If you have Adobe InDesign or QuarkXPress and, perhaps, Photoshop, it’s tempting to think that all your marketing material, posters, images and other graphic design needs can be managed in-house. But can you be sure that your people can deliver the right level of professional image?
Graphic designers have usually had considerable training, not only in the aesthetics of design, but also in the software programs in which they create the images. A keen marketing support person may be able to push images around a bit, but, without the graphic skills and a real understanding of how to get the best out of desk top publishing programs the outcomes can result in something that falls short of looking really professional.
Developing competency in a desk-top publishing program will cut down time struggling to make things look right. It will provide much greater flexibility in manipulating images and arranging content, managing text flow and positioning material. This will save you money and time for:
- Internal materials
- Tidying up photographs
- Creating templates for company documents
- Experimenting with layouts for external documents
However, when you are developing marketing material for external distribution you really need the finishing touches a good graphic designer can add. If you do a huge amount of material it may be worth employing someone with graphic design skills. In the meantime, if you have one or two people who are trained in the desktop publishing applications, you’ll be able to deliver documents that just need finishing by the design expert to give them that professional appearance.
