3236566517 studio@higharte.com

The computer is the “Industrial Revolution” of the 21st Century. It has changed the way we work, play, communicate and go about our business. It has also significantly changed the business of graphic and Web design –– given designers amazing tools that make their work easier and faster but it has also resulted in the dumbing-down of the end product.

Do It Yourself … Really?

Because there are so many tools and templates and “do it yourself” applications, many people don’t see any reason to hire a professional graphic designer or an actual Web designer because they can “do it themselves.” And, while they CAN “do it themselves,” with an end-result that may look passable, the reality is that design is not just about the “end result” – it’s about communication.

A pretty picture is not worth a thousand words if it doesn’t communicate what it needs to communicate. Nor is a website worth spending any time on if it isn’t thought out with a logic line that provides the viewers with a clear understanding of what they are looking at and why they should be interested in its message.

Why Hire The Services of a Professional Graphic Designer?

1. Your brand Is your business

half-btb-brandsYour brand, whether you sell products or provide services, is how the world sees and experiences you. And while you might think it’s only for big companies like AT&T or Disney or McDonalds or Netflix, all these companies were once small but as they grew the one thing they all had in common is a consistent brand identity that defines in the public’s eye what they do.

As for a small company or professional – it’s even more important to express a clear message and a compelling identity. More often than not you will have only seconds to capture a viewer’s interest. Therefore, it’s essential that you or your company stand out from your competition. A company with a clear message and a strong visual identity will stand head and shoulders above a “do-it-yourself,” cookie-cuter identity.

For example, if you own a hardware store in a small town, all you may need to do is appear on Google’s first page when someone searches hardware stores in your community. But if you’re in a market with multiple stores, to succeed you need to stand out.

You don’t do this with a clip art logo or using stock templates that look the same as 10 of your 12 competitors. Marketing materials that are unique to your business create brand recognition. And sense repetition is the essence of marketing, if they think they’ve seen you before, they are more likely to select  you over your competors.

2.  Good graphic design builds credibility.

When consumers consider using a business for the first time, and, in the absence of any personal recommendations, they search for signs of professionalism to help them gain trust. As your mother or father probably told you, “First impressions are everything!”

The same thing is true for the consumer. The Internet provides the consumer with infinite possibilities, and, as it’s a visual medium, the first impression you make had better be primarily visual. The consumer is looking for the best product or service and it’s your job to make sure they select you over your competition and it’s the graphic/web designer’s job to make that happen.

3. Consistency is essential.

A golden rule in marketing is that consistency builds trust: consistency in marketing messages, consistency with product packaging and consistency in graphic design. To build consistency with your graphic design you must aim for uniformity across every ‘touchpoint’ of your business. This includes your website, business cards, letterhead, packaging and marketing materials.

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Consider Apple and all of their different methods of communication – TV commercials, their website, their packaging etc. – and notice how they speak with ‘one voice’. If you use different logos, different fonts, different colors and different messages, not only will you will you lack a brand identity, if you’re remembered at all, it will be for the wrong reason.

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4. Save yourself time and a lot of headaches.

Designing in the digital age is not for the “faint of heart.” Let’s say you do put together something yourself and send it off to the printer. When the proof – or worse, the finished product – comes back with problems that you didn’t anticipate, fixing or reprinting will take even more time and money.

This applies as well to websites. While WordPress looks like it would be easy to use – just select a theme and add content – in reality, one of the most common calls I receive goes like this, “My partner – brother – brother’s friend – next door neighbor etc. was doing my WordPress site but can’t finish it and I don’t know what to do!” Good designers know what to do to and don’t leave the client with an unfinished website or graphic materials that don’t relate to one another. Professionals are professionals for a reason: they know what to do and if they don’t they know how to find the information or person who does. Time is money and a professional will both save you money and make you money in the long run.

5 How to get the most out of every project.

Designers are generally pretty creative individuals, which is why they’re designers. They also like to see that their clients get the most out of every project. Hiring a designer is likely to mean that you’ll end up with a far better looking finished product than you could have put together yourself, because design is not just about how it looks but how it communicates.

Communication is the essence of design and a professional designer will not only provide a more eye-catching, more appealing and more polished piece than you would have created – but it will also communicate to the people who need to know who your are and what you do in a way that will cause them to sit up and take notice.

High Arte for Marketing, Graphic, Media & Web Design

If you’d like to consult a professional about your graphic needs, High Arte provides Complimentary Consultations. Just give us a call at 323-656-6517 or fill out our Contact Information Form and we’ll be in touch.

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