Design is Everything

“Do we really need to hire a graphic designer?” In a word, no. No one needs to hire a graphic designer. Just about anyone can open up a word processing document, pick a font, type a couple words, and viola! A logo! Adding color and a pretty little square for flare isn’t hard either.

But here’s a better question: “Do we want to hire a graphic designer?” In two words, you should. Here’s why...

First and foremost, graphic design is what we do. It’s what we’ve been doing for years, gone to school for and why we continue to keep up with the times and current trends. While you could perhaps fix a leaky pipe with some duct tape, wouldn’t we all agree that it’s better in the long run if you hire a plumber to come fix the problem? Graphic design is no different. It’s an industry, a specialized skillset… and available to you.

One of the biggest reasons people hire graphic designers is because they are concerned with how the outside world views them. Whether you’re an individual with a small business, a church or a large corporation, how others view you is very important. It’s the difference between passing you by or stopping in for a closer look. There is a reason book covers are so important. While we all know you can’t judge a book by its cover, what is seen on the outside is still the initial impression or attention grabber. The same goes for any type of business or ministry. This is reflected in anything from logos to color choices to tag lines, types of printed brochures, how your website looks, whether your Facebook page is set up neatly… the list goes on. Every part of your branding is your virtual book cover. Will someone pick it up to “read”? Or will they pass on by, choosing someone who has a more professional look?

Looks aren’t everything, especially when it comes to smaller businesses or growing churches and ministries, and we recognize this. But whether we like it or not, people are more concerned than they might admit with aesthetics. There are also a lot of subliminal messages they’re receiving – how they are affected by your logo color choices and more.

The other day we saw a sign on a parking lot that said, “Do Not Enter.” The color of the words? Green. Someone wasn’t thinking about the fact that in our culture, green means go, not stop. While most people probably wouldn’t be too baffled by this conflict, it still sends a subliminal message of “go,” leaving the subconscious with a strange aftertaste, and thus a lingering odd feeling about that location.

Design is everything. Whether you want to make new business cards, create a new logo, put together a new website or need a t-shirt to advertise an event, be very careful how you go about it. Think about those who are actually in the business of design. And while you’re at it, think about us. Serious Solutions. Because that’s why we’re here. To help you.