Having a graphics professional create your branding graphics are an important part of your business. With the right branding, you communicate what your business is about and who you’re eager to serve. Your branding reassures customers you’re the best person to provide them with the solutions they need.

But if your graphics aren’t right for your business, then your branding can fall flat. Bad branding will drive away potential customers. They won’t sign up for your mailing list or buy your products. Instead, they’ll give their time and attention to your competitor.

So, how do you know if you need to hire a graphics professional? Consider some of these signs…

Sign #1: You don’t know what your ‘brand’ is.

Maybe you’re just starting your business or maybe you’ve been doing business for years but you’ve never given much thought to your brand. Whatever your reason, now’s the time to start focusing on the message you want to share through your business.

A graphics professional’s job is to communicate your brand through visual storytelling. This means your graphic designer is going to ask plenty of questions about your brand and how you want potential customers to view it.

Don’t immediately rush to answer questions about your brand. Think about the questions you’re being asked carefully. The branding work you and your graphics professional do will shape the future of your business.

Sign #2: Your brand is going through a growth spurt.

Every business goes through periods of growth. It might be that you finally have clarity on which services to offer or you may have decided to niche down and serve only customers that match your criteria.

As your brand grows, it makes sense to hire a graphics professional. Your graphics specialist can help you maintain the elements of your brand that you’re known for while blending in your new direction.

Sign #3: You don’t know how to use graphic software.

Photo editing sites like Picmonkey or Canva are great for simple blog post images or social media pictures. But they’re not good for more intensive design projects like creating your logo or making an e-book cover.

A graphics professional doesn’t have to face a steep learning curve. They already know how to use their software and create graphics that are attention-grabbing. You get the benefit of your specialist’s expertise without having to spend several frustrating hours learning how to use clunky software.

Sign #4: You don’t have time to create your graphics.

Maybe you’ve always had an artistic ability or maybe you took special classes so you would know how to make your own graphics.  When you have the graphic skills but lack the time, you need to consider outsourcing.

You don’t have to outsource all of your graphics right away. You can start by outsourcing a few blog post images or social media photos. As you get more comfortable with your graphics professional, you can begin outsourcing bigger tasks like creating e-book covers or tweaking your logo.

A talented graphic designer can help you clarify and communicate your brand. Choose one that has a style you already love and who you look forward to working with.