If you are a business owner that is DIY-ing their marketing strategy, these tips can help you take your graphic design skills to the next level. There are ways to navigate creating your own graphics and design elements using easy-to-use software like Canva. If you aren’t familiar, Canva is a design software that allows you to create any possible print material and video. There are certainly other design platforms’ however, for beginners, we recommend an easy-to-learn platform like Canva.
You will want to have a general idea of graphic design if you are planning to create all of your own logos, design elements, print materials, etc. For business owners who are just starting out it is common to create your own design elements, especially if you are creative in nature. If you can’t afford to outsource your logo just yet, start by doing it yourself with resources you can acquire at home. Follow these 9 simple steps before starting on your own designs:
- Don’t Overdo It
Oftentimes, simplicity makes for the most memorable and appealing designs. Complex designs and layouts take longer for your audience to process which can make them difficult to remember. Certain design elements such as your logo should use only a few colors so that your work is recognizable and impactful. Your goal is to communicate your content’s message as directly and succinctly as possible.
Some examples of companies that use a simple logo are Nike, Apple, Airbnb, Mcdonalds, Pepsi, Visa, and there are countless others. - Make A Plan
You will want to have a general direction that you want to go with. Start by making a list of the kinds of things that you want to incorporate in your design elements, along with colors that you feel represent your brand. Your style, colors, and fonts should reflect the values and meaning behind your brand. - Find Inspiration
The best way to find inspiration for your own branding, visual elements, or content is to do some research. One of the best platforms for design inspiration is Pinterest. It is possible to find any style of vibe that you are looking for, made into a visual image. For every design project that you are working on, create a Pinterest board to gather visual inspiration.
- Pay Attention To Your Colors & Fonts
As soon as you’ve gathered some inspiration and direction for your design elements, you’ll want to establish some colors and fonts you plan on using to provide consistency throughout. Consistency is especially important when you are presenting your business.
- Keep Your Images Relevant
Choose images that are relevant to the content that you are making and when presenting your business. You can find stock images on platforms such as Envato, or the preferred method would be to use your own high-quality images to ensure originality. - Ensure Consistency Across Content
A good way to ensure consistency within your content is the batch-create content while using the same colors, fonts, image editing, etc. Batch-creating means creating multiple pieces of content in one sitting. - Quality Over Quantity
One thing to note is that you should always favor quality over quantity when it comes to content. If you do not feel confident about one of your designs, it’s okay to scrap it and start fresh. Don’t feel as though you have to make something work. Your consumers will feel drawn to less, higher-quality content rather than frequent, subpar content. - Get Feedback
It’s always beneficial to show your work to someone other than yourself for feedback. Take their notes into consideration! They may notice typos or other simple mistakes that your eyes have glanced over. - Use Content Hierarchy
In marketing content, content hierarchy refers to the relative importance of various elements. You can tell your audience what to look at first by the color, scale, and placement of the objects in your design.
In need of assistance with your graphic design and visual elements? We can help!
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