FAQ
Questions,answered.
Everything clients ask before they start — pricing, timing, ownership and how each service runs. If yours is not here, WhatsApp us and we will answer within the hour.
General
Where is Dasma Design Lab based?
Dubai, UAE — in Al Karama, alongside the Dasma print and copy shop. We work with clients across the Emirates and remotely worldwide. Print and signage is produced in our own Dubai shop and delivered across the city.
How is this different from an agency?
An agency sells you projects. A department owns the outcome. You get one point of contact, one plan covering everything from the logo to the shopfront sign, and no relay of briefs between suppliers who bill separately.
Do I have to take everything?
No. Take a single service or the full department. The enquiry form asks which, and either answer is fine.
What does it cost?
Scope-based, quoted in writing before anything starts. Tell us the goal and the budget range in the enquiry form and you get a straight number back — no discovery-call sales pitch.
Can I update the website myself?
Yes. Sites are handed over with your own logins and a short walkthrough. Editing text, images and prices should never require calling us.
How long does a project take?
We aim to deliver every project within two weeks of kickoff — a logo, a website, a signage run or the full department build. The two things that move that date are how quickly content and approvals come back from your side, and how urgent the job is: if you need it faster, tell us and we will plan around it.
How do I start?
Fill in the enquiry form — about two minutes. You get a written reply with an approach and a price, not a sales call.
Quotes, pricing & payment
How is a project priced?
Fixed price per scope, agreed in writing before work starts. You tell us the goal and a budget range; we reply with a written approach and a number. No hourly billing surprises and no discovery fee.
Is there a deposit?
Yes — typically 50% to book the slot and 50% on delivery. Monthly retainers are billed at the start of each month. Exact terms are on the quotation.
How many rounds of changes are included?
Two rounds on design work, agreed in the scope. Most projects need one. Changes beyond the scope are quoted before we do them, never billed by surprise.
What if I need it faster than two weeks?
Tell us the date. Delivery within three days carries a rush fee, stated on the quote before you accept it.
Who owns the work when it is done?
You do. Domains, hosting, ad accounts, source files, code and data are set up in your name and handed over on final payment.
Do you work with businesses outside Dubai?
Yes. Most clients are in the UAE; we also work remotely with businesses in Saudi Arabia, the UK, Canada and Australia. Print and signage is produced in Dubai and delivered across the UAE.
Can I pay in instalments or monthly?
Project work is 50/50 as above. For ongoing services — ads, content, full-service marketing — you pay a monthly figure with the roadmap written up front and a notice period rather than a lock-in.
What do I need to prepare before we start?
Your logo files if you have them, access to any existing website, Google and social accounts, and a clear idea of what success looks like. We send a short checklist once the quote is accepted.
Web Design
What platform do you build on?
Most sites are hand-built and deployed on fast static hosting. Where a client needs to manage products or bookings, we use the platform that fits — and we say which one and why before you commit.
Can I edit it myself?
Yes. You get your own login and a walkthrough. Text, images, prices and posts should never require a support ticket.
Do you handle hosting and the domain?
We can set both up and hand them over in your name. You own the domain and the hosting account — always.
Brand Strategy & Identity
Do I own the files?
Yes. Full ownership of the final marks, delivered in editable vector formats.
How many logo concepts do I get?
Two or three developed directions — not thirty thumbnails. Each is shown in context so you judge it the way customers will.
Can you keep our existing logo?
Often, yes. Plenty of brands need messaging and a system around the mark rather than a new mark.
Paid Advertising
What is the minimum ad budget?
It depends on the market and the offer. We tell you in the first conversation whether the budget you have can realistically produce leads, and we will decline the work rather than take it if it cannot.
Is the ad spend included in the fee?
No. Ad spend is paid on your own card in your own account, so you keep the data and the history. Our fee covers management.
Who owns the ad account?
You do. We work inside your Business Manager as a partner, and access can be revoked at any time.
Can you run ads without managing our socials?
Yes. Paid advertising is a standalone service — it does not require the content and social package, though the two work harder together.
Content & Social Management
Can I take the content without the management?
Yes — a production-only shoot is quoted on its own. Most clients find the assets work harder when the same team schedules them.
How long is a shoot day?
Typically six to eight hours on location, which is enough for a month of social plus website and ad assets.
Which platforms do you manage?
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile posts. We would rather run two channels well than five badly.
Do you guarantee follower growth?
No, and be careful of anyone who does. We report on reach, engagement and leads, which are the numbers tied to revenue.
Print & Signage
Do I need to have branding done with you?
No. Bring print-ready artwork and we will produce it. If the artwork needs fixing, we will tell you before it goes on the press.
Can you match an existing sign or colour?
Yes — bring the file, the Pantone reference or the physical sample and we will match it.
Do you deliver outside Dubai?
Delivery is across Dubai as standard. Other emirates and international shipping are quoted per job.
Custom ERP & CRM Software
Custom software sounds expensive — is it?
It is scoped in modules, so you start with the one that hurts most — usually the CRM or quoting — and add the rest as it pays for itself. You get a fixed price per module before anything is built.
Can it connect to the accounting software we already use?
Yes. Zoho Books, Xero and QuickBooks are the usual ones; invoices, payments and contacts sync both ways, so the accountant keeps working where they are.
Who owns the system?
You do. It runs in your own cloud account, the code and data are yours, and it is documented so another developer could maintain it if you ever wanted.
Do you build mobile apps too?
The systems are built mobile-first as web apps, so they work on any phone without an app store. A native app is possible where there is a clear reason for one.
Full-Service Marketing
Is this a retainer?
Yes — a monthly figure covering the agreed scope, with the roadmap written up front. No lock-in beyond the notice period stated in the scope.
Which CRM do you use?
Whichever suits the size of the business — we are not tied to a reseller deal. We will recommend one, explain the cost, and set it up in your account.
Can we start with less and grow into it?
That is the usual route. Most clients start with the website or the brand, add ads and content once it is converting, then move to the full department.
Does it include print?
Yes. Signage and print production are part of the scope, produced in our own shop rather than brokered out.
Still have a question?
Send it on WhatsApp or through the enquiry form. Real person, real answer, usually the same day.

