- Just because you can do something
doesn't mean you should.
You may be able to move things around on the computer
and create the ad, logo, or website, but it's best
to collaborate with a trained professional.
I realize this is a hard pill to swallow
when it seems so easy to do it yourself or turn to
a cheap online solution for your logo or website.
But this is your business.
What it says and how it communicates its brand message
will determine if it survives or fails.
I'll use the analogy of a car mechanic.
I prefer to take it to a professional car service center
even though I may pay more.
Obviously, I can find someone inexpensive working out
of his or her garage to fix my car if it breaks.
The person working out of the garage may do
a good job, but I'll trust the people trained
to fix the brakes.
Working with a graphic designer will help you
create a clear brand voice.
This is critical.
Your brand is your business.
Consider Coca-Cola without the logo,
color red, or bottle shape.
It's another cola on the shelf next to the store brand.
How many billions of dollars would have been lost
without the famous graphic identity?
As a non-designer, you can only know
what you already know.
Here's an example.
I had a client who insisted he needed a four by nine
brochure and new written biography for the back page.
His competitors all had this and it seemed
to work for them.
This was how he knew to communicate the message.
In fact, the four by nine brochure had no impact.
The audience had grown younger and threw it out
as junk mail.
I suggested we create a more robust website
and begin a social media campaign to reach
the right audience and reinforce his company
as the experts in the region.
Within six months, his business increased dramatically
and he extended his customer base into
a brand new market.
Pragmatically, hiring a trained graphic designer
saves money.
A good designer will have the technical skills to produce
files ready to print or create a website.
When you hand over a Microsoft Word document
with low resolution images, missing fonts,
and size issues to a printer or developer,
costs dramatically increase.
The chance that something will go wrong increases
and you may end up reprinting the entire job
at your own expense.
A good designer works with printers and developers,
understands the most efficient and economical way
to produce something and knows how to manage
the digital files and artwork.
Time is another factor.
Your job is to run a business, manage people,
and create the best product or service.
Design is time consuming and not as easy as it looks.
Do you want to spend your days attempting to design
a logo that stands out and communicates who you are?
Your time is better spent focusing on the skills that
you possess that will make your business a success.