28th of August, 2019
Let’s face it, business costs can be high. As an entrepreneur I know this can be extremely overwhelming. Many people make decisions in business that will take them less time and cost the least. But, there are a load of cons to working from that mindset as a business owner. It doesn’t matter what size your business is.
I have had a list of clients come to me with awful Canva designs they attempted to make and poorly executed logo’s they paid for on Fiverr all while trying to save a buck. There are numerous sites that function such as these two mentioned but these are the most I hear about and know about.
Why are these sites harmful?
Did you go to design school? Do you understand design principles? Are you creating a layout that is yours and yours only? If the answer is NO than you are not setting yourself apart and solving the problem through branded visual communication. The design may look good to you but is it in line with your brand and businesses personality? I also find that Canva (specifically) has tricky Copywrite law. In Design school we learned about Copywrite and as a Designer it’s crucial to stay on top of it. That being said, I don’t quite trust using the pre-designed layouts/templates through Canva.
You could end up working with someone with a language barrier when hiring designers at a very low cost. Design is visual communication and if you can’t effectively communicate with your designer, your design will not be what you want / need it to be. This can also lead to an extensive amount of back and forth communication, confusion and ultimately not getting what you want.
You don’t actually save money in the long run. Why? Because very few people come out the other end with a logo or design that is unique to them and their business. I have seen so many designs come out of these sites that are completely out of integrity and so basic there is not a single line that connects the design to the energy of the business. I’ve seen logos that are almost identical to larger companies’ logo. I’ve even seen the same logo that is already owned by someone else. My guess is that your integrity is higher than that and that you want your designs to portray YOU. When these issues happen the buyer ends up contacting a graphic designer outside of these sites and paying their boutique price. Which by the way, is boutique for a reason. Then they have found themselves paying double and unhappy with their initial experience which can lead someone to inactivity and backtracking in their business.
Outsourcing. I am 100% in support of using people in your community / region if possible. I personally like to keep all of my work within the US and who I hire or buy goods from. Obviously this does not always happen but I find it ideal. There are so many benefits to this like being able to meet face to face, supporting your community, supporting smaller businesses and more. You also now have someone to refer to your friends, a new support system sitting at your table and most likely your designer will refer everyone they know about your business plus it will be in their portfolio. Trust me on this, designers generally understand the importance of SEO so their portfolio gets seen. These other outsourcing website companies will not do any of that for you. Your money is your vote consistently and in every way. Think about it.
Now, I don’t fully boo Canva specifically. Canva can be a great tool to use for your designer to set up a series of templates for you to use. This is where I think Canva can be used a strong tool. Another great tool for templates is Adobe Spark. I know Canva has free options but with Adobe Spark you really get what you pay for. These templates are great for Pinterest, Social Media, Flyers, Cards and more.
As you can see I am extremely passionate about avoiding these sites. Their marketing is strong but I promise you, the cons are very real and worth thinking about. Do yourself a favor and your fellow specialized designers a favor, and hire a graphic designer outside of these sites. The experience and result is worth more than the amount you will spend.
