Did you know? On average, each company competes against around 25 other businesses. This kind of competition demands that companies present a unique, irresistible offer on the table. That is, you need to show something that captures people’s attention strongly enough that they choose you among a throng of similar brands. Often, this something comes in the form of graphic design.
Are you Investing in Graphic Design as Much as You Should?
Pricing, product features, customer perks – these are the determining factors that can prompt a buyer to choose you over similar companies. However, before a buyer can get to know – or even decide to know – more about these factors, you need good graphic design to catch their attention first.
Design goes beyond impressive product protection or presentation. The following facts and figures illustrate just how deep the influence of this business facet goes:
- 94% of internet users leave a website with poor graphic design (Red Website Design)
- 72% of consumers claim that package design influences their buying decision (Paper and Packaging Board)
- 65% of information is retained when a content includes a graphic design, whereas only 10% of information is recalled without it (Brain Rules)
- 46% of website visitors assess a brand’s credibility through their web design (Apium Tech)
- 8 seconds is the average attention span for web users; this is boosted by roughly 50 milliseconds with the use of graphic design (Finances Online)
Why Work with a Graphic Designer Virtual Assistant
Now that the influence of graphic design on businesses has been established, it’s time to tackle the next question: Why should you choose to work with a graphic designer virtual assistant (VA)?
Below are 8 reasons why you should outsource your graphic design to a virtual assistant:
1. Easier hiring and recruitment process.
Compared to direct hire VAs or in-house employees, hiring virtual assistants from a staffing agency is easier. You won’t need to scour through job boards and filter all the possible applicants yourself. When you reach out to a staffing company, you can just tell them the skills, experience, or competencies you require from a VA and they will handle it.
When a staffing company does the groundwork for you, the hiring and recruitment process becomes less of a chore and more of a great opportunity to find the best person to join your team. 20four7VA can help you find the best virtual assistant graphic design services.
2. VAs have the best tools for the job.
When you choose to outsource graphic design work, you choose to work with a professional who takes the job seriously. Virtual assistants are business owners themselves. Because of this, they only use the best tools and go through relevant training to enhance their craft.
A credible virtual assistant graphic design VA will have the necessary tools for work, know the best resources for design inspiration, and have the proper training to provide quality output while adhering to your deadlines.
3. VAs can boost a potential customer’s first impression.
You only have a few seconds to capture a potential buyer’s attention, so you need a professional to bag it. A graphic design VA appreciates the urgency of first impressions and incorporates this knowledge into their work.
As VAs, experienced graphic designers are not strangers to digital marketing. As a result, they have the ability and knack for knowing which design or output works best to maximize those first few seconds of experience that a customer has with your brand.
4. You get to choose from an expansive talent pool.
Imagine finding a talented designer who seamlessly blends in with your company culture. Naturally, you would want to get them aboard your team. However, you learn that they live in a different city and would require relocation to work for you. Practicality would dictate that you hire the next best person instead.
This dilemma can be solved by virtual assistance. By having your graphic designer working remotely, you don’t have to choose from a limited pool of candidates nor do you have to settle with whomever is most available.
5. People prefer working remotely.
1 in 3 millennial Americans currently work, making the millennial generation the biggest chunk of the workforce. A Krisp News study has revealed that the millennial generation prefer remote work over the conventional 9-5 office setup.
Apart from their share in the workforce, millennials also have an intrinsic understanding of pop culture and a strong command of technology. These traits, when combined with virtual assistant graphics skills, make for knockout output.
Whether your target employees are millennials, or you want your business to be future-forward, you ought to consider working with a remote graphic designer for your company.
6. Higher productivity, better output.
As creatives, graphic designers need artistic freedom to put together their best possible work. This can sometimes be slowed down by working around a 9-5 schedule, or being restricted within the four corners of an office. For graphic designers to create their most inspired work, having flexible schedules and working locations can help by leaps and bounds.
This is why you can expect higher productivity and a more inspired output when you outsource graphic design.
7. Continuous training and employee development.
Regardless of your line of business, industry updates and technology demand that you keep up and be in the loop of things. It’s only fitting that your employees do the same. When someone persistently trains and goes out of their way to acquire industry insight, the quality of their work output increases, and it also becomes a sure way to get ahead of competitors.
This kind of initiative is what you can expect from graphic design VAs. Remember that VAs are business owners themselves. In the case of graphic designers, their craft is their product. To build their portfolio and satisfy their clients, graphic design VAs persistently hone their skills and industry knowledge. Apart from this, staffing agencies like 20four7VA provide relevant training to VAs to boost their competencies.
8. Financial and operational practicality.
Paying only for specific projects or hours an employee puts in is one of the best benefits of working with a VA. This advantage sharply contrasts that of in-house employment, wherein an employer pays wages along with other compensation regardless of the amount of work done.
Apart from financial workability, virtual assistance is also a great way to build one’s team. If your members work remotely, you can still get the job done without having to expand your workspace or pay for more supplies. This convenience is especially beneficial for small companies or seasonal businesses.
What a Graphic Design VA Can Do
Whether you’ve already found your graphic design VA or you’re still in the process of hiring one, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how they can contribute to your business.
Here are 12 things that a graphic design virtual assistant can create for you:
- As a basic branding element, logos are one of the first things that consumers will remember or associate with your brand.
- Blog or website graphics. These visual aids will help readers digest information better. More importantly, blog or web graphics help you bag the first few seconds of a website visit.
- Package design. Apart from product protection, package design has the power to present your product in a way that influences a buyer to grab and choose it over a sea of similar goods.
- Social media graphics. Stop your followers from scrolling over your posts with eye-catching graphics.
- eBook covers or graphics. Want to repurpose blog content? Looking to share your expertise or insight? Produce your own eBook and hype it up with expertly made covers and graphics.
- Looking to break down an otherwise lengthy post? Say it through an infographic. These visuals are an effective way to educate audiences without them losing attention.
- Brand characters. Bring your branding game to a whole new level by having your virtual assistant design a brand character. Having your own brand symbol will help people relate to your label more.
- Business cards. Going to a business conference? Attending an industry summit? Whether you are meeting investors, suppliers, clients, or partners, it’s best to have professionally designed business cards at hand.
- Event invites. Are you hosting a launch party? Do you want to invite people to an organized event? Send out print or electronic invitations to officially ask for people’s presence and disseminate event info at the same time.
- Need more marketing boost? Have your VA create digital or print flyers to send to current or potential customers.
- Email or newsletter graphics. Keep your subscribers and customers updated with the latest about your company through email campaigns and newsletters. Make it more interesting by incorporating pertinent graphic design.
- Motion graphic design. Another way to spice up your blog or social media content is through motion graphic design. Examples of this are animated logos, GIFs, and even social media
Capture an audience’s attention, prompt faster purchase decisions, and make your brand more familiar using design. Take branding to a whole new level!