When Should You Hire a Graphic Designer? Key Signs That It’s Time

One of the struggles entrepreneurs of all sizes face in today’s cutthroat business landscape is maintaining relevance and standing out. But, if you ask those who have been in business long, they’ll tell you that the secret sauce is getting top-notch graphic design services for your brand. If you’re still on the fence about it, here are key signs to know when you should hire a graphic designer.

Table of Contents

• Why Businesses Need a Graphic Designer
• Signs That You Need a Graphic Designer
• Benefits of Hiring a Graphic Designer
• How to Hire a Graphic Designer
• Things to Keep in Mind When Hiring a Graphic Designer
• Where to Hire a Graphic Designer
• Why You Need to Work with Penji

Why Businesses Need a Graphic Designer

Many businesses often put graphic design on the back burner, thinking it can wait until they can afford it. But established entrepreneurs will tell you in a heartbeat that your visual assets should be on top of your priority list. To them, it is an investment that keeps giving, providing long-term benefits. Here are a few situations where you’ll need to enlist the services of a graphic designer:

You need branding and logo design for your brand: Your logo and branding are the face of your brand. An expertly crafted logo sets you apart from the crowd while leaving a lasting impression on potential customers. While online logo templates might suffice, only a professional graphic designer can craft a unique and memorable one, making your brand stand out.

You need marketing and advertising materials that elevate your brand: Brochures, flyers, social media graphics, and other visual assets need to be compelling and persuasive to gain the attention and trust of prospects. To grab customers’ attention, you need a graphic design partner to capture your company’s essence with visual messaging strategies that resonate with them.

You need a website that stands out: In today’s digital age, doing business without a website sets you back and keeps you from being seen by potential customers. It is often the first point of contact, but simply having one is no longer enough to differentiate you. You need to have a bomb of a website design that only a pro designer can provide you, as it reinforces your brand’s professionalism and credibility.

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Signs That You Need a Graphic Designer

If you want your business to stand out, communicate effectively, and build a strong brand identity, you must invest in graphic design. Below are some of the glaring signs you need a graphic designer:

You aren’t capable of creating consistent branding: Consistency is essential in all aspects of managing a business, more so in building brand recognition and credibility. Look closely at your business visual assets and check if they have a cohesive visual identity across all platforms and marketing materials. If it feels lacking, it probably is.

You constantly struggle to create visually appealing content: Today’s world is a highly visual one, and your content not only needs to offer value but also engage visually. Even if you are aware of this but still struggle with DIYing your designs, it is time to seek professional help.

Your time as a business owner is precious: Don’t waste it on creating graphic designs that you struggle with because you lack the skills and expertise for it. Instead, imagine the relief of outsourcing these tasks to professionals who can handle them with ease. Online design software may create passable designs but won’t do much when your competition has better visuals. Focus on what matters most in your business and let the pros take care of the designing tasks.

Your website needs an overhaul: As mentioned above, having a website is no longer enough. If your website is outdated, don’t wait for it to impact your business’ online presence negatively. This rings true for all your marketing materials and other online platforms. An experienced graphic designer can craft stunning designs you can use for your website, marketing, outreach, and many more.

Benefits of Hiring a Graphic Designer

If you’re still in doubt, here are a few of the many benefits your business will reap when you hire a graphic designer:

• Increased credibility and professionalism: Well-crafted visuals and marketing materials project a sense of professionalism and credibility. It can positively influence how consumers perceive your brand.
• Improved marketing and advertising effectiveness: Graphic designers have the skills to design effective marketing and advertising materials. You can get original designs that grab attention, leading to better engagement, brand recognition, and conversions.
• Consistency and cohesion: A graphic designer can give your brand consistency and cohesiveness in your visuals for a better brand experience for your audience.
• Expertise and creativity: Graphic designers understand the principles of design, colors, typography, and industry-specific knowledge not available on online templates.

How to Hire a Graphic Designer

Now that you’re convinced to get a graphic designer for your business, here’s what you should do to hire one:

• Define your needs: Make a list of your projects to determine what type of graphic designer you need. This can be branding, website design, marketing materials, packaging, or any combination of these.
• Determine your budget: Graphic design comes at different costs. It can depend on the graphic designer’s experience, the complexity of your project, and your location.
• Search for potential candidates: Go to online job boards (Indeed, TopTal), freelance websites (Fiverr, Upwork), professional associations (LinkedIn), or personal recommendations. Browse through resumes and portfolios to find the right fit.
• Conduct interviews: Narrow down your list and speak with your short-listed candidates.
• Request samples or a test project: This is to see if their work matches your brand.
• Discuss contracts: Speak with your designer about contracts and the terms of your agreement.

Things to Keep in Mind When Hiring a Graphic Designer

Hiring a graphic designer is a crucial task you must carefully consider as it is a decision that can impact your business’s visual identity. Below are the key factors you need to keep in mind when hiring one:

• Experience and Portfolio: Browse various portfolios to find one whose previous work aligns with your brand’s style.
• Skills and Specialization: While some designers excel at crafting logos, others specialize in custom illustrations. Hire a graphic designer based on what you need the most. Finding one that can do it all isn’t a possibility.
• Communication and Reliability: Find a graphic designer who can communicate clearly, as this can signal reliability and a smooth working relationship.
• Budget and Pricing: The pricing of graphic design services varies. Based on these, determine how much you’re willing to spend and hire.
• Turnaround Time: Find a graphic designer who can commit to your schedule and follow your timelines.

Where to Hire a Graphic Designer

Your project scope and budget will tell you how to find the right graphic designer. Here are the best places to look for them:

• Freelancer Platforms: These are the online job marketplaces such as Upwork, 99designs, and Fiverr. These hold information and portfolios of thousands of graphic designers all over the globe to help you find the right fit.
• Design Agencies: These are the companies that provide graphic design services. They offer a more professional and polished outcome but may not be ideal for those on limited budgets.
• On-Demand Graphic Design Services: These are subscription-based platforms such as Penji that provide unlimited graphic design and revisions for a fixed monthly rate.
• Job Boards and Social Media: Websites like LinkedIn, Behance, and Dribbble are excellent examples of these.

Why You Need to Work with Penji

While getting a graphic designer entails a laborious process of viewing portfolios, interviewing, vetting, and contract signing, it is an investment worth every effort. However, if you want to skip all these and feel confident and secure in your choice, you must work with Penji. We’ve streamlined the process to make it as easy as possible so you can focus on your business while we care for your design needs.

Penji has a team of professional graphic designers who can craft unique designs for you. You won’t need to search for one; we have designers specializing in a wide array of design types, including illustration, logo design, social media graphics, and many more.

You won’t have to worry about spending a ton of money. With Penji, you pay a fixed monthly rate for our unlimited graphic design service. This means you can request as many designs as you need, and our team of professional graphic designers will work on them for you.

Watch this quick demo video here, or get our designers started by clicking this link.

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