Working with a Designer
What Design Work Can Be Done in 24 to 48 Hours?
Some design jobs can be turned around in 24 to 48 hours. Others cannot. Here is a realistic guide to what is achievable and why.
Published 18 June 20265 min read
What is genuinely achievable in 24 to 48 hours
A single social media graphic, promotional flyer, website banner, event poster or existing-template amendment can often be produced in 24 to 48 hours when the content is ready and the brief is clear. Likewise, print-ready artwork adjustments to existing files — price changes, event date updates, new imagery in a known template — can usually be handled quickly. For this to work, you need to supply all copy already written, brand assets to hand and a complete brief. These are not difficult requirements, but most last-minute requests fail because they arrive without one or more of them.
What cannot realistically be rushed
Logo design and brand identity development cannot be done well in 24 to 48 hours. Building or redesigning a website in that window is not realistic. Multi-page brochures, exhibition stands, complex campaign rollouts with multiple formats, or anything requiring original photography or illustration are not 24-hour jobs. Urgent requests for these types of work are usually a sign that planning started too late. A designer who accepts these without flagging the risks is not helping you.
The brief is the biggest variable
A fast-turnaround brief that arrives complete — with all copy, all imagery, brand files and a clear specification of what is needed — can often be turned around in 24 hours. The same brief that arrives incomplete, requiring back-and-forth to extract basic information, takes three to five days by the time everything is confirmed and the work is produced. If you regularly need fast turnaround, the investment in a well-stocked brand asset library — logo files, brand colours, standard copy, approved photography — pays for itself every time.
Emergency design support and retainers
If you genuinely need something turned around urgently, contact a designer early in the day, be honest about the deadline and have your content fully ready to send with the brief. Designers working with clients on monthly retainers are better placed to handle urgent requests because they already know the brand and do not need to establish basic context before starting. This is one of the less obvious advantages of a monthly support arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I get a flyer designed in 24 hours?
- Yes, in most cases — provided the copy is written, you have your brand files to hand and the brief is clear and complete when you send it. An experienced designer can typically turn around a single-sided A5 or A6 flyer in 24 hours under those conditions.
- What happens if my urgent brief arrives without all the content ready?
- The turnaround time begins when the complete brief arrives, not when the enquiry is sent. A brief without written copy or supplied images cannot be started. Gathering your content and sending a complete brief from the outset is the most effective way to reduce turnaround time.
Work with Ross
Need help with design, websites or branding?
Ross Boag provides freelance graphic design, web design, brand design, print artwork, motion graphics and monthly creative support for businesses across Glasgow, Scotland and the UK.