I don’t know why, but Facebook likes to torture me with ads for Fiverr (or Tailor Brands and other similar services). Why they have graphic designers in their ad targeting, I’m not sure.
I’ve written about why you should stop using Fiverr before, but it’s time to write a second post about this. Since my first post about this topic, I’ve seen even more people recommending Fiverr, or saying things like, “I refuse to spend more than $100 on branding. Who do you recommend?”
Note: before I go any further, I want to clarify something. If you are a blogger who just blogs as a hobby and you don’t want to monetize, OR you are part of a rural soccer team who just wants a logo to throw on a shirt, OR anything else that is just a fun hobby — this article does not apply to you. Not wanting to invest hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in a hobby is completely understandable.
Why are you afraid?
I’ve had several people argue that maybe I should just stop being afraid of these Fiverr designers stealing my clients, that maybe it’s my own fault I’m not more confident of my work + value.
Let’s get one thing straight. I am not afraid of Fiverr designers.
My ideal clients value my expertise and time. If someone is hunting for a designer and, after talking to me, decides to go with Fiverr instead — they are not an ideal client.
Now, there may be appropriate times to use Fiverr, but not for your branding or website. Maybe you just need someone to remove the background of one photo, to change out some colors on a PDF, or to fix a small glitch on your website. I still hate the idea of someone only getting $5 for their time and work, but small tasks like those I just mentioned are at least closer to the $5 range than having your entire brand or website created.
It’s about value.
Services like these are just a band-aid, in most cases. You’re (probably) not working with someone that has been trained, and has experience, in creating a brand that accurately reflects you or strategically building websites. $5 will not get you quality design that converts and makes sales. (And sometimes, the work you’re getting from Fiverr designers is stolen.)
Many of the Facebook ads from Fiverr try to convince the audience that paying $100 (which is ridiculously cheap for a logo already) for a logo is a rip-off — “You’re paying too much for design.” (WHAT?!)
There’s also Tailor Brand ads that talk about the “zero effort” it takes to design a logo.
If you’re willing to drop $200 on things like concert tickets, jeans, or a night out with your spouse, why are you not willing to invest in what is one of the most important aspects of your business?
You’re not just paying hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to a Photoshop monkey to design for you. You’re paying someone who understands the psychology behind font and color choices, who knows why responsive design is important, and talks with you about the goals of your business. Good design can only go so far. Knowing your voice, your target audience, the personality of your brand, and the goals that you have as a business owner helps designers (like me) strategically make choices in designing your brand and website.
Look at this way…
I love donuts. I don’t let myself eat them often, but when I do, I love to go to one particular bakery — Sara’s Donuts.
Now, before I knew about this bakery, the nearest place to grab a donut is at our local convenience store. The best part, is after 3 p.m., the leftover, usually stale and broken, donuts are only 59 cents. They’re not my favorite, but if Sara’s is closed, it will do. (Yes, I am this particular about donuts.)
Sara’s Donuts, on the other hand, has large, fresh, made-from-scratch donuts that are to. die. for. And, while they’re not out of this world, ridiculous expensive, they cost just a bit more than your convenience store donuts. But, they’re SOOOO worth it throwing down a few extra dollar bills.
Why am I talking about donuts here?
You go, girl! Way to be the unapologetic Sara’s Donuts of the design world. I think something that trips us non-design folks up when we think about hiring a designer is that we view good design as some magic thing that just happens. It’s like how I take for granted that Tylenol relieves my headache, and forget that there is real, applied science behind how it works. Way to keep our standards high!
That Tylenol analogy is SO PERFECT. That might inspire another blog post about design, soon! I’m guilty of the "magic" that happens for a lot of things. Like, asking Aaron to do something, "Why can’t you just do __ and then it’s done?" And then he quotes that commercial, "That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works!"
Preach, sister. You are spot on here — and this is especially hitting home as I just had a potential client tell me she expected a monthly retainer of two blogs, two newsletters, and two, hour-long phone calls for less than she charges for her hourly rate. So — she expects at least six hours of work from me, plus my expertise and level of attention/detail for less than what she charges her clients for one hour of her time. I still can’t get over it. It’s a slap in the face, and one we all need to make sure we’re not doling out to others. I LOVE your point on how a qualified designer isn’t just making things look pretty; you’re paying attention to color psychology, brand goals, and much, much more. Thanks for putting this out there. Now, I’m off to grab a donut… 🙂
I’m a writer, and this reminds me of how my 9yo thinks "writing is so easy!" because he literally just means writing words down on a piece of paper. But like you said, the people who use the cheap & fast services aren’t your ideal customers – totally agree with all your points here!
Fiverr is such a huge debate, a blessing and a curse all at once! I tried it out for design work when an entrepreneur recommended it to me, after all I was focused on the "lean startup" concept. It was a huge disappointment, either that or I’m quite picky when it comes to design…either way these days I’m saving my $5 for coffee and spending the big bucks! Excellent post I enjoyed it!
You had me at, "You can’t expect to be paid fairly for your services, and refuse to fairly pay others." So true… Your brand is a huge deal…it’s your digital storefront. I recently invested in branding for a business my husband and I are opening and I was blown away by the experience. Never again Fiverr…never again. Thanks for a great post!
I love love love this post! And I posted that article you mentioned about stolen work in a facebook group where I see a few too many people asking for Fiverr reccomendations and I’m writing a blog post for next week about what happened 🙂 "You can’t expect to be paid fairly for your services, and refuse to fairly pay others.” YES.
Thank you sooo much for writing this! SUCH a frustrating issue!!!! 🙂