What unlimited graphic design subscription services need to do better.

I've been operating in the "unlimited/on-demand graphic design subscription" space for two years now. In that time I've learnt a lot and have definitely seen some things that need to be improved.

In the past couple of days there has been Twitter news discrediting some "unlimited graphic design" subscription services (thankfully not ours), which is a shame as I believe it has real potential as a business model, but the issues raised ultimately come down to some start-ups and founders making fundamental mistakes.

I often find myself worrying about how some of these subscription services are growing so rapidly. Our growth as a company has been strong but steady, but I can't help compare and think, "what am I doing wrong and what are they doing right?". It's just now that I'm beginning to realise that I am doing it right, and that there are a lot of other companies operating in this space doing it completely wrong.

That's not to say that there aren't some great design subscription services out there because there certainly are, but some of these start-ups just:

• are so over-capacity that they cannot handle the amount of clients and work they take on.

• have no quality control and assurance in place meaning 9 times out of 10 the design sent back is off-brand and/or poorly designed and rushed.

• hire designers who have no regard for the client/brand as a whole and instead just want to get through every design task as quickly as possible.

I'm not overly active on social media and here on IndieHackers (mainly because I don't like to flex our MRR and I'm also heavily involved in the day-to-day running of Hatchly, working closely with our designers, and on the design work as well) but as biased as it is I think we have a pretty good thing going for us.

So for those existing companies, and those wanting to start a graphic design subscription service of their own, implement these fundamental things that will make your business model so much better:

• If you are good designer then own it and use it to your advantage. Do not undersell yourself to try and get clients or undercut the competition - the clients that are only willing to pay a lower budget are the ones who are the most demanding.

• Focus on client retention over acquisition. Build long-lasting relationships rather than just churning out day-to-day design.

• Learn the brand and client, don't just consider individual tasks. Think of the bigger picture.

• Be meticulous, play devils advocate and scrutinise every design that is produced to create the best results possible. Your clients and your designers will thank you in the long run.

• The design delivery/experience is just as important as the design itself. Consider how you manage client communication, version control, file management, naming conventions, project management, internal communication etc.

• Hire designers who know the software and at least the basics. Work closely with them in the beginning so they can learn your ways of working and get an understanding of each client/brand. We've experienced countless clients who have come unimpressed from another "unlimited graphic design" service due to poor communication and understanding of their brand from the previous designer.

• Don't rush into growth. I often get stressed about needing to grow faster or comparing myself to competitors who are seemingly growing faster than us. But it's not a race and you don't need to win. Slower growth = more focus/refinement on your own service = better design = better client retention.

• Always ensure you have free capacity. Over promising and under-delivering is not good for anyone. By leaving free time aside and not overwhelming yourself/your designers it means you can take on an unexpected sign-up or projects that need urgent attention.

• Don't try to outsmart clients. They can see right through what you are trying to do. Honesty is the best policy and setting realistic expectations as well as communicating clearly is the key to a long-standing relationship.

• (It's not always possible but) have an Account Manager who can project manage and communicate clearly with clients and designers. This will free up designers workload so they can focus on what they do best rather than losing time to admin.

• Have a call with every. single. prospect. before they sign up. This gives you the opportunity to set realistic expectations, build trust and rapport and decide if you're a good fit for working together.

Like I said, there are some great services out there but from my experience in this space so far, that ^ is what existing design subscription services and new start-ups could and should improve on. What do you think?