design output without hiring additional staff.

How to Successfully Outsource Graphic Design Work

To help you outsource graphic design successfully, here is a step-by-step guide:

Audit Your Design Needs

Firstly, identify what your brand actually needs. Do you need to post daily or weekly on your social media platforms? Will you be launching a new product? Do you want to redesign your visual identity? List your design needs based on frequency, complexity, and urgency. This will help you organize and prioritize your projects for a smooth-flowing process.

Check Your Brand Assets

If you already have your brand assets on hand, have them ready for your outsourcing. If you don’t have them yet and are looking to have them made for you, be prepared with a list of what you want and need.

Select the Right Graphic Design Partner

Look for a graphic design solution that will fit your goals, budget, and workflow. Compare the following:

• Traditional agencies (project-based)
• Freelancers (flexible, but variable)
• Design-as-a-service like Penji (fixed-rated, fast, scalable)

Whatever route you take, always review portfolios, check feedback, and turnaround times.

Write Clear Project Briefs

Create a project brief that’s detailed and concise. You may want to include the following:

• Your project’s goals and objectives
• Your target audience
• The required formats and platforms
• The deadlines and priorities
• References, such as images, mood boards, or links

The clearer your project brief is, the fewer revisions you’ll need.

Testing and Refining

Next, start by sending a request to a small project to test the waters. Lastly, evaluate your design partner’s communication style, turnaround speed, design quality, and responsiveness to feedback. This will help you refine your process and build trust.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing successful brands will tell you, it’s the fact that design speaks louder than words. In today’s uber-competitive market, graphic design is no longer a luxury but a necessity in strategizing. Therefore, investing in professional graphic design services is one of the smartest decisions you’ll ever make for your business. Penji can help you achieve this by providing you with excellent graphics. 

To see how it works, watch our demo video here to learn how Penji can help you transform your brand’s aesthetics quickly and affordably. Alternatively, you can start the ball rolling by sending your first design request through this link.

FAQs

• How do I know if my business needs to outsource graphic design?

If you have a design team that’s overwhelmed with your brand’s design demands. Or, if your visuals are starting to look inconsistent. Most importantly, if you are a startup looking for a design partner to create your first design assets.

• How do I measure the ROI of outsourced graphic design?

You can track specific metrics to know your ROI. This can include turnaround time, cost per asset, engagement rates, and time and money saved by your internal team.

• Can I outsource graphic design to a design-as-a-service company and still build an in-house design team?

You sure can. Delegate the heavier tasks to a graphic design company. Then, give the brand-specific tasks to your internal team.