Graphic Design: When to Go DIY and When to Hire a Designer

Enjoy this week’s guest post from Catherine Lee of Horse Sense Content Creation as she helps you explore the signs you can do graphic design in house  or if it’s time to hire a designer.

If you’re a creative small business owner like myself, chances are you’ve tried your hand at creating designs for your business such as logos, social media banners, business cards, promotional graphics, etc.

But, should you be designing them?

Let’s take a long, hard look at the criteria for whether or not you should be creating your own designs. 

Money Considerations

How’s your Budget? Are you a solopreneur or do you have a team? When considering whether to outsource graphic design, first ask yourself: “Can I afford this?”

Even though you can probably find someone to create graphics online for pennies on the dollar, be willing to pay more for an experienced designer who’ll create professional designs that you can be proud of.

Time is Money

Designing quality images takes time. Even if you really want to DIY your graphics, do you have the time set aside in your schedule? Doing things to promote your business takes either time or money.

Perhaps your business is just starting out. In this case, you just might have time to work on developing quality graphics for your business. If you just don’t have the time to dedicate in making quality graphics – outsourcing is a lifesaver for your schedule, your branding and your pocket book in the long run.

Do You Have the Talent? 

Are you the artsy kid who used to doodle during school? Or maybe you have an eye for decorating your home and friends ask you for advice. Whatever your artistic leaning, you already have the instincts within yourself to create some stunning, professional graphics for your business. If you already have experience with or are willing to learn about a design program, then you’re well on your way to DIY graphic design for your business. 

I’m not saying you can’t take up new interests and hobbies if you didn’t have them before. But, if you’d rather jump off of a cliff than combine unique color schemes and images into a finished product that looks good, it’s a pretty good sign that you should outsource.  

Do You Have a Grasp on Branding and Continuity? 

Even if you have artistic tendencies, many solopreneurs and small business owners make the mistake of overlooking continuity and branding early on in their business. 

Branding simply means that when someone sees your Facebook banner, or your business card, or a post on social media, it should be immediately recognizable as yours. The style, color schemes and subject matter should all give you…
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This may sound limiting, but there’s a wide range of variety you can have while still maintaining continuity. Make sure you have a plan for brand continuity before jumping into DIY graphic design for your business.

Signs You Can Rock DIY Graphic Design:

•     You were the artsy kid at school who was always painting/doodling/chalk drawing/doing photography, etc.
•     You can still create art, fairly well, to this day.
•     You have an eye for how colors go together; for what looks good and what doesn’t.
•     People ask your opinion on whether or not things look good, such as outfits or decorating schemes.
•     You have a basic grasp on branding and brand continuity.
•     You have access to basic design programs like Canva.
•     Bonus points if you know how to use and have access to Photoshop.
•     You have the time it takes to create quality designs.
•     You’re just starting out and don’t have the capital or the man power yet to outsource design. 

Signs You Should Outsource:

•     If you’d rather be chased by lions than sit down and try to design something.
•     You have a mental breakdown trying to design things.
•     If, as a busy entrepreneur, you just don’t have time.
•     If your design so far just doesn’t look professional.
•     Your business’s Instagram feed looks mismatched and random (i.e., lacking continuity).
•     You have access to a basic design program like Canva but don’t know how and/or are hesitant to use it.
•     If you have enough capital to designate towards a quality graphics design contractor. 

So, how many of the points in each category describes you? Even if you’re the most artistic person in the world, few of us have time, unless we do graphic design for a living, to actually create the amount of branded graphics that we need to promote the business. Time is probably the most important deciding factor when deciding whether to DIY or outsource. If you’re an artist at heart that has the time, or can make the time for designing, go for it! 

Reach out to some trusted artistic friends to look at your designs and give you their honest feedback. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There’s a lot of wiggle room out there when deciding what looks good and what doesn’t, so take their opinions with a grain of salt. 

If you are looking to outsource, search on Google for graphic designers and graphic design specialists and ask fellow entrepreneurs and friends if they know of any good designers. Look for someone with a portfolio you like, with a style that fits your business ideals and themes. 

Some very professional things can be designed in Canva. However, if you’re looking for someone who’s savvy with more expensive programs like Photoshop, be prepared to pay a higher rate since these artists must often pay a steep monthly fee to access the program. 

Whatever you decide, I hope this list has made your decision-making process a little easier. Whether it’s DIY, delegating or outsourcing, there’s a design option out there that makes sense for your business and boosts your growth.

Horse Sense Content Creation is a content creation agency owned by Catherine Lee, who provides animal industry businesses with the tools they need to stand out and increase their clientele. She specializes in blog creation, SEO and social media content design. With a background in zookeeping, animal business and pet ownership, she knows how to speak the language of pet enthusiasts and help your brand grow online. You can follow along on Facebook and Instagram. 

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