You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
For many businesses, your first impression is your logo, whether it’s on your business card, somewhere online, or on your storefront.
Being that first impressions last forever, it’s incredibly important for all businesses - big or small - to have a PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED logo, and a go-to graphic designer for marketing material. The key words here are “professionally designed,” in case you somehow didn’t get that from the all-caps approach in the previous sentence. When prospects are doing their research, they are looking for credibility. If your logo is crap, prospects will subconsciously assume that your products and/or services are too. A thought-provoking, aesthetically-pleasing graphic, no matter what the medium, builds your credibility and ultimately boosts your sales.
Sure, Clipart is okay… when you’re working on your middle school book report. And yeah, Canva is better than Clipart… as an adult, I suppose. But neither of these things are good for business. Why? Well, I really shouldn’t need to explain about Clipart; cartoons are for kids. And the opening line in Canva’s description tells you that it’s a simplified graphic design tool - #BASIC. But more than that, with everyone using Canva, you’re no longer unique. Digital media dominates the market and algorithms are ever-changing, so it’s imperative your content be fresh, unique, consistent, and engaging. You just can’t get all of that from an app.
Graphic design speaks louder than words!
Graphic design isn’t just the creation of a logo or an image; it’s the visual communication of a story - A.K.A. branding. Branding is your business’s identity, so it’s critical that your brand is consistent. This allows consumers to connect and relate to you. Quality and consistency go hand-in-hand as they ultimately drive repeat clients. Your logo gets them them in the door, your quality of product/service gets the sale, but your consistent branding keeps them coming back for more.
Just like every business is different, so are graphic designers. When you’re starting your business or re-branding, you should reach out to a few professionals to have your logo created. Did you just re-read that sentence? I meant what I said - reach out to a few professionals, not just one. Sure, you’ll have to have to pay each of them, but there’s no doubt you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for. Then, reach out to those same designers again for your marketing material (i.e. brochure, flyer, etc.). Again, you’ll have to pay each of them. But it’s a small investment in the grand scheme of things that will help you find a graphic design partner who speaks your language and will help you tell your brand story moving forward.
There is no better way to sum up the importance of professional graphic design than to share this alliteration - consistent creativity will crush the competition.
At Duke Design Co., we charge a flat fee for logo creation and don’t stop designing until you’re happy! We know the importance of branding so we include a logo brand guide for every logo request - this includes the logo color-builds, logo color-variations, and the fonts, all packaged in a one-page design. But what sets us apart from other designers is that we offer graphic design services paired with vinyl decals so we can turn your logos into storefront, car, or water bottle decal creations! We’re confident that you’ll love our work, but check us out on facebook, instagram, or on our website to see for yourself.
Written by Chelsea Sheckells of Duke Design Co.