Why your business needs a designer (and no, your niece with Canva doesn’t count)
Picture this - you’ve finally launched that dream business, your life’s passion, your golden goose. Maybe it’s a bakery specialising in artisanal sourdough, a tech startup promising to disrupt the industry with an app that reminds you where you left your keys, or a nonprofit tackling homelessness in your city. Either way, you’ve poured in blood, sweat, and a sizable chunk of investment. Now comes the fun part - branding.
Except, instead of hiring a professional designer, you hand the job to your niece because she’s “really good at Canva” and once made a flyer for a high school fair. Six months later, you wonder why no one takes your business seriously.
The truth is, design is not just about making things look pretty. It’s about credibility, recognition, and, let’s be honest, making sure your brand doesn’t look like it was slapped together with Microsoft WordArt. Hiring a professional freelance graphic designer who understands branding is the difference between your organisation exuding sophistication and looking like an intern accidentally set the font size to 72pt and called it a day.
First impressions are everything
People are visual creatures. Studies show that it takes just 50 milliseconds - that’s faster than your morning espresso shot - to form an impression of a brand. If your logo looks like a clipart nightmare or your website layout resembles a poorly constructed IKEA shelf, potential customers will bolt before they even learn about your world-changing product or mission.
For charities and ethical businesses, this is especially important. A well-designed brand can make the difference between donors trusting your cause and scrolling past it. A designer for charities understands how to create compelling visuals that inspire action, whether it’s a website that makes donating seamless or campaign materials that communicate urgency and authenticity.
DIY design is a trap
Yes, tools like Canva, Wix, and “Logo Maker Pro 3000” have made design more accessible. But just because you can technically design something yourself doesn’t mean you should.
It’s like cutting your own hair. In theory, it seems simple - just a few snips here and there. In reality, you’ll likely end up with a lopsided disaster and an urgent appointment with a professional to fix the damage. The same goes for DIY branding. You might think your homemade logo ‘does the job,’ but customers can spot an amateur effort faster than you can say “free stock images.”
Designers are your secret weapon
A good freelance designer doesn’t just make things look nice - they think strategically. They know what colours evoke trust (blue), what fonts scream sophistication (serif), and why your competitor’s branding is eating yours for breakfast. They craft visual identities that tell stories, create emotions, and most importantly, make your business or nonprofit look like it actually knows what it’s doing.
And let’s not forget consistency. Ever notice how Apple’s branding is always sleek, Nike’s always powerful, and charities like World Vision or Oxfam always maintain a distinct, recognisable look? That’s not by accident - it’s good design at work. A designer ensures that your brand isn’t a chaotic mishmash of styles that makes customers wonder if you suffer from multiple aesthetic personalities.
Investing in design = investing in success
Hiring a designer is not an expense - it’s an investment. Good design pays for itself by attracting customers, building trust, and ultimately driving revenue (or, for charities, increasing donations and awareness). And isn’t that what you wanted when you started this whole business thing in the first place?
So, before you settle for that DIY logo, do yourself a favour: hire a designer. Your business, your donors, and yes, even your niece - who really didn’t want this responsibility - will thank you.
Thanks for reading! My name is Riley, I’m a freelance graphic designer based in Sydney Australia who specialises in design for charities, not-for-profits and ethical businesses.
Get in touch if you’d like to chat about a project you have in the works.