Branding + Marketing + Web

How to Find the Best Graphic Design Services

If you’re a small business or nonprofit looking for graphic design services, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Many smaller companies don’t have an in-house graphic designer, so it’s important to find the best graphic design services to meet your needs. But finding the right fit is not as easy as it seems.

In today’s digital landscape, there’s no shortage of graphic designers for hire online. Should you go with an independent freelancer, a vending machine-esque service like 99 Designs, or a reputable and established firm? There are many factors to consider, and we want to help you feel equipped and confident to make the best choice for your business.

In this blog post, we will cover the role of graphic design in marketing, the benefits of working with a professionally trained graphic designer, and what to look for when evaluating various service levels. Keep reading to learn more!

Why Graphic Design is Important in Marketing Your Business

Business leaders know that graphic design is essential. But you might not realize just how vital graphic design services are to branding and marketing. Your graphic designer creates the visual identity for your company. They develop the look and feel of your website, social media pages, and marketing materials. In other words, they play a big role in how potential customers perceive your business.

Marketing collateral is the most obvious and common reason companies seek out graphic design services. Advertising and marketing materials are essential for attracting leads and customers. But before the first design is created, a professionally trained designer can help you create an overarching concept and visual identity for your brand that will differentiate you from the competition.

Don’t forget that graphic design applies far beyond logos and business cards. Graphic design is mission critical to designing a great website, establishing a memorable social media presence, and any additional marketing tactics such as podcasting or mobile app development.

Without graphic design expertise, the branding of these efforts will fall flat. That’s why finding the right graphic design services for your business is important. You need a team of designers who understand your industry and can create a visually appealing brand that represents your company well and helps your company grow.

Read More: Graphic Design 101

The Benefits of Working With a Graphic Design Firm

As previously stated, you have a myriad of choices when looking to meet graphic design needs. But all things considered, we strongly advise working with a professional design firm. It really is the best value for your money for multiple reasons, but mostly because when you hire a graphic design agency or firm, you get much more than basic design services. Here are just a few benefits of working with a professional and experienced team:

Efficiency

Efficiency is a benefit that cannot be understated. When you work with an agency or firm, you have a team of designers who can work on your project at the same time. This means that your project will get done faster, and you won’t have to worry about it taking up all of your time.

Creativity

Another benefit of working with a graphic design firm is that they are more creative. A design team will work together to understand who you are as a company and bring different perspectives to your project. This means that your project will be more creative and unique, and the options will be more cohesive than if you simply received designs from several disconnected designers.

Professionalism

Another benefit of working with a graphic design firm is that they are more professional. When you work with a firm, you are working with designers who not only have industry experience but also have worked with other businesses perfecting their visual branding. Not all freelancers have experience working with businesses and may not understand the nuanced variables your business navigates from day to day. A deep understanding of your business is essential for any graphic designer to communicate effectively.

Cost-Savings

Another benefit of working with a graphic design firm is that you can save money in the long run by getting it right the first time. You won’t waste valuable time going back and forth with a less experienced designer who can’t adequately capture your brand in visuals.

Get What You Want

The final benefit of working with a graphic design firm is getting what you want. When you work with a firm, they will work with you to ensure that your project turns out precisely how you want it to. This means that you won’t have to settle for anything less than what you want, and your project will be perfect.

Read More: How Graphic Design and Marketing Work Together to Grow Brand Awareness and Generate Leads

How to Find the Right Graphic Design Firm for Your Business

Below you’ll find five general steps to help you find the right graphic design team for your business, but before delving into that, we have one point to stress.

When you’re ready to hire graphic design services for your business, strive to find a team of designers with experience working with businesses in your industry. This will ensure that they understand your business’s specific needs and requirements.

Suppose you skip this part, and the design team you choose doesn’t understand your business. In that case, you run the risk of making poor creative decisions solely based on design without considering how the artwork impacts the business—which could ultimately be harmful in the long run.

Additionally, make sure the team you hire understands not only your business but the general basics of business. Finding a designer who can create like an artist and think like a marketer simultaneously is helpful. This person may seem like a unicorn, but trust us—they’re out there.

Beyond this, if you want to be even more prepared, here are a few more pro tips you can leverage to find the best graphic design services for your business.

1. Define Your Aesthetic

The first step in finding the right graphic design firm for your business is to define your aesthetic. What kind of look and feel do you want for your brand? Do you want something modern and sleek or something more traditional? Once you have a good idea of the aesthetic you’re going for, you can narrow your search.

2. Consider Your Budget

Another critical factor to consider when searching for a graphic design firm is your budget. How much are you willing to spend on design services? As we said before, it’s helpful to get quotes from a few different firms before deciding so that you can compare pricing and services. You should always shop around. Compare and contrast different agencies to find one that fits your unique culture.

3. Look at Their Portfolio

When you’re considering different graphic design firms, be sure to look at their portfolio so that you can get an idea of their style and see if it aligns with your vision for your brand. A good portfolio will showcase a variety of different projects and demonstrate the firm’s ability to execute on different styles.

4. Ask for Recommendations

If you’re having trouble narrowing down your search, ask for recommendations from friends or other businesses in your industry. Chances are, someone you know has worked with a great graphic design firm that could fit your needs well. Word of mouth and online reviews are great resources for this.

5. Trust Your Gut

Ultimately, when it comes to choosing a graphic design firm, trust your gut. The right fit is everything. If you have a good feeling about a particular firm, chances are they’ll be a good fit for your business. Go with your instinct and choose the firm that you feel most comfortable with.

Read More: How to Keep Up With Digital Marketing Trends and Increase Revenue

Take the Guesswork Out of Graphic Design

We hope this post equips and empowers you to go out there and find the very best graphic design services to suit your specific needs and enhance your marketing efforts. As you’re considering options, we invite you to check out our work and learn more about the types of clients we serve.

We love helping passionate people who are working to make an impact on the world. To that end, we support the digital marketing needs of clients ranging from small businesses and nonprofits to schools and local governing bodies. We would love to share more about who we are, what we do, and the benefits we offer our clients. Please contact us to schedule a meeting and learn more!