4 reasons why you should be hiring a Graphic Designer
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Ever see a new business pop up, get let down when you see their branding, and think 'what the...? Where did they get that done??'
Yep, happens to me all the time, and ya know what's definitely not socially acceptable? For a designer to contact that business and be all, "Hey, I see you clearly need some serious help redesigning your logo; I can totes help with that!"
I'm sure 90% of those businesses have a reason for doing things the way they have, and that's fine if they're also fine with mediocrity, right?
Bad branding usually happens because:
the business owner/manager is a do-it-yourself-er
the owner doesn't think anything better/more professional is necessary
i.e.: "it's working just fine, so why does it matter?"
he/she doesn't think it's in the budget to hire a pro
or maybe he/she did hire someone, ...but it was the wrong kind of someone...
If you're the business owner (and not a designer), here are the top 4 reasons it would benefit your business to hire a professional, rather than DIY.
To help you figure out what kind of brand fits your business best, grab my FREE workbook to help you Unearth Your Brand!
Nail down the basics
…before you ever hire a designer, with this 8 page workbook. The questions help you drill down on your audience, the vibe you want for your business, what mistakes to avoid & more!
4 reasons why you should hire a graphic designer
instead of DIY
Today I'm addressing 4 reasons why you should be hiring a graphic designer if you're a business owner (and aren't also a graphic designer yourself).
1. Hiring a designer saves you time, energy & money.
Starting/Running a business is very time consuming (as I'm sure you know). So the real question is: do you really (actually) have time to create your own company brand (I mean a good one)?
It may seem like you can just open Microsoft Word, Publisher or even PowerPoint and create something basic just to get you by (until you have time to deal with it later) and send that to the printers. The reality is that those file types are NOT helpful or use-able for designers OR printers.
READ MORE about what file types make the design process go more smoothly (and grab a free file format checklist) here
PROBLEM #1
You likely don't know or understand what file types are needed for the vast array of situations where your logo is used, including print and web usage.
Through trial & error, you'd learn this, if you're the DIY-er, but who has that kind of time to waste? Your Word, Powerpoint or Publisher files won't embed the font(s) you chose. Formatting can vary wildly depending on who opens the file & whether they have the same set of fonts you do (possibly the top reason why I hate receiving these file types as a designer myself).
PROBLEM #2
Mistakes cost money. Time wasted costs money. If you don't know what you're doing, then you will do both, doubling the cost, even with the best intentions.
I'm not saying you're not smart enough to figure it out & avoid making mistakes or wasting time, but I am saying you're probably too busy to deal with all of that.
PROBLEM #3
You're too close to the project, and likely can't see the 'forest for the trees,' so-to-speak. You're probably looking at it either, with "rose-colored glasses" or with a hyper-focused lens and ya need to zoom out a bit.
When I take on a new client, I look at things objectively, from an outside perspective, and try to think like your ideal client. I try to put myself in different sets of shoes, both yours & your ideal clients because let's be honest, a brand is only good if it works.
How does your ideal client think?
What will portray your brand's message, without overcomplicating it?
What would make them trust you (so they will ultimately purchase from you)?
SOLUTION
Let me save you the time and effort; if you communicate well, I can handle it for you in a fraction of the time it would take to do it yourself, and it will likely look better too (not bragging here; the truth hurts and all that).
A professional designer can actually save you money. (Stop; I just saw your face scrunch in confusion.)
For example: when you're ready to print your business cards, letterheads, flyers, or whatever it may be, I will have a better idea of what your cost-efficient options will be and what will work best for your budget.
When it comes to other design work, like doing a website or branding social media accounts for you, I can get it done right the first time, and you're far less likely to need to rebrand afterward. Rebranding can be a nightmare (changing all branding imagery, moving content to a new website, telling everyone about your domain change –I know from experience!). You DEFINITELY want to get it right the first time.
I'm also always on the lookout for new/better tools for businesses, and I might know of some ways you can save money by switching to something else, or sticking with what you have.
If you can tell me what you need, I'll find a solution for you that works both with your budget and with your business needs in mind.
2. Designers can help you upstage your competition.
Designers can help you stand out from the crowd, especially if your competition has branding from their own DIY-er.
Let's face it: I know you can download a free trial (or pay for a month) of some design software and attempt to design your own materials, but doing so will NOT make you stand out from your competition. It will look like you tried, and (likely) failed, to do your own designs. (Sorry; I know that's harsh, but it's true!)
If you want to look sharp, professional, legitimate, and stand out among your competitors, then hire someone like myself. I have a knack for this field and I know how to set up your idea so that it meets your needs as a business owner and puts your brand in a positive light for your target audience.
3. Good branding keeps your image consistent, recognizable, and reliable.
Nothing looks more flaky and unprofessional than a business that either:
doesn't have a clear business identity
has too many of them
You've probably seen plenty of examples of "that business" out in the world, and you probably felt confused by their severe lack of identity, right? (Why in the world do they have 4 different "logos??" ––am I right?!)
Consistency represents stability in the business world, so you want everything to appear intentional and DEFINITELY NOT haphazard or unprofessional!
Let me worry about those small details for you. A pro design with standards in mind that will keep your design idea on track; that includes a set number of fonts, colors, and image styles among other things.
4. Great branding can help attract the right audience.
It may seem trivial to you, but big brands don't become successful because the founder was designing his/her own branding on the home computer after hours.
When you are serious about your business, you hire an expert who either has the skills or the instincts to create a professional design that will clearly identify the company and help it stand above all the rest.
Well, designed company materials will do wonders for your professional credibility, which ultimately affects your results!
How does it attract the right audience, you ask? Well, that part is pretty easy to explain.
Essentially, the idea is not to design something for an auto shop that looks like it belongs to a wedding planner. Right? One style doesn't fit the other, and vice versa.
So, a pro will always design with your target audience in mind (i.e. the basic type of clients you're wanting do business with).
Grab the free workbook!
This 8-page workbook will help ya navigate through the initial stages of unearthing your brand.
Hash out those details and figure out what you want/need ahead of time, and when you're ready to hire out the design, you'll also be ready to explain what you want to your designer.
