Hiring a good designer costs money, not just a little bit but quite often a sizable amount. As a sole-propieter, I understand how every dollar matters to a business owner, especially in the early years. So why should a fledging business, or really any business, seek the services of a skilled designer?
The answer is quite simple. Good Design = Good Business.
That’s a sutra-like answer that you may be thinking is hocus-pocus marketing speak to convince you to hire me. Yet, there’s more to it than that…
1 – Looking Professional is Key to Building Confidence in Your Customer Base
Since an image speaks a thousand words, here is an example from a short film called Ban Comic Sans.
The film starts off by taking highly recognizable logos and replacing their font with the notoriously inappropriately used font, Comic Sans. They proceed to show the Comic Sans version of the logos to ordinary people to capture their reactions. For the most part people thought that they looked silly or some other variation of juvenile.
Do you want people to describe your business as silly or juvenille?
If the answer is no, you need to hire a designer. Just as you wouldn’t go to a job interview unshowered and unkempt, you don’t want your potential customers to view your business as inexperienced or unprofessional. Which leads us to the next one…
2 – Good Design is Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Generally speaking, the first contact a potential customer has with your business is some form of marketing material: a flyer, a business card, your logo on a truck or storefront or whatever Google spits out. That said, this is your time to shine. How do you look compared to your competitors? Do you look like the most qualified, put-together shop in town?
If the answer is no, you need to hire a designer. You want to look like you’re the best choice for whatever goods or service the customer is seeking. To do this, looking the part is the first step and having solid services to back that up is secondary. If you have remarkable goods or services to offer but you don’t have the look to match, you may never even get the chance to show them off. Which brings us to the next one…
3 – Good Design Pays for Itself
Consumers want reputable businesses whose values align with their own. Having well executed logos, websites, and other marketing materials helps convey your expertise as well as the feel of your company to the customer. Having a well-designed business pays for itself by connecting you with your market in a meaningful way. This yields higher revenue. After all, you want to make connections which are mutually beneficial. For a business, this may look like a repeat, loyal customer. For a customer, this may look like a business who offers affordable, quality service or goods. All in all, investing in an experienced designer is investing in the success of your business.
Of course, these are just a handful of reasons why good design is worth it’s weight in gold. Ultimately, the results will speak for themselves. That said, if I’ve successfully convinced you that you need a good designer and you are on the market for one, drop me a line. If you’re still a skeptic, let me know why in the comments below and we’ll talk about it.