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7 Situations to DIY Graphic Design and When Not To 

Small business owners and startups understand the importance of avoiding unnecessary spending. This is the reason most of them find ways to save up on expenses and try DIY-ing. And that includes doing a little bit of graphic designing. We all know how essential graphic design is for business. It’s something every company shouldn’t skimp on. But there is DIY graphic design that you can do as a non-designer to lessen the costs incurred by your design requirements. Here are some of the situations where you can DIY and when not to. 

 

When is it Okay to DIY? 

It takes years of experience and training to get to the level of graphic designers who produce high-quality work. It’s not as simple as learning to use photo editing software or using logo templates. However, tutorials and applications made specifically for non-designers can be found almost everywhere on the net. 

It’s just a matter of knowing when to DIY and when to hire the professionals. The following are few of the instances when you can use DIY graphic design: 

 

Personal Project 

Whether it’s a cover image for your blog or t-shirt design that you’ll be wearing for your class reunion, DIY graphic design is the way to go. You don’t have to spend money on this as there are plenty of graphic design websites you can go to for this type of design. 

And since it’s a personal project, creating them on your own adds a special touch to it. It makes the endeavor more unique and enjoyable. 

 

Too Expensive  

Marketing materials such as newsletters that only need your logo on it can be made using DIY graphic design. Even your word processing program has options to let you create your own newsletter. Just add your logo to it, and voila, instant newsletter without the help of a professional designer. 

Additionally, if a DIY graphic design will require you to buy licensed software or pay for expensive tutorials, leave it to the pros. The objective here is to prevent you from spending extra money. A project that will require you to spend more to do it isn’t saving you money in the long run. 

 

Simple Projects 

DIY graphic design is ideal for easy and simple projects such as social media posts for your business. A logo design should be treated with utmost importance, whereas an image to share on Twitter allows you to make them yourself. This adds a human touch to your posts, which can help you build strong connections with your followers. 

 

When Not to DIY Graphic Design 

graphic designer at work

Aside from logos, there are also design assets that you shouldn’t be doing yourself. Not only are they too complicated for non-designers, but it also takes an exceptional talent to do them. Colors and typography are a few areas of graphic design that needs special attention. You’ll be risking getting an unprofessional look if you try to DIY them. These are: 

 

Business Cards 

Professional projects such as your business card are something that you shouldn’t take lightly. Your branding is how you convey your business image and how people will see you. This is your brand’s face and personality that will lead you to success. Handing out a business card that looks garish can send a negative message to your recipient. 

Your brand identity is what your customers will recognize you with. Doing it right can provide you with trustworthiness, authority, and a stable relationship with consumers. Make it right by having a professional do them for you. 

 

Website Design 

Simplicity is the key to excellent graphic design, your business website included. There are website builders that can help you create a stunning yet simple website. But if you have an eCommerce site, better leave the designing to those who know how. 

A study released by HubSpot claims that 90% of people leave a website because it was poorly designed. You don’t want to take that risk, especially if your website is where all the action takes place in your business. You want your website to generate leads and not turn them away just because of poor design choices. 

 

Mobile Apps 

According to Statista, 60% of apps on the market have never been downloaded. One of the main reasons for this has to do with the design. For this reason alone, you should never attempt designing your business’s mobile application. Another reason is its complexity, not unless you have the knowledge to create a mobile app that works perfectly. 

A Buildfire study shows that 71% of app users churn within the first 90 days of downloading an app. You may get many downloads, but if people aren’t using your app, or worse, they discard it altogether, it’s a waste of time and energy. 

 

Infographics 

Another study released by HubSpot shows that infographics are the fourth most-used type of graphic design content. It is a useful addition to your content marketing, but sadly, it can take a long time to make them. The design in itself can be painstakingly difficult, add to that the research you have to do to make the infographic informative. 

This effort can take precious time off from you when you could be spending it on more important business matters. Having the professionals do it gets it done right in a fraction of time. 

 

How an Unlimited Graphic Design Service Can Help You 

Design Doctor is an unlimited, on-demand graphic design service that can help you create high-quality logos and infographics. Our team of professional graphic designers can create a multitude of design assets that you can use for marketing and branding purposes. What’s even better is our fixed rate of as low as $349 per month. 

We have blended affordability and excellency in our designs to help you grow your business. If saving money is your main goal for creating DIY graphic design, Design Doctor solves the problem for you. You get great graphics design without spending a ton of money.

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