Graphic Design? Or commercial Art? Keeping Your Job In Perspective

By Jerry Crockford

Presenting information in the brochures you design, so it is interesting and attractive – while being consistent with your client’s visual identity and logo isn’t an easy path. It certainly keeps your work challenging, and as a graphic designer who wants to build a loyal client base, it is something you must achieve with each and every brochure design you create.

Getting this right means you must put on your ‘marketing and sales’ hat when working on your design, to make sure you keep the big picture in mind. And of course, the big picture from your client’s viewpoint is that they want a brochure that will help them to sell their products and services. Otherwise, they are spending good money on you for no reason.

Having worked for many years with both copywriters and graphic designers, one of the common complaints I heard from writers is that inexperienced designers often don’t actually read the raw copy when they get started on a brochure. They just get started on the layout, without really knowing anything about the product they are supposed to be selling.

It is an easy and understandable mistake to make. As a graphic designer, your great strength is to see things and to communicate visually. It is the way you are wired. So, it is natural that you would get the basics about the product or service, and immediately swing into designer mode and start sketching ideas and concepts to get the message across.

At this point however, you must stop. Take a deep breath. Grab a cup of coffee. And sit and READ the copywriter’s content to make sure you understand ALL about the product or service. Better still, talk to the copywriter about it, so that you can get a deep understanding of the key benefits on offer, the target audience, how this product is better than competitors and other important points.

This research time is essential, and it is one of the things that sets a star performer apart. It will mean you are valued by your client, because you will be able to create a brochure that will capture the attention of the target market, and motivate them to take action. Doing this will help your client to get a better return on their investment in you, which is a win win all round.

By taking this approach to your work, you’ll become the designer of choice for your agency or client. I have seen this happen many times, where an agency has two or three freelance designers on their books, and over time, more and more work goes to the one who thinks commercially. Often, if the copywriter is the one who has taken the brief from the client, they tend to guide the project, and so the fact that you are serious about making their copy work really well is another reason for them to suggest that you handle the design work for more projects.

In a way, the key is to approach your role as a designer as they used to many years ago, when a graphic designer was a commercial artist. It is about thinking commercially, and making sure your role in the marketing process isn’t just about creating artwork. If you use your graphic design skills to showcase the product or service so that it is appealing and desirable, you will in turn increase the demand for your own services.

Need graphic design ideas? Go toBrisbane graqphic design and copywriting And this blog has terrific marketing and SEO ideas: marketing and SEO insights Brisbane. Also published at Graphic Design? Or commercial Art? Keeping Your Job In Perspective.

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Topics: Marketing | Comments Off

Tags: brochures, Business, Commercial Art, graphic design, Graphic Design Ideas, Marketing, print design, Web Design

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