Graphic Design and Web Design: Business Not Art

Graphic design companies and web design companies are in the business of selling design, their art, and their creativity. Well, see, they are selling art, you say to yourself. Depending how you look at it, you are correct. Consider this, art is created because an artist needed to create it. An artist has an emotional connection with the work created, and the creativity of the art illustrates this connection. Most artists create art for art’s sake, if someone buys that’s a plus, but it is not the driving force behind the art. Most people that buy this work have their own connection to the piece of art, whether it is emotional or aesthetic. Unless you’re running a museum, picture frame shop, or art gallery, I doubt Picasso or Monet will help your sales.

Just like any other business, graphic design companies and web design companies are driven to make money. Their creativity is an art used to sell products and services. Without design, everyone’s commercials, advertisements, brochures, websites, etc., would all look like standard letters. Graphic designers and web designers are in business because you need to sell your products and services. The job of any design company is to help you better communicate your message, your company, your products, your services. A good designer makes money because in the end you, the client, make money.

So what’s the point? I’m glad you asked. The point is that designers should be listening to your problems, understanding your business, and coming up with a graphic design or web design solution. They should be helping you to increase market share, increase visibility, increase your customer base, in short, design something that makes you a profit. If the graphic design or web design isn’t working for your company and making you money, well… the alternative, I can give you a bank account number and just place the money in there where I can ensure it will go for a good cause.

It is true that there are many graphic designers and web designers out there, many of them see themselves as true artists. Remember starving artist syndrome. Many designers complain that their clients keep messing up their work, ruining the perfect layout, inundating the simplistic design with too much text. Designers would rather see their art untainted, however, most of them also don’t know who your customers are, much less what will get them to buy your products or services.

Now that we know what a designer isn’t, here’s what you should expect from your designer. First, you have to trust them, part of that responsibility lies with the designer because they need to be professional, courteous, knowledgeable, and they must answer their phone and email.

Your designer needs to communicate with you, let you know their progress, any tips, advice on what designs work with consumers and what doesn’t. It’s the designer’s job to let you know what is impractical and what is doable or not. While communicating, your designer shouldn’t confuse you with technical jargon; all it does is belittle your knowledge and make them feel better. In the end, you have to be happy with the designer’s performance and their work, and what they create for you needs to work for you. I can’t stress this enough, if it doesn’t make you more money in some way, you must reevaluate your marketing plan or your designer.

The job of graphic design and web design is to give your products, services, or company exposure. It should speak to your customers, inspire them to act, inspire them to buy. Anyone can put some colors on a piece of paper and think it will be better than paying a professional. In some cases this may be true. However, your designer should know which colors to use, in what combination, what layout it will be best received, and ways to highlight certain important pieces of information. With the barrage of competition, as consumers we are in overload, and the designer needs to stay up to date and find ways to increase your visibility, increase your competitiveness, and increase your profits.