I don’t know anyone over the age of 10 that doesn’t have access to a computer with software capable of producing anything from a brochure to an e-newsletter. Do it yourself template websites are just as easy to get your hands on. So, is it fair to say that everyone is a designer?
More and more so in this economic climate, companies are taking to creating their own promotional material in-house to “save a dollar” on engaging a professional graphic designer to do the creative…but at what cost?
Be wary of who you trust with your brand’s reputation. I hear them say, “it’s just something we hand out to our existing customers”, but what they don’t realise is that the “home-made” brochure that the office admin assistant “designed” looks just that, home-made, unprofessional and is damaging their brand. It can give the impression that the company is small, under-resourced or worse still struggling financially or even that the product or service being offered is of an inferior quality or is undesirable.
The true value of graphic design to a business is in the perception created of your brand each and every time it is placed in the public eye. This outlives the lifespan of any particular marketing piece.
Why risk a negative perception of your brand when a graphic designer can provide a professional design that will serve to effectively promote your company, product or service as professional, successful and desirable. I know we make it look simple but designing a brochure involves more than just plonking text and a pretty picture on a piece of paper. It involves a perfect balance of visual appeal and structured layout so that it will instantly grab your attention and at the same time allow you to focus on the main message and then be able to follow the detail easily and; most importantly, reinforce your brand identity.
All this comes naturally to a graphic designer when designing any marketing collateral, promotional or advertising material. But don’t be fooled, it is not so easily achieved by the average person. It requires the ability to think creatively, visualise and realise the best design to communicate the intended message visually. An experienced graphic designer will be able to give you a finished product that is the perfect combination of colour, font, logo placement, text size, image manipulation and layout that really speaks to your target audience.
So when it’s time to put your next promotional, advertising or marketing piece into the public arena, think about how it will affect your brand. Don’t try to be a designer, call your graphic design agency; your brand is begging you to!