Pursuing professional design for your small business can seem like a big undertaking. Maybe you’ve never worked with a professional designer, and you aren’t quite sure what to expect. Maybe you don’t have a specific vision in mind, and you’re feeling unsure you’re ready to pursue professional design. Today, I want to share 3 misconceptions about professional design — or working with a professional designer. Whether working with a professional designer is a plan you have for the year ahead, or maybe a far-away goal, I hope today’s episode encourages and equips you to decide confidently.

3 Misconceptions About Professional Design

As a small business owner, you have a great deal of expertise surrounding the field you’re in. For example, if you’re a photographer, you know the ins and outs of equipment, lighting, posing, shooting, editing and so, so much more. As you’ve run your business, it’s likely clients have had questions about how you work, what your client experience is like, or what they can expect. Further, maybe your clients have even made assumptions about your business or services — maybe they’ve assumed something in particular about your pricing or packages, maybe they’ve guessed about what your client experience is like, or maybe they’ve even assumed your services aren’t right for them, even when your professional opinion says otherwise.

I believe these questions and assumptions are just a natural part of being a small business owner — especially as I think about the times With Grace and Gold has hired fellow small businesses for help. When we hired a videographer to create a promotional video for our business, the entire process was completely new for us. When we hired a marketing agency to create social media ads for our business, we had a great deal of questions as we journeyed through a process entirely new to us. 

So, whether working with a brand and web design business is totally unique or new to you — or you’d simply like to learn more about what we recommend and believe, today’s episode is for you! Here are 3 misconceptions about professional design or working with a professional designer: 

1. Misconception #1: Before working with a professional designer, you need to have a clear vision for the colors, patterns, or font styles you’d like used within your brand. The truth is, you need to have a vision for your business — who you are, what you do, who you serve, and what your goals are for your business — but you do not need to know which colors, patterns, or font styles you’d like to use. These design decisions are made by your professional designer who will use their expertise to make design decisions on behalf of your business — ensuring each detail has been carefully designed or curated to help you succeed.
2. Misconception #2: Your business needs to be a certain age before working with a professional designer. The truth is, a business of any age can work with a professional designer. Our professional recommendation is to work with a designer as soon as possible, so you can begin your small business journey with a strong, purposeful, connection-driven foundation and begin connecting with and booking your Ideal Client. We wholeheartedly believe your brand and web design are the visual foundation from which your small business can grow — so working with a professional designer should only help your business to flourish and grow.
3. Misconception #3: Sharing brands or websites you love will help your designer. There is some wiggle room here — because a designer may request to see a brand or website you love to ensure your definitions are aligned. (For example, each creative’s definition of ‘fine art’ can vary.) At With Grace and Gold, though, we love designing from a completely blank slate — so we can ensure every detail of your brand and web design is purpose-driven and rooted in the goals you have shared with us. We often let our clients know: By designing from a blank slate and keeping your unique business in mind, we can create a brand and web design even more meaningful and purpose-driven than envisioned. 

So, to recap:

1. Before working with a designer, you need to know who you are, what you do, who you serve, and what your business goals are — but you do not need to know which colors, patterns, or font styles you’d like to use.
2. Before working with a designer, your business does not need to be a certain age. Instead, work with a designer when you are ready to have an online presence working on behalf of your small business.
3. Before working with a designer, you do not need to curate brands and web designs you’ve seen and loved. Instead, you can share your goals with your designer and rest assured their experience and expertise will allow a purpose-driven design to unfold.

Since 2014, With Grace and Gold has provided brand and web design for creative small business owners. Hire With Grace and Gold or shop With Grace and Gold’s pre-made designs and Showit website templates – and come away with an elevated brand and web design for your small business!

About Brand It, Build It Podcast, Hosted by Kelly Zugay

Hosted by Kelly Zugay, co-founder of With Grace and Gold, The Brand It, Build It Podcast is a leading small business marketing podcast for small business owners, creatives, founders and entrepreneurs. Enjoy weekly, actionable episodes to build a successful, sustainable small business from the inside out.