Pros and cons of outsourcing branding and design

We’ve been long enough in this industry to reveal you this secret. Both big and small enterprises often choose to outsource branding and design rather than work on it within their own company. This is often the case even if they have their own team of designers on staff.

Shocking, isn’t it?

“But why?” you might wonder.

It’s a no-brainer that such a choice offers a great number of benefits. However, it also brings certain disadvantages on stage. In this article, we will look at both the pros and cons of outsourcing branding and design. So, if you’re on the fence of whether or not you should opt for this opportunity too, we guarantee that you will be able to make an informed decision after reading our guide.

Thus, without further ado, let’s look at both sides of the argument.

Pros of outsourcing branding and design

1. It translates into better quality.
   You know how they say “The cobbler's children have no shoes” or “A wheelbarrow without a wheel”? This is what happens to many design and marketing agencies: they are way too busy with business projects of their clients to dedicate time and effort to their own websites.
   
   They are already doing their best trying to cope with an overwhelming number of ongoing projects. Taking on another project, even personal does not seem possible.
   And if they find some time to work on their website, they do not work on it as hard as they would if this were another customer’s request. They hastily jump to it in between tasks, and try to brainstorm design ideas for it whenever they get a chance (read “never”).
   
   As a result, in the end, they craft a thrown-together poorly designed project which can do no good for their company’s image. Thus, why wasting all this time and effort on a project that won’t be any good in the end anyway if you can hire a team of professionals that will create an excellent product within the terms you set for them?
   
   If this isn’t enough a persuasion for you, then how about the fact that “75% of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design.” Well, this is something for you to think about the next time you consider creating a “good enough” website on your own.
2. It might save you a couple of sleepless nights.
   The cobbler’s children have no shoes because their father is too tired to make yet another pair of shoes after a hard working day. And when he finally finds time to make shoes for his loved ones, they do not look as good as the ones he made for his paying customers. Not because he is a bad professional, but because he is a human being that can also get tired.
   
   Therefore, if you want to have a stunning website that represents the level of quality you are dedicated to deliver to the clientele but you have no time to actually work on it that hard, don’t try to jump over your head: get professional assistance in this question. Outsourcing will prevent you from feeling exhausted and overwhelmed after burning the midnight oil.
   
3. It helps you focus on your strengths.
   Web design might not be your area of expertise. Then, of course, outsourcing is your only choice because no matter what services your company offers, having a perfect website is essential.
   
   Sweor reports that “38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.” We are sure you will agree with us on this one. Will you trust a company whose website looks like old news?
   
   The layout is old, the “Order” button is hidden under tons of unnecessary and hardly readable information, and the typography is so bad you don’t feel like spending another minute reading this nonsense. Of course, you would close the tab long before the welcome popup or an invitation to subscribe to their news slide in.
   
   The same is true for your clients. That is why if the design isn’t your strength, opt for professional help rather than craft something bad yourself.
   
4. Others might discover new fresh perspectives.
   Inviting the outside help can be a great idea as new people might find great fresh perspectives. The thing is that you are more likely to be overly critical to your own ideas. Nothing ever feels good enough, and if you are anything like the most people, you often feel unsatisfied when looking back at the results of your own work.
   
   The outside help, on the other hand, might be able to step back and find fresh perspectives on the website you are currently working on.
   
5. It can potentially increase your revenue.
   Just two things for you to think about:
   
   Almost 90% of online users will not come back to a website they had some bad experience on. Slow loading and poorly organized content are two examples of such bad experience. And, according to a trusted source, such mistakes cost business owners $2.6 billion in lost sales year on year.
   
   On the contrary, smart business owners that outsourced their branding and design to professionals are thriving on the market. Their revenue steadily grows as more and more customers choose their services over less technologically advanced competitors.
   
6. The third-party company will support the project later on.
   The company that developed the design for your site or worked on your branding will also support the ready-made project after they finish it. It comes as a package of services. The development does not end with the completion of a given project. And that’s great news: your website will look flawless at all times, and whenever something breaks down, they will immediately fix it.
   
7. You don’t depend on your employees’ turnover.
   This can be a huge problem with the in-house teams: if your designer decides to leave in the middle of a project, you’re in big trouble. It will take a long time to find a decent substitution for him, to explain all the details of a project in progress to a new employee, and then help him come up with an original concept.
   
   When outsourcing branding and design to the third party, you can rest assured that even in case of employee turnover, your project will not suffer at all! It is not your headache. So, there is no reason to worry.
   
8. You get access to a great wealth of talent.
   Since there is a huge competition in the outsourcing market, each agency strives to have only the most skilled professionals on staff. Thus, when seeking their help with your branding and design, you get access to their expertise and can greatly benefit from it. While in-house teams have a quite narrow specialization, outsourcing teams have specialists on staff with various technical skills and experience. And you can get full access to it.
   

Now that you understand the benefits of outsourcing branding and design let’s look into its disadvantages. There quite a few things you have to be aware of not to regret your decision to outsource later on.

Cons of outsourcing branding and design

1. It might lower the credibility level.
   If the clients find out that someone else, not you created your website, they will definitely have lots of questions. “Why should we trust you if you consider someone else to be better with this project? Shouldn’t we hire this third party as well?”
   
   These are all fair questions, and you should be ready to answer them fully and honestly if needed. Your customers will not take all the benefits of outsourcing branding and design we mentioned above into consideration. Thus, such your decision might affect how much they trust your expertise.
   
   The good news is that if you sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) with the agency working on your website, no one will ever find out who created and designed the website in question. So, it is not too critical a point.
   
2. It might be more expensive.
   It is one thing to pay your own employees to develop the brand-new design for a web site. But it will cost you dearly to hire a graphic designer to develop web design for your startup.
   
   Since you won’t risk your image to hiring some low-quality agency, it is likely that you will hire an agency with an excellent reputation, tons of flawless innovative projects under their belt, and a price tag above the average.
   
   If you are trying to stretch a buck, this is not the best idea for you. But if you have the resources, don’t hesitate to use the opportunity to shave hours off your working days!
   
3. It might be viewed as a dishonest practice.
   Let’s say you come across my website. It looks absolutely amazing, and you are likely to assume that I am the one who created the site. It is 100% logical to assume that this website demonstrates my level of creativity, expertise, and experience, don’t you think?
   
   What would you think of me once you discover that I have nothing to do with the design and the content of the site. Isn’t it cheating? Some people might think so. And if you find this practice dishonest too, then you probably should not opt for this opportunity after all.
   
4. It’s not 100% your vision.
   Another thing entrepreneurs might worry about when outsourcing branding and design for their business is how well the other agency will implement their ideas and vision. After all, aren’t they the ones who know the company best? Then why invite someone else to work on this task?
   
   We understand these concerns. And while it definitely is one of the biggest disadvantages why you should not outsource design to the third-party teams, it can be solved and easily prevented with proper communication.
   
   Take your time to describe all the essential information you want to see in the final project - and you will avoid all the troubles mentioned above. The web site can be 100% based on your ideas. It is merely a question of good communication and properly described technical specifications.
   
5. You can’t fully control the process.
   Third-party agencies will keep you posted on the progress they make along the way. However, you should be ready that since you are not directly involved in the development process, you won’t have full control in your hands.
   
   This bothers some business owners, and if you are one of them, we have to encourage you: well-organized project management can be a perfect solution here. You do not have to be involved at each stage of development. They will send frequent detailed reports and contact you whenever they have a question or a suggestion.

Over to you

You are now aware of both sides of the argument. So, the decision is yours to make. You might find a great team to outsource these two tasks to and rest assured that you will get a great product in the end without having to waste your precious time on it. Or you can do the project using your own strength - and see what comes out of it. You can succeed both ways but the second way comes at a higher cost.

By the way, if you are looking for a reliable outsourcing studio, CuboRubo is your best choice. Not only we have years of experience along with a great number of successfully completed projects, but we also offer a variety of services for you to take advantage of. And if you have any questions, doubts, or requests, do not hesitate to contact us at hello@cuborubo.com today. We are here at your service 24/7!