Three Misconceptions About Engaging a Graphic Designer
When it comes to branding and design, many small businesses start with the DIY approach. And why not? Canva’s free, your cousin’s good with Photoshop, and there are only so many hours in a day (or dollars in the budget). But while doing it yourself seems practical, it can sometimes hold your business back in ways you might not realise. Let’s clear up three of the biggest misconceptions about hiring a professional graphic designer.
#1: It’s going to be expensive
Here’s the thing: great design isn’t cheap, but it’s an investment that pays off. A professionally crafted brand with a strong foundation of values, a sparkling annual report, or an attention grabbing flyer on the front desk can elevate your business, helping you stand out in a crowded market and build credibility. That $50 Fiverr logo may feel like a win in the short term, but it’s unlikely to represent the unique story of your business. A good designer doesn’t just make things look pretty—they create tools that help your business grow and attract the right customers.
Some of our clients
#2: I already know what I want
We hear this one a lot: “I just need someone to redraw my vision.” But good design goes beyond translating ideas—it’s about strategy, research, and knowing what will work in the real world. You might dream of a neon-green logo, but what if it doesn’t resonate with your audience? What if that font isn’t available, or is too thin or small to read from a distance?
Professional designers ask the tough questions, dig into your brand’s DNA, and create something that not only looks amazing but also serves a purpose.
The Well: Before and after
Going deeper with personality and colour through imagery
Case study: The Well Bathhouse
We were approached by a new business to redraw a logo they had done in Canva. It was low resolution, dated, and didn’t work practically across the number of platforms they would need. Susie was in the middle of getting the business up and running and finalising the fit out. The budget was tight and didn’t allow for our usual branding process, so we proposed a good half way solution to set her up for this stage one version of success.
Susie had a solid idea of what she wanted, but there’s so many considerations to designing a logo, and it’s not often an easy switcheroo. She also didn’t have brand guidelines, and no baseline for consistency in colours, fonts, and applications.
We started by asking her to fill out a brand brief, so we could understand the overall goal of the business. Susie told us she wanted the Bath House to feel warm, cosy, and friendly. Somewhere where people could recharge and live their best life despite the demands of every day.
We replaced the fonts with ones that were free and easy to be accessed
We removed the circle (it’s very common and didn’t serve a purpose)
We increased “BATHHOUSE” so that it could be read when scaled down
We created a very simple brand guideline document so that her brand could be respected by anyone who came into contact with it. We changed her original teal colour to a luscious forrest green, and added a terracotta contrast.
We searched for free stock images that she could use across her website and social media until she had a chance to photograph the finished space.
In the end, Susie ended up with a logo that did look similar to her original vision, but with our help it took scaling, contrast, and positioning into consideration. Every touchpoint will now have a greater impact, and her haven for relaxation will be memorable for the reasons she wants it to be.
#3: I can do it just as well myself
We know you could do a pretty good job, but templates and your can-do attitude don’t account for the nuances of your brand, your audience, professional print standards (even Vistaprint has them), or the many of ways a design might be used. Plus, they can lead to a generic look that’s easily forgettable.
We, on the other hand, bring a mix of creativity and experience to your project (22 years to be exact). We think about consistency, scalability, and how your brand will evolve over time. That’s something a drag-and-drop template, or a logo generator just can’t do.
The Bottom Line
Engaging a professional designer isn’t just about getting a pretty logo or flyer —it’s about investing in your business’s future. A great designer becomes part of your team, helping you tell your story in a way that connects with your audience and leaves a lasting impression. After we get to know your business on a cellular level (we ask A LOT of questions!), we’re able to think past the shapes and colours; about the experience that your customers have every time you answer the phone with a smile, or how they feel when they receive your parcel in the mail. Whether we’re designing you a business card, or an ad the size of a skyscraper, we’re constantly making micro decisions based on past conversations, your personal preferences, that one bad Google Review you got six months ago, or the time you mentioned how you love running your business because you can pick your child up from school.
So, if you’re ready to take your brand to the next level (or just want to chat about where to start), give us a call. We’d love to help you create something that truly reflects your business.