DIY graphic design is usually a very attractive option for anyone who’s just launched a new business (or is about to).
Though design is my bread and butter, I’m not averse to helping business owners come up with their own visual concepts. In fact, my Design FX Studio blog is packed full of lots of tips and tricks for those of you who don’t want to instruct someone like me (at least not right away).
However, I do believe that going it alone is not always the best approach. It all depends on where you’re at in your entrepreneurial journey, how much time you can dedicate to your designs, and whether you are willing to risk your company’s visual identity for the sake of saving a few pounds.
It’s up to you to decide where you sit. Here are the arguments for and against DIY graphic design for start-ups!
The case for a do-it-yourself approach:
1. It’s cheaper
Cost is often the biggest factor for start-ups. There’s so much to spend your capital on in the early days, and professional design is often at the bottom of the list. Creating your own graphics is often the only way to keep design-related overheads to a minimum while you begin to establish your business.
2. You have complete control
You can tweak your designs as you see fit, and you don’t need to convince anyone else to get on board with your creative ideas!
3. You can work to your own timeframes
Professional designers will often have several projects on the go at once, which means they can’t always react to fast turnarounds and last-minute requests as quickly as you’d like. When you take to the reins of your design requirements, there’s no need to wait on a response from anybody else – you’re in charge of when things get done.
4. You get to learn something new
Part of the thrill of producing the graphics and overall brand identity for your start-up is the opportunity to develop a new talent – one that perhaps you never knew you had. There are plenty of courses and tutorials out there on the web for budding designers, so whether you’re a complete novice or you already have some experience in design, you’ll enjoy getting to grips with something different and experiencing the satisfaction of sharing your skills with others.
5. There are plenty of free and paid-for tools to help you on your way
Many DIY tools like Canva, Adobe Express, and Figma are user-friendly, even for those of you who don’t have design backgrounds. These platforms offer templates, drag-and-drop features, and pre-made elements, so they make it relatively easy to produce decent designs.
The downsides to trying your hand at amateur graphic design:
1. You’re more likely to make a mistake
There’s an element of trial and error to creating brand graphics for the first time. Any design mistakes could affect your customers’ perception of your brand – and if this happens, you might have a hard time recovering the reputation you’ve already built for yourself.
2. You’re probably going to end up wasting money
If you don’t manage to nail your designs first time, or you come up against unexpected hurdles, you’ll need to go through the entire painstaking process again – and this will often mean spending money with someone who can do a better (and faster) job.
3. There will be a limit to your abilities
Your DIY skills might take you so far, but eventually, you will hit a stumbling block and need external help. There’s nothing wrong with carrying yourself and your business to this point, but it’s important to admit when a certain task or project is beyond your capabilities, so you don’t delay your company’s growth.
4. You’ll be distracted from other areas of your business
Let’s be honest, the time you spend on your start-up designs could be put to better use. While you’re busy coming up with logo concepts and getting to grips with template builders, you’re probably going to be neglecting your customers, falling behind with your sales targets, and spending fewer hours building a stellar team.
5. You’ll never get any fresh eyes on your work
While being able to control every aspect of your design output might sound ideal, tunnel vision can prevent you from accepting input from the people who really matter: your customers and your peers.
Professional graphic designers will always look at design requirements objectively and will happily carry out research into your industry and your target market to make sure what you’re producing is in line with what they expect.
All the knowledge in the world can’t replace real-world experience.
You can watch every YouTube video and attend as many Udemy courses as you like, but if design is not your main ‘thing’, you’re never going to be immersed enough in this discipline to produce meaningful work.
Great design also comes down to a practical understanding of what needs to be produced and when. From being able to adjust your designs for different formats to knowing the ins and outs of print management or website development, there are a lot of technical aspects to consider – and it can take a lifetime to learn everything you need to know!
What’s the next step for you?
If you’re adamant that creating your own branded graphics for your start-up is the only sensible way forward, you might find the following links useful:
The importance of design for your brand and website
5 vital branding principles for ambitious start-ups
My 7-step guide to web design for start-ups
If, on the other hand, I’ve convinced you that the only way your customers are going to take you seriously is if you take your investment in your business seriously, then please do get in touch with me to learn more about my design and marketing services for start-ups.