Should product marketers have graphic design skills? That’s what I asked myself when I started consulting. For me, the answer was yes.
Why did I want to learn graphic design? Because product marketers need to communicate complex ideas simply. Words on a blank page are fine, but I knew I could do better.
So, I took a year-long design certificate class. I loved it but it was CHALLENGING. Everyone in the class was a creative genius who already knew how to use Adobe Creative Suite. At least that’s how it felt to me.
But I was determined. I knew that learning design would help me sell my messaging ideas AND give me a competitive advantage when it came time to revamp client sales materials.
I clung to a growth mindset and I’m so glad I did. Learning about design changed how I see the world. It’s like flipping a switch in your brain that allows you to see visual patterns.
Plus, it made me a better storyteller. When you learn visual communication, it forces you to:
💎 Be Crystal Clear.
Whether you’re making a flyer, an ad, or a powerpoint slide, you must ask yourself: Does the reader know precisely what I want them to know when they look at this?
🎯 Be Relentlessly Concise.
People consume visual information in seconds.This means you have a very short window to grab their attention. Use it wisely.
🧩 Be a Creative Problem Solver.
Design is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle using all the pieces in the box… plus a few others from a different box! You have to figure out how to make it work.
🤪 Be Experimental.
Try things that are not “supposed” to work. They may just work. Or not. But they will get you closer to your goal than doing it the same way over and over again.
✅ Be More Organized.
There are a lot of ideas flying around in the creative process. Good design is knowing how to focus your ideas.
You probably noticed that all of these can be applied to the writing process. When you flex one creative muscle, the others get activated too. I think that’s the coolest.
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