The Ultimate Guide to Professional Graphic Design Services

Professional graphic design is a critical investment for businesses looking to stand out in today’s competitive market. 

In fact, nearly 1 in 5 companies allocate over $10,000 annually for graphic design services. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to break the bank to get top-tier designs (hint: Penji).

Whether you’re building a brand, creating marketing materials, or refreshing your visuals, here’s how to get professional designs that drive results. Let’s dive right in!

Table of Contents

• What is Professional Graphic Design
• Why is Professional Graphic Design Important?
• How to Become a Professional Designer?
• Where Can You Get Professional Graphic Design Services?
• Tips for Successful Outsourcing of Professional Graphic Design Services
• How Can You Get Professional Graphic Designs?
• Conclusion

What is Professional Graphic Design?

Professional graphic design is the art and practice of creating visual content to communicate information or ideas to a specific audience. 

A professional graphic design aims to create compelling visual communication that engages, informs, and inspires the intended audience. To achieve this, professional graphic designers use creative and technical skills and an understanding of design principles such as composition, color theory, typography, and layout. They also have a deep knowledge of design software and tools, such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, and are constantly adapting to new technologies and trends in the field.

There are many types of graphic design, including:

• Logos
• Advertising design
• Vector designs
• Website layouts
• Product packaging design

Why is Professional Graphic Design Important?

We know how visuals can affect a business, but why do we need a professional to do it?

Here are a few reasons why you should leave graphic design tasks to a pro:

• Experience and expertise. As mentioned above, expert graphic designers have years of experience and knowledge in design principles. Our pro designers here at Penji know typography, color theory, and visual communication design, allowing our clients to focus on other aspects of their business. They know how to combine various elements to create compelling designs that convey the intended message.
• Attention to detail. A pro graphic designer knows what bad design looks like and works to avoid it at all costs. They also pay close attention to details such as alignment, spacing, and contrast, which can significantly impact a design’s overall look and feel.
• Consistency. Design experts can create a consistent visual brand identity across all marketing materials – whether it’s for corporate graphic design or visual assets for events. This helps to establish a strong brand image and increases brand recognition.
• Time-saving. Modern graphic designers have access to tools and software that streamline the design process and enable them to work more efficiently. This saves time and ensures that deadlines are met.
• Legal protection. Experienced creative design professionals are well-versed in copyright and trademark laws and can ensure that designs do not infringe on existing trademarks or copyrights. This protects the business from legal disputes and potential damages.

An amateur design may save money in the short term, but it can ultimately harm a business’s image and credibility.

How to Become a Professional Designer?

In this section, we share a graphic designer’s duties and explain how to become a graphic designer. 

If it’s your first time working with a pro graphic designer, the scope of their job may not be clear to you. A pro designer does the following:

• Work with clients to understand their needs and goals
• Help develop a creative concept
• Pitch ideas and present sketches to clients, project managers or creative directors
• Research information to assist in design completion
• Choose fonts, design elements and color schemes
• Learn to use new technology programs and tools
• Collaborate with other artists, such as copywriters, editors and videographers
• Research current graphic design trends and implement them

We’ve already established that design experts have a good grasp of design principles and have strong technical skills in using design software. In addition to these, a designer must also be able to communicate effectively with clients and work collaboratively throughout the design process.

TIP: Communication is a crucial part of getting the designs you need. Often, the email back-and-forth can be a gruesome process, so make sure that you hire a graphic design service with a transparent communication system that saves time and energy.

Here are some general steps for becoming a professional graphic designer: 

1. Develop design skills

The first step in pursuing this career is by improvising graphic design skills. A person interested in becoming a professional graphic designer can learn artistic skills through formal training or constant practice. Some useful skills for a graphic designer include sketching, drawing, and an understanding of different design software. 

2. Earn a professional degree

Many graphic designers nowadays have a formal degree in graphic design, fine arts, illustration. Website design or a related field. While some employers hire candidates with a associate degree, most prefer graphic designers with a bachelor’s degree. 

3. Gain relevant experience

During school and after graduation, look for opportunities to gain practical experience. Consider pursuing an internship in a relevant industry. If you use your professional network or inquire with local businesses, you may be able to shadow and learn from a professional graphic designer. These opportunities can help you learn more about the field, provide you with hands-on experience and give you a chance to make professional connections in this field.

4. Create a design portfolio

A strong portfolio can help a graphic designer secure an interview, land a full time job or freelance opportunities. A portfolio may be a physical or digital collection of your strongest work as a graphic designer. This can include drawings, mockups or finished designs that feature logos, typography and other digital design elements. 

5. Apply for graphic design jobs

Finally, a graphic designer may start applying for jobs in companies, agencies or through online freelance marketplaces.

Where Can You Get Professional Graphic Design Services?

There are several places where you can get professional graphic design services. Here are some of the most common options:

• Freelance platforms. Many online platforms, such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr, connect businesses and individuals with freelance graphic designers.
• Independent designers. You can also find independent graphic designers through word-of-mouth referrals, online directories, or social media platforms like LinkedIn or Behance.
• Online marketplaces. Online marketplaces such as 99designs or DesignCrowd allow businesses to launch design contests and receive submissions from a pool of freelance designers, allowing you to select the best design from multiple options.
• In-house designers. Having an in-house design team can be valuable for larger organizations, allowing for greater collaboration and control over the design process.
• Unlimited graphic design services. Unlimited graphic design services like Penji offer designs at a flat monthly rate. As the designers are hired and trained by the company, you won’t have to go through the tedious process of hiring an in-house artist or looking for a freelance designer for your project. 

TIP: When selecting a professional graphic design service, consider factors such as experience, expertise, and cost. It also pays to check out their design portfolio to see if their style works with your concept.

Tips for Successful Outsourcing of Professional Graphic Design Services

When outsourcing graphic design or subscribing to professional design solutions, it’s crucial to ensure a smooth process to get the best graphic design services while saving time and getting value for your money. 

Here are some key tips to guide you, along with stunning designs crafted by Penji designers:

1. Communicate Clear Goals

Designs need to align with your brand’s objectives. For instance, this Midweek Blues Promo card designed by Penji emphasizes relaxation and exclusivity, aligning with the spa’s branding.

Ensure you clearly communicate your goals to the designer, whether it’s creating a calm and inviting vibe or promoting urgency.

2. Prioritize Brand Consistency

A great design is a combination of graphic design expertise and consistency. That said, when outsourcing, be sure to provide your branding kit to ensure cohesive visuals.

The Fit Boots Black Friday Sale designs above maintain a bold and dynamic style across its carousel, ensuring that the brand’s energetic tone is consistent. 

3. Leverage Visual Hierarchy

Highlight key information to guide the audience’s attention. In the Client Financing Flyers design above, the headlines are prominent and easy to read, while supporting information is structured below. This makes it clear and digestible. Specify to your designer which elements you want to stand out most in your designs.

4. Test Color Palette Effectiveness

Colors play a crucial role in the graphic design industry, as it captures attention and evokes emotions. For instance, the packaging design above effectively uses warm tones to create a cozy and appetizing feel. Ask your designer to experiment with color palettes that resonate with your target audience and product type.

5. Request Flexible Designs

Last, but not least, ensure the designs can work across various platforms and formats. For example, the social media designs above showcase versatility, working well on Instagram and other promotional formats. Confirm that the output files from your designer are adaptable for both digital and print media.

How Can You Get Professional Graphic Designs?

Different graphic designers use different processes in accepting graphic design requests from clients. For instance, some freelance designers may require a scheduled video call to understand your requirements.

Here at Penji, we’ve developed a user-friendly app that makes requesting graphic designs fast and easy. Here’s how you can request a design from us once you’ve subscribed to our services at a flat monthly rate: 

Step 1. Create a Project

On our app dashboard, click the “+ New Project” button. Type in a title for the project and choose from the categories within the dropdown list. In the description box, describe the project in detail. Here are a few things you may need to mention to allow your designer to understand the project:

• What the design seeks to achieve
• How and where will the design be used
• Concepts or ideas you have in mind
• Dimensions of the image
• Preferred color palette

TIP: You can attach image files or include links to images that you want the designer to use as inspiration. 

Step 2: Review the Draft

The project will be assigned to a designer who specializes in your chosen category. They will send you a message to confirm that they’ve received your request. They’ll also let you know if they have any questions regarding the brief. Once a draft is complete, you’ll receive the file through the app. If you want anything revised, you can click that part and type in your comments or instructions.

Step 3: Download the Design

Once you’re 100 percent happy with the image, hit the Download button. The file will then be saved automatically to your computer. 

You can then mark the project complete. On the review page, you can type in your comments about how your designer handled your project. 

If you’re wondering what professional graphic design looks like, here are a few samples of the images we’ve done for clients in the past:

View a video demo and see how Penji works!

Conclusion

For modern businesses, professional graphic design services are essential in achieving effective communication and visual impact. This comprehensive guide has provided your with plenty of information and tips when choosing the right graphic design partner. 

Whether you are a startup looking for a memorable first impression or an established brand planning to reinvent your visual identity, an on-demand graphic design service like Penji got you covered. Here at Penji, we only hire the world’s top 2% talents to assist you in setting your brand apart from the competition.