A good designer has to be savvy about a bit more than just design. Learn about other ways a professional designer can help you as plan your marketing (and maybe save your workplace sanity).
“What is it exactly that you do?”
This is a question that many professionals (of any career) dread answering. Of course there’s the elevator speech approach. But how do you share a job title that accurately sums up your job responsibilities?
In my experience, the word “graphic designer” is common, but I also feel it can feel a little limiting. Sure, if you give me your content and a bit of general direction I will happily make it look pretty for you. Sometimes that’s all my clients need, but so many times it comes to so much more than that.
In reality, while I promote myself as a graphic designer, I can wear many hats: Creative director, proofreader, copywriter, marketing manager, web/digital designer, traffic coordinator, production manager and print coordinator, just to name a few. I’ve had some professional experience in these areas to offer some pretty solid direction — and since no man (or woman) is an island, I can always steer my clients to other reliable resources/vendors. Maybe the best term is: TEAMMATE.
With so much going on at work day-to-day, it can be hard to put a lot of thought into your organization’s marketing materials even though you know they need some help. Sometimes, simply outsourcing a project to a professional you trust can make all of the difference – both in results and your staff’s sanity. I’ve been blessed to work with some great clients, and they can rely on me to create quality work, meet deadlines, share outside-experience and easily connect with me. The magic of the arrangement is that as an outside vendor I can be as involved in their design/marketing process as they’d like me to be.
Here are some scenarios (pulled from my own experience) where a professional graphic designer may be able help you in unexpected ways:
1. You’ve got an idea (or ten) to extend your marketing and brand image but I’m not sure how to begin the process of pulling it all together, much less designing it.
Maybe you have some marketing ideas but not exactly sure of their execution or format? No problem! A good designer can start the conversation, and help you develop a project plan. If you’ve got an idea for the message, they can help you figure out the best format to deliver it in, and can help tweak it to your budget.
“Jill is a great listener. She took my vision and not only met my design expectations, but far exceeded them. I look forward to working with her again in the future!” – Shanda Munson, Owner, The Scene Studio
2. You’re under a tight deadline! You need some marketing materials produced, stat.
No fear… a good designer has experience with project management. They’re responsible and also familiar with production deadlines – they can work with you to prioritize your marketing plan.
“Jill makes the design process easy. She goes above and beyond with presentation, creativity, and service. She’s quick to listen and incorporate feedback, yet always ready with new ideas and options to get to the best end goal. I am always impressed by her turnaround time and precision. It’s not everyday that you find a person with amazing talent, great project management, and a service personality, but Jill is just that!” – Sarah Bey, Operations Manager, University of Northern Iowa Center for Business Growth and Innovation
3. You’ve got some content written for your marketing piece, but it doesn’t feel right. Something is just not working.
Sometimes when we write we become so familiar with our own content that we use lingo or speak that only makes sense to us. Let a designer with a background in marketing take a look at it and offer a perspective from outside of your organization – they may be able to offer some alternatives for you that may connect better with your audience. Or they may be able to help the flow of your content simply by the use of clever design.
“Jill is an instinctive designer who works what you think you want into what you know you need. Her consistency and uncomplicated joyous nature make Jill one of my favorite people to work with. She gets it right every time.” – Sarah Till, Business Operations, M&M Sales Inc.
Hope this helps you! Best of luck with your marketing and promotional efforts. Of course feel free to contact me anytime with questions of how we may be able to work together.
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