Running your own business usually means that you are chief cook and bottle washer–you wear all the hats and perform all the tasks and duties necessary to make your business successful. When it comes to advertising, however, the question might be not whether or not you CAN design your own ads, but whether or not you SHOULD…
It is incredibly tempting with the available desktop publishing software and even the capabilities of a common program like Microsoft Word, to feel comfortable and confident enough to try to design simple advertisements for yourself. If you are using these in your own brochures, flyers and the promotional materials you print and use from your own home office, this might not be a problem at all. However, if you are trying to purchase and place advertising in more sophisticated publications–newspapers, magazines, web advertising, etc.–your simple, homemade ad might not be something the advertiser can work with, and it certainly might not be on the same creative level as some of the other advertisements.
The fact is, most publications will have specifications for your ad in terms of what sort of program or format it needs to be in, the resolution, the exact size, how it is received, etc. This ad specifications are becoming increasingly complicated and unless you are keeping up on graphic design, you might not be able to figure out what they want. This can cost you in terms of time and money.
Does this mean that you have to hire an expensive ad firm to design a simple box print ad for your little home business? Not necessarily. There are other ways you can access professional design work. Some publications will offer help designing your ad for an hourly rate–you can send over what you want in a simple format and they will put it into the format they want and charge you a design fee. If you are doing a small amount of advertising, or working with only one publication or ad site, this might be quite cost effective for you and they will have the expertise to put the ad into something workable quickly.
You might also be able to find an intern or student who would help you design your advertising at a reduced rate. Students can be much cheaper than an established designer or firm and just as creative. Again, if your needs are simple, this might be a fine choice for designing some advertisements.
Keep in mind that your advertising is supposed to enhance and grow your business. You are competing with other businesses and in a marketplace that is increasingly sophisticated–homemade ads might not do the trick and it’s time to make sure you’ve got something snazzy and professional to represent your business.