Why Is Graphic Design So “Expensive”

This question haunts the thoughts of thousands of small businesses and start-ups. As a designer, I have come across this thousand of times, and I have had my fair share of clients that understand the value of my work to request discounts as they feel that Graphic Design is not an important part of their business.

People tend to believe Graphic Design is just “slapping ext and colors together”, in order to make ordinarily looking flyers or other printed material. They also seem to think that designers only need to sit in front of their screen and that (somehow) the work will magically get done with 2-3 clicks. The worse I have gotten is that people think Graphic Designing is not a real job! These misconceptions are similar to saying that all polices officers do is eat donuts, or that CEOs only sit at their desks all day doing nothing while their employees do all the work.

Being a designer is a blend of research, hard work, and creativity

A designer that obtained a diploma or relevant certificate will usually charge at least R400-R750 per hour once they graduate. It may sound like a lot, but in reality, it is not. Graphic designers have to constantly be on the lookout for new clients and act not only as creative but also as their own secretary, salesperson, research assistant, accountant, and customer sales representative. They do ALL the work, which is included in their hourly rate. The price each designer charges per hour also varies according to their skill level, education, and professional experience. The more they know and the more they have done, the more they can charge.

A graphic designer will estimate how many hours your project will take them to complete, including a few revisions and consultations. Many graphic design projects may take hours. For example, a minimalist poster will generally take less time than that of corporate identity and branding of a company, which usually includes a logo, business cards, letterheads, and email signatures at the very least.

Printing Costs

Another factor that will greatly affect the final price tag is the printing cost of a project. A client on a tight budget will look for smaller, more economic sizes and thinner paper, and bigger firms for instance usually invest more in printing and getting high-quality material to “wow” their clients. In the end, you get what you pay for.

A graphic designer will often shop for the best prices and will contact several print-shops before giving you a quote. Usually included in the price they charge is the time spent at the printing place asking for proofs and taking all the burden and admin on their side.

Actually, Graphic Designers Are Not That Expensive

In the end, when you analyze everything a graphic designer has to do, you realize that the service they provide is actually not expensive. Sure, there are some designers that will try and charge you more than what they are worth, if you stumble upon one of them, stay away, and the same goes for designers that charge way less than other quotes you receive. Both their body of work is generally unimpressive. Good designers work hard and deserve every cent they receive for their work.

We have been in the industry for 10 years, building experience, learning new skills, failing in other skills, too, in the end, bring you the best experience for you and your business. We believe in having close relationships with a business to truly understand in the way they want to grow and support them in any way possible. We are not just designers, but long-term partners.

Foxx Designs will be the only marketing company you will need