You may be a marketing whiz, knowing a hundred pointers or more about marketing approaches and strategies — what clicks and what does not, how to reach your target demographic and other concerns. But you’ve got to admit, when it comes to the design and layout, you need the help of another professional, someone who could translate your design ideas into a tangible visual output that matches your brand’s identity.

In the field of graphic design, there are a number of experts who specialize in specific areas of concept building and design creation. For start ups and small- to medium scale businesses, one to three may be more than enough, depending on what you already have at hand, such as logo and brand image.

The Pros

Frequently sought practitioners in this field are graphic designers. They are the ones responsible for the images and graphics that help set and complement the message and image of your brand. Some of them concentrate on web design and publishing, while others focus on advertising materials such as posters and brochures.

For the latter, they are mainly responsible for building the elements that would go into the artwork. They are usually adept with the latest image- and graphics-editing programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

The right logo to represent your company and to go with the overall design is necessary. For this, you may choose to seek the services of a logo designer. This artist is well-aware of the guidelines that go into the development of a logo, including design and typeface.

A layout artist, on the other hand, is in-charge of combining all these elements, logo and graphics into one cohesive design that properly conveys or complements your brand. Also added into the layout is the copy and other texts. This type of artist has an eye for merging designs and at the same time, gauging if the directionality, typeface and images are good.

There are individuals who can do two or all of these. Hiring one for your project would save you time and money.

If you think your company is ready for real branding, you may go directly to a design agency or get a freelancer. Be sure to check their portfolios and ask for their preliminary ideas on your design.