Sometimes I’ll hear a business owner complain that hiring a web and graphic designer is expensive. And who can blame them when there are commercials for free do-it-yourself website and business card-building tools that sound so easy? Those DIY sites can save you money in the moment, but do they cost you in the long run?

It’s true that graphic design can be a high-ticket item. There are marketing firms that are paid thousands to design a company logo. But it’s usually large multinational companies that are paying those fees, and their money is also buying market research and a team of designers.

“Bad design costs. Good design adds value.”

What about web and graphic design for the rest of us? I had a client who built his own site using the tools offered by a popular web host. It seemed to meet his needs and he didn’t get any complaints. But he was trying to move to a new level in his business and he asked a consultant in his industry for her opinion. She told him that agencies interested in hiring him might not take him seriously because they could tell he built his own site.

He asked my opinion. I told him if professionals in his business were telling him his site might not be taken seriously, he should consider their advice. So we worked together to develop a site that had the polish expected of a high-paid professional in his industry. Since then, I’ve heard many compliments for how great his site is.

He built his old site for free. But was it actually costing him money? Probably. Did the new website push him to a new level? Not by itself – but it was one of the important tools that helped him achieve new success in his career.

If your business is stuck in neutral, consider your website for a moment. When was it built? When was it last updated? What do professionals in your business say about your website? If it’s a few years old and not getting positive feedback, it’s probably costing you money.

Creating a better website often pays for itself in a short period of time with better search engine results and increased revenues. How often can you purchase something that can pay for itself?

Like the UK’s Cabe Design Review says, “Bad design costs. Good design adds value.”

Ready to add value to your website? Send me a message.