Many people, especially those starting up a new business or with a limited cash flow, think that graphic design is an expense they just don’t need. But I’m here to tell you how wrong you are.
Everyone has a brother, cousin, aunt, friend or other helpful person willing to produce some artwork for their business, and many business owners take them up on the offer thinking it will save them money in the long run. It will NOT.
The majority of designers have trained for years at college or university and then continue to train for the rest of their careers because software changes, design trends alter, new colour trends often accompany current fashion trends which change several times a year.
As someone who has spent over 25 years learning the ins and outs of design software, I can reassure that you reading a book, self teaching or learning from YouTube is not an effective way to learn these programmes.
When it comes to printing, these people often do not understand the differences in the materials you can print on. The paper thickness, the need for crop marks and bleed, ways of folding, paper grain, etc. They often do not have relationships with the printers that they use and cannot get you the best deal or value for money.
With a qualified graphic designer you will get choice, knowledge and ultimately a design that should stand the test of time without dating, appeal to your target market and get your message across.
All information you publish about your company is a representation of you and your business. You need to make sure it reflects your values and ethics. You will be judged!
One thing to bear in mind, why to people pay premium prices for products that they could get cheaper? Style, trend and desire.
Paying for something that will not deliver can damage your reputation and be a costly mistake to make. Getting it right first time will save you money in the long run. The increased impact it will have on your prospects is worth it, you don’t want to have to convince them that they should invest in your company if you are not prepared to invest in it first!