Freelancer, Design Studio, Ad Agency, or Hiring… What is the difference?

Today, successful companies are design-led. Things that were once after thoughts – things like email, on-boarding, white papers, and social posts—are now as important as every other part of a user’s journey through your brand, and they are designed as part of the brand’s holistic strategy.

As a business owner approaching your next major project, you’ll likely need some creative help. You could hire a freelancer, a design studio, an agency, or you could recruit a new employee. But when they all seem to offer the same work such as logo design and websites, how do you choose your creative superhero? Besides cost, what is the difference?

Depending on your business’ initiatives and goals, the type of creative you hire not only impacts your budget, but also the creative process, your involvement and your project’s outcomes, among other factors.

 Here are some things to consider:

• Your budget

• Your project’s level of importance to your business

• Your project’s scope and strategy

• The amount of time you have to produce your project

• The number of specialists required to produce your project

• Your personal work style, skillset, and availability

Now, let’s compare the general differences in creative types to help you determine the best match for your business’ needs:

 FREELANCER

A freelancer is a one-person army. This option is usually cost-effective, flexible, and low key, and you’ll get to speak directly with the person doing the work. Generally, freelance creatives are highly skilled in their niche, but they will not be able to fulfill all of your creative needs and they will not be able to make strategic decisions based on the big picture. This means you, or someone on your team, must accept significant responsibilities in project management and creative direction. Freelancers usually work a full-time job and freelance on the side, so response time can be slow. You may also face inconvenient disruptions in your work due to illness, travel, or lack of punctuality since they are a single person without a team to back them up. Freelancers often work on nights and weekends, so it’s possible to keep work moving outside of regular business hours. A really good freelancer is a diamond in the rough, the really good ones can be hard to find or they are already busy with other clients. Freelance fees vary widely depending on their level of experience or particular niche, but this is possibly the most cost-effective solution for your individual projects. Hire them on a per-project basis.

DESIGN STUDIO

A design studio is a small, but fully functioning business with structured processes in place for tasks like accounting, scheduling, and project management. Collaborative work occurs regularly, and you’ll have access to a greater variety of creative talent than working with a single freelancer. Design studios will have a creative director overseeing all of the pieces in your project, keeping an eye on the big picture. This is a major advantage and takes some pressure off of you to keep project pieces cohesive and on schedule. Design studios offer a wide range of services, but they are not all-inclusive like an agency. They sometimes need to contract out portions of a project like photography to a highly talented creative outside of their organization. And, because they run lean, you might be asked to coordinate some pieces from your end such as writing a first draft, online ordering, or media research. But sometimes this offers the opportunity for a quicker turnaround than an agency due to a more simplified business model. Design studios are ideal for small companies with a Marketing Director but without an in-house creative team. Fees will vary depending on competition, market, establishment, and niche, but this is often a solid, mid-level priced option. Hire them on retainer, for a long-term partnership, or on a per-project basis.

AGENCY

An agency is a one-stop shop for all of your creative needs. They provide a wide range of services, and almost all of them can be produced in-house. From public relations, media buying, market research, graphic design, copywriting, brand strategy, photography, and audio/video, agencies are usually the reliable choice. You’ll have many talented specialists creating custom content as well as doing the grunt work on your behalf. You won’t have to manage much on your end except for reviewing proofs and providing timely feedback. They have a team to keep your work moving forward in spite of illness and vacations. And they have a creative director overseeing each facet of your initiative, making sure your brand and messaging are kept consistent throughout all mediums, producing a final package that is polished and professional. (You can’t get this consistency by hiring several freelancers). Some agencies have offices in other countries which is ideal for large firms who work internationally. The old saying is true, you get what you pay for. Fees vary widely depending on the agency’s size, location, and reputation. Generally, this is the most expensive option because of their high overhead and all-inclusive model. Hire them on retainer.

ONBOARD AN EMPLOYEE

If you find yourself with a consistently heavy load of design needs, then a hire might be the best choice to allow you to take that load off of your shoulders. Making a hire will allow you to work directly with the creative doing the work. You’ll have a dedicated employee that is exclusively accountable to you and can intimately get to know your business and make strategic decisions based on your unique needs. Patience is key with onboarding. Recruiting and training take time, is expensive, and the learning curve is real. This all starts over again if your hire moves on or is not a good match. Your hire will depend on you to provide a secure and consistent income over the long term. And, depending on your state, you will have to pay into unemployment insurance and provide your hire with health and retirement benefits in addition to a workstation and a software lease. No designer can do every style imaginable. If you don’t already have in-house creatives, recruit someone who is a generalist, instead of a specialist, so you get the most bang for your buck. Be mindful, you’ll still have to contract out some project pieces when (not if, when) your needs exceed your hire’s skill areas. The old saying also applies here: you get what you pay for. Find a good blend of skill and value, then graciously use every skill in their wheelhouse. Hire them over the long term.

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As you can see, the pros and cons between creative types widely vary. Every relationship has its benefits and shortcomings. However, the right creative superhero will bring a tremendous amount of value to your company. Professional design is no longer a luxury, but a necessary component of modern business.

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For more information on building your creative team, read our book: Discovering Your Authentic Brand.