“Why would I pay for a designer when I can get this brochure made for $35?”

This was said to me in a meeting the other day. A meeting with someone who came to me for advice on her brand and marketing campaign. This killlllsssssss me as a designer and marketer. Kind of like Stacy and Clinton hate when people say “I wear it because it’s comfortable.”

I understand in light of the economy, everyone is looking to save buck…but at what cost are you saving that dollar? Do you really think that people will take you seriously if you hand them a brochure made in word or publisher with the ever fancy 3D word art and clipart? How many people are you going to get to buy your product or services with shoddy design and branding? So maybe you saved a ton of money on your design, but how many sales did you lose because of that?

I cannot express enough the importance of creating a strong brand backed with professional design that has been thought out and cohesive. Would you take a financial planner seriously if he/she showed up in a Yugo and wearing ripped jeans and a dirty t-shirt? Of course not! Invest in your business. Put together a plan of what marketing pieces will have the biggest effect on your business and then pay a professional designer to create them. Put some Money into building your website…do NOT just have your friend’s 18 year old nephew who took Year Book in high school throw a site up for you because it is what you should do. That’s what it will look like…throw up.

When people are checking out your business, they will make judgement calls. They are going to pick you either because they know you, or because your marketing pieces/website look nicer than your competitors. So unless you want to keep business within your circle of friends and not expand….yeah.

To answer the above question of “Why?”, because the difference in appearance could mean the close of a sale, or not.