Does your Web site need an overhaul? Do you need a company logo for your startup? How about a sales brochure or even some product packaging?
Take a look at Response to 'How to hire a graphic-design pro on the cheap.
See also Why you shouldn't hire a graphic designer on the cheap.
Sounds like it's time to hire a professional designer. Just one problem: they're expensive. Worth it, yes, but sometimes your budget is at odds with your needs.
Enter 99designs, which crowdsources your graphic-design job to give you a potentially unbeatable deal.
Here's how it works: You write up the details of what you need--a business card, logo, T-shirt, or whatever. Then you choose one of three preset price packages, or set your own price. The more you pony up, the more designs you'll get. Many projects start at around $195, which is a fraction of what you'd probably pay a design firm.
Your project gets listed as a contest, one that interested designers can "enter" by submitting concepts. You can provide feedback along the way to get the work tweaked so it's closer to what you want. In the end, you choose your favorite design; the money goes to the winning designer, and the artwork (complete with copyrights) goes to you.
Cool, right? It's like getting dozens of designers for the price of one. (Realistically, though, you may only get a handful of them--it all depends on the project and pricing.) What's more, 99designs offers a money-back guarantee: if you're not happy with any of the designs, you get a full refund.
If you're on the other side of the table (that is, you're a graphic designer yourself), you can offer your services. This gives you a chance to get some exposure, find new clients, and, potentially, earn some cash. The flipside, of course, is that you might end up doing lots of work with nothing to show for it. Such is the artist's life, I think, in today's Web-powered world.
I haven't used 99designs myself, but I will tell you this: years ago, when I handled marketing and advertising for a computer reseller, just finding a qualified designer was a huge chore. Then we ended up spending a small fortune on ads and logos we didn't especially love--but we'd already invested so much time and money, there really wasn't any alternative.
That's why I like both the concept and execution of 99designs. If you need help with a design project, I'd check it out.
Let me add that I have endless respect for the people who do graphic design professionally, and my recommendation of 99designs is in no way meant to devalue their work. Indeed, for a designer who's struggling, it offers a way to keep working and potentially land some new clients.
I do think the service is a reflection of the crowd-sourced business world we now inhabit. And for a cash-strapped startup that needs pro-caliber work on a budget, this kind of service can be a godsend. Hit the comments and tell me if you agree or disagree.
Comments
JT said: 99 provides a service If thats all you can afford then fine but dont be misled You certainly dont get high calibre work Like so much in life you get what you pay for In this instance its often rushed recycled work and merely answers your request High calibre work from high calibre designers offers far more value
F Gilco said: I totally agree with PCA 999999 of a time all you need to do is write the clients name in ansexyfont and put a box around it10 minutes tops for a couple offonts and job done 25 quid please ker-ching
Matt Egan said: A couple of responses to this story in which you mostly featurehttpwwwpcadvisorcoukopihttpwwwpcadvisorcoukopi
James Stiff said: I understand the attraction of crowd-sourced design for bootstrapped small businesses but Ive had a client that definitely didnt fall into that category openly admit to having used 99designs It was off-putting to say the least It said that they didnt value design or their own brand enough to invest in itCircumstances dictated that I work with the crowd-sourced assets provided but given the choice I would have politely declined the projectThe reality is that as long as there is demand these types of services will continue to exploit willing designers Its our responsibility as creatives to educate clients on the benefits of our experience justify our costs and dispel the myth that were all expensive
Designer said: Lets make one thing clear you get the WORST level of graphic design at 99 Designs and other crowdsourcing sites Case in point even if a designer lives in a 3rd world country if they are any good at what they do they will have enough work to not have to even consider crowd-sourcing contestsSo youre choosing amongst the worst of the worst not some professional on the cheap
Willy Leeks said: Awful article Sites like 99designs only serve to generate quick throwaway work and show no respect for designers time
Matt Egan said: Thanks for all the comments guys I think it is fair to say that as creative professionals we have some sympathy And we have inhouse designers precisely because we value visual arts in our products That said Ricks entitled to his opinion and so are all of you So well be publishing a story outlining the reaction of the creative community - hopefully later on today
Dave Williams said: sounds good PC Advisor all you have to do now is send me 99 laptops Ill take a look at all of them put 98 in the bin and keep the one I like Deal
Freelancekidd said: How to hire a writer on the cheaphttpwwwtextbrokercomWhat do you think Rick Good idea You can get hundreds of writers to write your article and only pay for the one you likeI think its an awful idea that would lead to yet more sub-standard articles that are poorlyexecutedand badly thought through
Nigel said: There are no real or professional designers on any sites like this Theyre all students offering work on the cheap where basically you get what you pay for - a design from a stock site with your name typed below it If thats what people want fair enough but NO proper business wants its public face its identity designed in such a haphazard unthoughtful unfit and cheap way
sg said: Whilst I agree that crowd sourcing isnt great see this article for an indepth discussionhttpwwwcreativereviewcouIt doesnt really bother me if a company wants to go down the 99designs route and get a Pro to do it for cheap an oxymoron it itself thats not a company Id want to work for They quite clearly have no concept of the value a good designer can instill in a brand and its not worth my time telling them otherwise
Inst said: Say this to your sister publication Digital Arts Im sure they would disagree with such an idiotic article
Sur_ge said: The flipside of course is that you might end up doing lots of work with nothing to show for it Such is the artists life I think in todays Web-powered worldRick you obviously dont know the difference between a designer and an artist Bad article
Justin Brunson said: Design is not a commodity If you need exposure or new clients there are much better ways Finding a local non profit and doing some actual pro-bono work for exampleThanks Kevin for linking to no-spec its a great resource
RoyBarber.com said: You wont find a real designer on 99designs
Guest said: I completely disagree Making a whole team of people work for free to compete for a small fee potentially land some clients Are you aware those people are working for free just so you can choose your designKevins link says more than I would on this
P Thoomas said: 100 agree with Kevin All this does is take away work from the professional designers - who rely on that work to make a living - and will eventually force them to start charging less for their work because of sites like this The reason designers and design studios charge the price they do is because that is what their work is worth this completely devalues the time and skill required to design Then theres the hundreds thousands of designers who spend hours designing for sites like this naively thinking it will help them get more work only to not get paid a penny and be no nearer getting workTerrible article
Kevin Walsh said: take a look at httpwwwno-speccom for why this is a bad articlei would not ask you and 5 other journalists to write a article for me and then only pay the one i wanted Thats why people have portfoliosLost a long time reader here guys
pokedstudio (jon) said: the concept is an oxymoron you cant be a graphic-design pro and be on the cheap