When to use Fiverr, coming from a designer.

When people find out I’m a graphic designer I get the 4 different reactions that make my insides squirm, (I’m sure some other creatives can relate). 

1— Ohh that is so cute! You can make money from that?

2— Can you make something for me real quick? (Shows copyrighted work on the phone and asking me to plagiarize it)

3— Can you give me your opinion on this logo I made in Corel draw (true story)

4— What do you think of Fiverr? I love it! 

And while all of these are rather cringe-worthy we are going to talk about number 4. If you are asking yourself “What is Fiverr?” It is an online platform where you can get designs, including logos, made for a fairly cheap price. 

Let me get one thing straight, I do not judge you if you use Fiverr. I have actually seen some decent stuff come from there… not all of it is amazing and not all of it is trash. 

Now let me tackle the underlying issue that most designers have with Fiverr. 

1- They cheapen our services in the eye of people searching for graphic designers.

2- Typically there is not much thought to items produced on Fiverr

3- It sometimes rubs us the wrong way in our ethics department— let me break this one down. 

When you are a creative, most other industries don’t take your work seriously or rather your pricing seriously. Anybody feel like they can relate!? 

In the design department, this is where you can see where “competitions” come into play where they make artists or designers work for free in the hopes that one will win the cash prize which is typically under $100. This is called spec work and it is a big no-no in our industry. 

Think of going to the dentists for a cleaning but at the end of the day, you say “mm… I don’t think I liked the way you cleaned my teeth, I’m going someplace else.” And you don’t pay him. Yeah.. exactly, that’s unheard of unless you are in a creative field. The amount of times this happens in a creative’s life is absurd. So when companies like Fiverr give the client the option to choose the best design and pay that person it’s like telling the other people “thanks but no.,. your time is not valuable.” This is actually my biggest issue with Fiverr. 

EVERYONE WHO WORKS SHOULD GET PAID. PERIOD. 

So this is why Designers tend to cringe a little or eye roll when someone mentions Fiverr. But let me tell you something, Fiverr can actually help you and your business! 

So when should you consider using Fiverr for yourself or your business:

1- Needing some cute graphics for social media? Fiverr could be your friend.

2- Looking for some ways to update your proposals or photography portfolio? 

3- Wanting a t-shirt design for fun with your friends.. Fiverr could help you out!

4- Looking for a fun flyer to promote your brand’s gig? Hello Fiverr. 

5- Needing something really quick… probably look to Fiverr. 

What should you not use Fiverr for? Branding.

I get it, starting a business is no walk in the park and the first thing people think they need is a cool Logo. Let me tell you this… you don’t. 

Start doing the thing, start making it happen. Use a typeface (font) and just write out your name or business name and keep it simple. Slap-up a landing page with your contact info as a website. People tend to focus so much on what it looks like to own a business but in the beginning, it is all about hustling.. making connections, making the work happen, getting clients. Putting so much of your effort into trying to brand yourself (if you’re not a designer) is energy that could be put elsewhere.

When the time comes seek a designer to help properly brand you. This will help you in the long run financially. Rebranding every 6 months is a waste of money and is harmful to your business. (Check out the article on rebranding here) It is better to save up and have it done right the first time and have all your ducks in a row rather than looking like a chicken with its head cut off. 

People think I would be totally against Fiverr since technically they are my competition, but here’s the thing. They are not. Here at Nuevo Studio we cannot churn out logos as fast and give you a million edits because that would be a disservice to you and your brand. Our process involves a lot of research, analyzing target audiences, and understanding how you and your business will grow, and ensuring that the logo we give you will scale with you. Fiverr is a great tool for the in-between, the graphics needed to add to your brand or to showcase your work in a better way than a word document. Our processes are different therefore our work is different.