#prowork
I’ll be the first to admit that I have a hyper-critical spirit when it comes to aesthetics. That’s a good thing, riiiight? I mean, my role as a graphic designer is to make things/ideas look good and function well. (I can probably work on my spiritedness… you’re right.)🤓 As I’ve talked with and worked with a wide variety of clients over the years, I’ve learned that good aesthetics might not be a priority for folks for a variety of reasons, and it might not be as simple as “they just have bad taste”.
It might be some or all of the following…
- They don’t have the budget to hire a graphic designer
- They don’t realize the impact that professional design can have on their audience
- They haven’t set aside the time to hire a designer because they are bombarded with other responsibilities
- They rely on templates and mass-produced designs because they’re “good enough” for what they need
- They were duped by a person on Fiverr claiming to be a graphic designer because they own a Mac and a Creative Cloud subscription
Once in an interview, I was handed an annual report that I had done a few years prior for another organization. “This is the level of design that I want for our stuff. This is what I want.”, he said.
Surprised, I laughed and said, “Well, then, we’re on the same page… because I did that piece.”
He also showed me the pieces they had paid someone on Fiverr to do and vowed they were ready to move forward and never look back. The work was overcharged, the turn-around time was quadruple what it should have been, and the quality was maybe a D+ (if graded on a curve). It saddened me (for both parties involved) that this Fiverr person would promote themselves as a “graphic designer”, take payment, and deliver the level of work I was holding in my hands.
Sometimes, all you might need is D+ level work. But, you’re a professional. Your organization is professional. Your business is professional. So shouldn’t your mission and branding reflect who you are? I vote a spirited “yes”. 🙋🏻♀️⚡️
