In the rapidly growing ecosystem of startups of Pakistan, branding and design are important for differentiating the products and easily getting a foothold in the market. Professional design greatly influences how clients remember them, from logos, websites and social media to marketing collateral. However, for startups working with small budgets, it can be difficult to locate talented yet reasonably priced designers.

This article provides information to address the issue of importance of designing for the startups, whether it is possible to find cheap designers in Pakistan, and how one can get great value without losing out on the quality.

Also Read: Graphic Designers for Real Estate Marketing

The Significance of Design in Startups

Design is so much more than just a pretty picture. It is a strategic apparatus in relaying messages and building the brand. Adobe survey suggests that the companies that focus on design have better returns on investments by 219% compared to those that do not. Startups operate in a competitive environment, and design becomes the key element to build customer trust, engagement and elicit loyalty.

1. Branding and Identity

It is a great logo, an impeccable color combination, and a perfect visual identity that makes the startups stand out from the crowd. For instance, many great Pakistani startups like Careem and Daraz have been able to develop a strong brand presence with the help of design from the beginning.

2. User Experience (UX) Design

With the world going digital, whether it is an application or a website, UX has to be seamless. Startups like Bykea and Foodpanda worked on their app design for a more elegant and minimalistic look to improve customer satisfaction and retention rates.

3. Marketing and Communication

Great visuals in ads, brochures, or even social media posts grab customers’ attention. Social Bakers have conducted a study and found out that there is 50% more engagement on graphic posts than there is on text posts.

Difficulties Encountered by Startups While Hiring Designers

1. Limited Finances

Startups normally do not have the financial means to hire designers full time or even high-end agencies, which makes it a challenge.

2. Costing vs Quality

Those are basic challenges when starting thinking about cost and quality. Giving up on quality of design to keep costs down is a gamble for many startups as it will damage the brand image in the future.

3. Shortage of Abled Designers

Although Pakistan has a growing freelance market, it can take time to find able and dependable designers who can relate to startups.

Where to Avail Designers who are Cost Effective in Pakistan

Pakistan has a huge pool of design talent to offer with several platforms and institutions creating expert designers. Here are a few productive methods of locating cost effective designers effective methods of locating cheap designers:

1. Contract Platforms

Pakistani designers are easily accessible from sites such as Fiverr, Upwork or Freelancer as they are willing to offer their services at relatively low prices. A report by Payoneer states that Pakistan is among the top 5 countries to have the fastest growing freelance economy which means there is ample opportunity to find inexpensive design talent for projects.

2. University Graduates and Interns

NCA, IVS and BNU graduates are always on the lookout for opportunities to expand their portfolios and as such recently graduated students from these colleges can be found seeking work. All these young graduates can be hired by startups for reasonable compensation while enabling them to be more creative and zealous.

3. Local Design Studios

Cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad have smaller design studios that specifically target startups. Due to the fact that these are start up studios, they also offer most start up necessities as deals like branding, web design or even some marketing materials.

4. Social Media Communities

Businesses can find local designers in various Facebook groups including “Pakistani Freelancers” and “Graphic Designers Pakistan” pakistani freelancers graphic designers community. Startups can also share job requirements or check potential candidates working portfolios within the community and social media groups.

5. Referrals and Networking

It goes without saying that referrals are a more civilized way of locating an affordable designer. In most cases, those who can afford to hire a designer tend to participate in networking events, start-up incubators, and coworking spaces where numerous designers would offer to help for a lesser fee.

Cost of Design Services in Pakistan

The expenses one may incur in hiring a designer may be determined by factors such as experience, scope of work, and the kind of designer (freelance, agency etc.). As a breakdown, here is how they differ in employment:

1. Freelancers: 

The majority of independent graphic designers charge about PKR 5,000 to PKR 50,000, each project depending on the workload on them.

2. Local Agencies: 

Branding packages offered by small agencies are sold for weeks on end between PKR 50,000 to 150,000.

3. Mid-Level Designers: 

Two or three years of experience can allow an independent professional to charge a fair between 25,000 to 75,000 for a logo or other selling costs.

For startups in business, it is better to hire a freelancer or a recent graduate.

Tips for Getting Value for Money About Professional Design Services

These are the recommendations that can help the modern business or startup strive to get a professional design and at the same time be cost effective:

1. Have Well Defined Goals

Be explicit on your design requirements. If it is a logo, a design for a social media campaign or a website, having specific goals makes it easier for the designers to quote and target precise responses.

2. Leverage On Available Resources

While startups may not need to be sophisticated, they may use sites like Canva and Adobe Express to generate necessary designs and pictures as basic designs in third world countries may be expensive.

3. Hire Designers on a Contractual Basis

Rather than putting all your resources into recruiting designers on a full time salary, go for those who work on a contract basis. This is a cost effective measure for startups since they only pay for what is required.

4. Be Ready to Compromise

If a project can help people boost their portfolio, many designers are happy to offer their rates low to new startups who are promoting the project. Go for steady work instead of trying to grab a lot of random projects to develop long-term relationships.

5. Settle for Less But High Quality Design

Invest in few quality pieces away from large quantities of poorly made designs. A good looking website and an impressively crafted logo can do wonders in the long run.

Startups And Profitable Graphic Design Investments

As per the findings of the Design Council, the average return from every dollar spent on design is four dollars. Startups can employ low-cost designers to:

• Create an image of professionalism of the brand.
• Enhance interaction and devotion of clients.
• Raise the rates of conversion of all marketing channels.

Conclusion

Low-cost graphic designers are valuable for start-ups in Pakistan who want to work in competitive international markets. Startups can obtain well-designed products at an affordable cost by taking advantage of the country’s burgeoning freelance economy, working with domestic freelancers, and smart budgeting.

Cost-effective and quality design does not become an option but a critical focus area for start-ups seeking to establish themselves in the ever competitive environment of the business world in Pakistan. It is possible for startups to realise their ideas within budget if they have the right strategy and the resources at hand.