Have you ever tried to fix something in your home that maybe you shouldn’t have?
Just recently I had a pipe burst in my house in the second story bathroom. And rather than call a professional plumber to fix it, I decided I could do it myself. How hard could it be to piece together a few pipes inside the wall? Well, after turning the light fixture in my kitchen into an amazing waterfall, and a few thousand Rands later in floor and ceiling repairs, the pipe was fixed. By a professional I might add. Had I called the plumber in the first place, the repairs would have only cost me a few hundred Rands. Lesson learned!
I am seeing this same do-it-yourself practice in small business when it comes to their marketing efforts, mainly in the area of visual communication. Many business owners are doing their own graphic design while at the same time trying to run operations.
Often the end result of this time consuming chore gives off the impression that the business itself isn’t all that professional. Due to the damaging visual perception of their efforts, targeted customers or clients are now moving on to the competition with the professional presentation. In the end, the price of doing-it-yourself will cost much more than if a professional graphic designer had been called on.
Here are five reasons it’s best to hire, or even consult with a professional designer:
1. Designers don’t just make pretty things
Is it design, or decoration? There is a strategic path a designer takes to effectively convey your message visually to those you desire doing business with. Positive perception is everything! A first impression is a lasting impression and in today’s fast moving world, you don’t get a second chance. Before anything is created, a professional designer must first know the product or service you’re selling, the culture of your business, internal and external perceptions, and truly understanding your targeted market and competition. This is just a small sample of the research that goes into exploration and developing concepts that work.
2. Designers know the rules
No, we’re not talking about a certain set of design laws that can’t be broken or else the world will go up in flames. We are talking about the thoughtful use of design theory and principles, grids and ratios, psychology and color theory, and the skillful use of type to pull elements together that will reinforce a message and build brand loyalty. This professional knowledge and experience goes into building effective visual solutions that will ensure you stand out from the competition and attract potential customers and clients to your business.
3. Designers are pragmatic
Information hierarchy is king! From a pragmatic standpoint, a professional designer is concerned with the “how” and defining “when” things happen, and in what desired order. There are also many variables that affect outcomes since logic and intuition interplay with one another. A professional designer can narrow these outcomes down to a practical solution that will successfully return the best results.
4. Designers see through the visual clutter
Have you ever heard the term, “Can’t see the forest for the trees?” With the heavily media saturated world we now live in, it’s becoming more of a challenge to remember even one of the thousands of brands that are throwing their logo at you from every direction. A majority of these icons are unremarkable and equate to nothing more than visual clutter. Many business owners have a vested bias toward these works they themselves designed so it’s difficult to see not just the faults but also the strengths of having their visual marketing done professionally. Design professionals offer an objective vision to assist in developing strong concepts that will stand out in this visual clutter, revealing the best design solution for marketing your products or services.
5. Designers help you to clearly realize your vision
Use a designer’s vision to realize yours. Professional designers can creatively take your vision and bring out strong visual concepts that will reinforce the message and communicate it clearly to your intended audience. Business owners have enough to worry about when it comes down to improving their bottom line. Hiring a professional designer can take the burden off their marketing efforts and help to articulate a positive perception with strength and clarity to the right crowd. A professional designer can also be a trusted adviser and partner, building long-term and lasting relationships that can benefit the business owner for many years to come.
Would you like us to help you get your marketing material and branding up to scratch? Contact Us now and make sure you get a professional designer on board that can take your material to the next level.
How do I know if my business identity / brand visuals is holding my business back?
Complete our free State of Business Identity Check List that will guide you through a few straightforward (mostly TRUE/FALSE) questions, compiling the info you need to review and evaluate this for yourself and any other stakeholders.
Take the free 5 minute quick online review.
SOURCE: CinqPartners.com
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