As business owners or entrepreneurs, we understand that you want to stretch your marketing budget. You want as many things and tools created within your allotted amount. And while that’s good and common practice, this doesn’t mean you should get a cheap graphic design just to save money. You have to ask yourself, will it be worth it? Or are you just wasting more resources on a poorly conceptualized graphic design? 

 

What Makes a Graphic Design Cheap? 

But first, let’s talk about what a cheap graphic design is. Contrary to what most people think, ‘cheap’ is not limited to cost alone. It includes all the elements of graphic design that may have been poorly executed. Let us give you some examples below. 

 

Puzzling Layout 

The layout is crucial in graphic design. It helps you highlight the most essential elements or features of the marketing collateral. And at the same time, a proper layout can guide your readers on which areas they have to focus on. 

Now, this sample of job advertisement for an apprentice is quite confusing. While it is possible that they want to be unique and stand out, people who are just walking by might not grasp the main idea. You cannot expect people to stop and decipher your design. Ironically, they are looking for graphic designers. Perhaps, they badly need one.   

Here’s another cheap graphic design that deserves a spot on our list. Apparently, this book cover design is not intentional. It’s hard to fathom why no one noticed this even before printing. The book might be good, but it definitely received a lot of negative publicity due to its cover.  

 

Bad Typography

At first glance, you would think that there is nothing wrong with the design. But as you read the texts, you will realize that it doesn’t make sense. Without the cat’s paw, you will read it as ‘The Eat Loves Me Best.’ 

When doing graphic design, choosing the right font or typography is crucial. You cannot just use one typeface because it looks fancy or cute. It has to be clear and, of course, must embody the emotion you want your readers to feel.

 

Inappropriate Color or Packaging 

Ideally, you have to use colors that are akin to your brand. However, if you are offering extremely different products, then changing your design, including the color might be necessary. Don’t make the same mistake that Black & Gold committed. This creates confusion and least to say, very dangerous. 

 

Suggestive Design

Unless you are promoting intimate products and services, there’s no need to create graphic designs with suggestive ideas. In this sample, you will notice how odd the design looks like. Of course, we have to give the benefit of the doubt that this could be an honest mistake. However, a professional graphic designer can easily spot this, preventing further backlash.

We’ve seen hundreds of cheap graphic design ideas, and it’s unfortunate that business owners or managers were not able to check these thoroughly. Of course, we cannot blame them considering the bulk of work and responsibilities they have at hand. But that’s more reason you should outsource your graphic design needs to a professional. If you still can’t see its advantages, then the next section might change your mind.      

 

Why Cheap Graphic Design Isn’t Worth It?

When you settle for an unprofessional looking graphic design, your business might face damages which you might regret later on. Let us share with you some of the possible consequences. 

 

It’s a Bad Representation of Your Brand

Big companies hire the best and the most sought-after graphic designers and teams for their marketing needs. And there’s a good reason behind it. Every good businessman knows how important visuals are. 

Can you imagine a venture with a bad logo? How about a company that uses unpleasant images on social media? What about a packaging that looks unprofessional and half-baked? 

These small details can leave the impression that your company is not taking things seriously. Thus, people will begin to think that your business operations are as lousy as your graphic design. Remember, everything that is associated with your brand can make or break your business.   

 

Confuses Your Audience

In theory, we use graphic design to communicate messages to our market. It’s one of the ways you can effectively ‘talk’ to a wider audience that can possibly grow your brand. But if your graphic design is cheap or poorly executed, people will not be able to identify what you want them to understand. This makes the entire design or tools useless. 

 

It Delays Business Plan  

More often than not, a pro designer can immediately spot if it’s a cheap graphic design. And of course, you would naturally want to change it. Minor revisions are forgivable and often happens. However, completely changing your graphic design can take a lot of time as the team needs to start from scratch. That alone can already delay your business plan and will cost you losses. 

Instead of already promoting your products and services, the team will go back to the drawing table. And this is why it’s always better to work with graphic design professionals with years of experience in different industries. 

 

It’s a Waste of Money 

Stating all the reasons above, it is now more apparent that cheap graphic design is nothing but a waste of money, time, and effort. 

 

Final Thoughts

A cheap graphic design is never going to be worth it. Imagine the damage (not to mention, headache) that it can do to your business. These affordable and ‘too good to be true’ professional fees can be tempting. You might even think that you are saving a lot of cash. But in the long run, you are not.

Bear in mind that good graphic designers charge a decent amount of fee because of their years of experience, expertise, and the tools they use to provide you with an outstanding design.   

It’s always better to hire professionals to ensure the quality of your marketing collaterals. This is not to say to work with agencies that have skyrocketing fees. But the best solution, most especially for small companies or brands, is to look for graphic design teams like the Design Doctor. These service providers allow you to enjoy unlimited designs every month for a fixed price.