Designer Rants & Raves

If you’ve been handing out homemade perforated business cards, cards you made on VistaPrint, business cards or God forbid a logo you made using clipart from Microsoft Word or do-it-yourself web site tonight template, then this article is for you.

People often say “I’ll hire a professional, really go for it and focus on marketing after I make the big sale, so for now I’ll just do it myself.”

How do you expect to make the big sale with a poor business image?

This type of thinking is so backwards. You can’t afford to put yourself out there with a bad business image? Do you know how much money you’re losing because people aren’t taking you seriously? Notice the example above. Would you have purchased fine jewelry from this company if handed the first business card? Would you have taken them seriously? Can you see the product? Is the product represented well in the “before” business card?

Most won’t admit it, but just as someone may look you up and down and size you up, people do the same with your business card and marketing materials. There is a lawyer we know that gives business cards what he calls the “thumb check”, meaning that he swipes his thumb across your card to feel for its texture, paper weight, embossing, etc and that determines the level of credibility or ranking of your business in his mind.

We have personally seen companies being passed up on major deals, even though the owner was well-liked, because they didn’t take the company itself seriously and here’s why.

Homemade or Poorly Made Business Cards, Printed Materials and Websites Visually Communicate:

Why should people open their wallet for you and you haven’t open your wallet to invest in yourself? One of our clients reported receiving 600 new clients from her new business cards. She now has absolutely no problem paying for professional designs, not just because she’s making money, but because she recognizes the value of it. In fact, its absolutely inexpensive to her now compared to the return she has received on her minimal investment in her business.

For your free business card evaluation and to get started with your new business image:
Call Seda Custom Design at 626.799.9293 | Visit us online at www.sedacustomdesign.com | creative@sedacustomdesign.com

I actually had a prospective client say,

“I wrote all the copy, am providing the photos and I’m going to tell you how to lay it out, I don’t understand why I have to pay that much….I’m looking for someone to work with me….. If I don’t call you, you’ll know why”.

If this client does call and we refuse service, this is why. We want clients that aren’t afraid to invest in themselves and that simply aren’t seeking a bargain basement deal.

What did they hope to accomplish by essentially saying, “I don’t think you’re worth it”. Did they think we would say, “You’re right, we aren’t worth it, and I really believe in your product and want to do an excellent job for you…after all….you truly believe in our abilities.” This client’s product most likely retails for over a thousand dollars each but had issue with spending a third of one sale on a brochure! They wouldn’t walk into a doctor’s, lawyer’s office or even a grocery store and say….I’m looking for someone to work with me. No, the price is the price and people don’t question something they understand the value of.

I once learned from a millionaire that if you’re always trying to haggle on pricing or ask someone to work for less than they’re worth, you’re ultimately going to loose. They will either cut corners on the job, do sub-standard work, or resent you during the life of the relationship.

We want clients that believe in the power and value of what we provide. If clients don’t think from the start that there is a great benefit of professional design, then they’re never going to be satisfied with the work no matter how great it is. This type of mentality makes for a poor working relationship. We believe in what our clients have to offer and our clients believe that we deliver priceless elevated branding that creates a future of profitability.

..I DON’T BUY THAT ARGUMENT AND HERE’S WHY: People have no problem paying over $100 a month for DVR and every TV channel known to man, but bawk at paying the same amount for business card design. That kills me. HBO is not making you any money. Unless you’re an entertainment reporter, script writer, industry person, HBO is not making you a dime. Mercedes Benz is not making you a dime, in fact its worth less and less every day, whereas great design and the word-of-mouth buzz about the wow factor of your piece is worth more and more everyday.

Its not that people don’t have the money, its that they don’t perceive it to be a priority, so as a result, they devalue the prosperity that intelligent design can bring. As a result, they allocate a miniscule budget for it. They bargain shop design as if they can get the same thing from a different store, but at a cheaper price like its some household item. They should be choosing a designer like they carefully choose a school for their children to attend. Just as a young parent would ask, businesses should question, “who is going to be best to shape the future of my newborn…(business)? Who is qualified and can inspire it to go beyond the standard and exceed expectations. Who can mold and shape the image [insert branding] made in my likeness to be a leader, a force in the world to make an impact and have influence on their environment and ultimately prosper?”