Meet Katie. She’s a small business owner who is trying to take her brand to the next level. Her online presence so far has consisted of a few social media pages and a cobbled-together website and virtual storefront with an old, outdated logo. In order to better showcase her products and her brand, she needs to make drastic design changes—but where to begin?
She’s seen some of the great work professional designers offer but isn’t sure about the price. Some of Katie’s friends have told her she could create virtually the same effect using DIY services—like Canva—to design all the graphics she needs. They tell her it’s really not so hard.
But can a DIY solution really help Katie’s brand put its best foot forward?
Katie isn’t alone. Countless small business owners have been tempted by low-cost design solutions that promise to be just as good as the professionals. But the truth is, you get what you pay for. When it comes to telling your brand’s story, hiring a designer who knows what they’re doing is absolutely worth the investment. Here’s why:
Organization
Nothing turns customers off like a chaotic, unintuitive shopping experience. If they can’t easily find what they’re looking for, or if they’re bombarded by an overwhelming number of images, colors and text, they won’t want to stick around for long. Good designers know how to organize all the information you want to convey about your brand in a way that consumers will respond well to. We know the ins and outs of visual hierarchy and will be able to place images, text blocks and more in a visually balanced and intriguing way.
Presentation
A good designer will start by asking you a lot of questions. They’ll want to learn about your intended audience, your vision and goals for the project they’re working on, and any established visual standards you may have (think: specific fonts, colors, images, etc.). Professional designers spend time gathering information and do intensive research so they can present the information you want to convey in a way that accurately represents your brand.
Knowing When to Stop
When it comes to design, less really is more. While the DIY design programs might seem like a great, cost-effective solution (and, let’s face it, a pretty fun endeavor if you like creative projects), they don’t have a red light to tell you when you’ve gone overboard with colors, images and text. Before you know it, a DIY design project can become cluttered, chaotic and confusing, losing its message along the way. Professional designers make thoughtful decisions about when enough is enough. They allow space in their designs for your brand’s message to come through clearly and effectively without a lot of visual white noise.
A Fresh Perspective
As a small business owner, you live and breathe your brand—and that’s a wonderful thing! But pulling in some outside perspective is invaluable. A professional graphic designer has the ability to provide insights into your brand that you may not have even thought of. We'll show you new ways to visually engage customers, share your message and showcase your products.
The Value of Outsourcing
Despite the very best of intentions, no one truly has the bandwidth to do it all themselves when managing a business. Often, small business owners who commit to DIY graphic design projects get quickly overwhelmed by the amount of time it takes to create all of the elements they need to showcase their brand. If you’re the type of person who wants to take on all the projects, hear our message: Your time is limited and valuable; it is okay to hand over some control to other professionals. A professional graphic designer will cut out the headaches and frustrations of DIY design and will work with you to make your vision come to life. You have enough to do already—let us take this one on for you.
The Careiginal Designs team is ready to work with you to create a memorable brand experience for your audience. Get in touch today to learn more!