When a client asks, "How much will this cost?" the answer is usually, "Well, it depends." Unfortunately the factors that determine how much a direct mailer, brochure, website or any other marketing material costs varies from client to client and project to project. Sorry if you were hoping for a simple answer, but there are some tips I can give you that might help to save on design costs.

PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

The first thing that usually has an effect on cost is planning. The more planning you can do the better. We can usually tell how long a project is going to take based on how prepared the client is. Do you already have the images you want to use? Are you working with a copywriter or is the copy already written for the project? Do we need to come up with headlines, taglines, marketing messages?

EXAMPLES

The more visual examples the better. References for style, shape, colors, etc. will all help the design team get a clear understanding of what you're looking for, and you will end up with a final design that's right on target.

MULTIPLE BIDS

I dislike bidding against other design teams as much as the next guy, but sometimes it's a really good way for a client to save money on a project. Request a few bids and compare them. What is each designer proposing? How are they different? Make sure to ask a lot of questions and review the proposals so you are clear on what you will be receiving.

CHOOSE WISELY

One of the most important decision is to choose a designer that will mesh well with your personality, and your employees personalities. If you don't get along with your lead designer then it will complicate the project, cause delays and frustrations which in the end costs time and money.