One of the most common questions I’m asked whilst working the room at a networking event is: ‘What do you do?’
To which I reply: ‘I am the Creative Director of a Graphic Design Studio’.
This is almost always followed with: ‘Oh cool. So, what kind of design to you do? Do you work with computer graphics? Do you do Marketing…?’
To which I reply: ‘No, we are not a marketing consultancy. We are a Graphic Design Studio. We are Visual Communicators. We help businesses connect with their customers in a visual way. We give businesses an identity. We help businesses make an impact. We make sure businesses get noticed by their customers.’
This is almost always followed with: ‘Oh, my niece / uncle / neighbour / brothers’ ex-wife is a Graphic Designer’.
(Oh boy…)
Welcome to the world of a Graphic Designer.
It’s an endless struggle explaining to a self-proclaimed ‘non-creative’ what we actually do. As a business owner, this is particularly challenging when drumming up new business. Many professionals fail to understand the effectiveness of a design centric approach to problem solving. The importance of having a consistent, and memorable brand identity isn’t often at the top of their list of priorities. Shifting the perception of ‘Value’ of a creative professionals expertise, is something I’m continuously focused on improving.
Let me start by saying that trust is fundamental. Without trust, you’ll be Art Directed by a client until the cows come home. If I had dollar for every time a client asked: ‘Can you make the logo bigger?’ Or, ‘It’s perfect, but we need to change everything!’ I’d have purchased that red MG years ago…
It got me thinking… Why do people love to question the work of a Graphic Designer..?
If I’m paying an Accountant to help me with my finances, or a Lawyer to draw up an employee contract, I certainly don’t question their abilities. After all, they are professionals, and that’s what I’m paying them for. Why aren’t creative professionals regarded as experts in their field too? Are you not paying them to solve a problem for you?
Yes, I have a University Degree in Design. Yes, I have over 15 years of industry experience, working on hundreds of brands, including some of the biggest brands on the planet (Coke, Microsoft, Unilever, etc.) And yet, there’s rarely an occasion when a client doesn’t put on their ‘Designer’ hat to have their ‘creative say’.
Want to be a dream client? Invest in the right designer, value their work, and trust them to deliver the best visual solution for your business. It all starts with the right brief, a clear conversation about your objectives, and ongoing communication.
Why should you trust us? Because we live and breathe design. Because we are ideas people. Because we will keep pushing until we deliver the best creative solution for your business. And because we are creative professionals.
Trust me.
Published on December 4, 2018
by Kelly O'Rourke - Creative Director & Founder at KO Studio
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