Launching a business is, sadly, expensive. There’s the cost of a new website, advertising, registration… not to mention sacrificing valuable time to develop the new business!
Thankfully, when it comes to your business’s visual branding elements, especially your logo, there’s an easy and affordable way to get what you need. Unlimited design contests are a way of outsourcing your design needs to a large pool of talented people.
When you’re strapped for cash as many new businesses are, you’ll likely get a lot of bang for your buck by choosing on-demand, crowdsourced design for your logo, banner images, flyers, and more!
Here’s how it works.
What is an Unlimited Design Contest?
An unlimited design contest is a special project in which you create a creative brief and put up a specific amount of money. You typically do this through an on-demand design site such as Hatchwise. Designers will submit proofs for your consideration, and you can provide feedback and narrow down options until you find the perfect fit.
The winning designer receives the amount of money you put up. You may have dozens if not hundreds of designers submit responses to your contest. While this can be a little overwhelming, it’s also exciting. You might see interpretations of your theme that never would have occurred to you, and by working with your favorite designers, you can find a design that truly speaks to you.
What’s the Difference Between a Design Contest and a Design Firm?
Many businesses hire a professional graphic design or branding firm to obtain their brand’s look and feel, but there are a couple of drawbacks to this approach. First, if you’re not sure what your business’s visual brand entails — which is common among new business owners — you likely don’t have a well-defined creative brief.
You could be putting up a lot of money for a design you don’t like. Or, you end up seeking a redesign in six months or a year because your business’s look-and-feel doesn’t align with the brand you’ve developed. Also, design firms charge a pretty penny, which can be cost-prohibitive for new businesses.
You also often have limited opportunities to provide feedback or request revisions without racking up the price. Unlimited logo design contests, on the other hand, give you the opportunity to refine and define your visual brand.
As you see multiple entries, you’ll get a better sense of what you like and don’t like. Plus, you can provide feedback to each designer and, on many platforms, narrow it down to a shortlist of designers who can see each other’s feedback. This structure allows for better design through collaboration.
How Do I Get Started with Unlimited Graphic Design Contests?
First, figure out what you need to be done. A logo is a common choice for your first project. Assemble some ideas and inspirations, along with all relevant information about your brand. Be as specific as possible to avoid getting designs that totally miss the mark. If you’re not sure, don’t worry: the hosting platform, such as Hatchwise, usually provides guidance so that you can refine your brief.
Next, decide how much you’d like to pay. Keep in mind that the final price includes multiple revisions, and the end result should be something you intend to use regularly.
Set your budget accordingly! Some platforms offer pre-set pricing tiers or packages that open your contest up to a wider pool of designers. As with anything in business, you get what you pay for.
You’ll then start receiving entries. Identify submissions you like and provide specific feedback or requests to the designers. They’re competing against each other to win the prize, so most of them are happy to tweak the logo to your satisfaction. Once you select a winner, the designer gets paid, and you get full ownership of the visual assets to use as you please.
The Continued Benefit of Unlimited Design Services
Of course, once your business is launched, you’ll need more than your logo. You’ll need social media posts, banners, flyers, and all sorts of visual assets to promote your business. There’s no rule that you can only run a design contest once: in fact, many businesses run one for every major design project! This approach helps save you time and money by essentially crowdsourcing your design work.
Many businesses don’t have enough regular work to keep an in-house designer busy, which is why some companies have an “unofficial” designer who normally holds a different role on your team. But it’s much more cost-effective to outsource your projects through on-demand crowdsourced design service.
Wrapping Up
Unlimited graphic design services and contests are excellent ways to build your business’s visual presence without having to recruit, hire, and employ an in-house designer.
Plus, you’ll get fresh perspectives and a wide range of options for each project. This influx of creativity helps you find the best designs for your unique business! In this case, the more designs, the merrier — and the closer you’ll be to having a truly fantastic visual brand.
