Have you ever been in a room full of graphic designers and mentioned the word “Canva”? It’s like dropping a curse word in a church full of nuns! Some designers are convinced that Canva is the spawn of the devil that’s out to steal their jobs and diminish their value. But let’s be real, if a tool like Canva can help anyone create good designs, then what’s the point of paying a designer? I, for one, think Canva is a blessing in disguise, and I’m not afraid to admit it.
Being a graphic designer myself, I absolutely LOVE Canva. I use it daily in my own business and as a tool for my clients. As soon as I started working with it, I saw Canva as a way to grow my business and complement my design services, helping my clients get the most out of their branding investment with me. I recommend every business owner I work with to use Canva, because it gives them such freedom over their own designs and branding. Which, let’s face it, they should have, as it’s their business!
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My Story With Canva
At first, I was totally sceptical about Canva. It was the new hot thing among business owners, and as a graphic designer who had just launched my own business, I was worried it would spell trouble for me in finding clients. To make matters worse, there was a lot of negative chatter about it in online design forums, which only added fuel to my anxiety.
But being a curious person by nature, I decided to give it a chance. And you know what? I was pleasantly surprised. No, scratch that, I was more than pleasantly surprised, I was in awe of Canva. I saw that Canva was actually a fantastic tool not only for business owners, but also for designers too! I saw this as the perfect bridge between the designers and their clients.
Sure, some business owners might use Canva to DIY their own logo, but I quickly saw it wasn’t going to replace the need for a more personalised and authentic branding for businesswomen, who were ready to take their business to the next level. Instead, Canva was the perfect tool to help my clients feel confident in using their new brand, and that gave me peace of mind.
After the branding was complete, I then trained my clients with a 1:1 Canva Clarity Call where I would show them how to upload their brand assets to the Canva brand hub, which made it super easy for my clients to stay brand consistent across all their marketing. And the best part? With Canva, my clients now had the skills to DIY their own marketing without constantly relying on me, which saved them time and money. It was a total win-win!
As a qualified and experienced designer, I chose not to listen to the other designers in my field and instead, I embraced Canva. And by doing so, it actually strengthened my business. So I guess the lesson here, is don’t always believe what you hear or be swayed by the majority and listen to your own intuition.
Canva vs Adobe Creative Cloud
So why do graphic designers have such a bee in their bonnet about Canva? Well, I have a hunch. Besides the fear of job security, I reckon a lot of it has to do with the amount of time, money and energy it takes to become a qualified graphic designer. For example, for most of us, we enrol ourselves through university, which is 3 long years of hard work to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree – which is an eye-watering fee of £30K.
We then earn our experience by working for a design agency, which allows us to polish up our skills further, learning how to craft the perfect logo and how to advise clients on what the best file types are for web and print. Graphic designers are also highly trained in Adobe Creative Cloud which is the go-to design software, with all the bells and whistles. Think of it like Adobe is a fancy high-end range oven and Canva is an air fryer – both can cook up a great meal, but the former offers more advanced features and precise control, while the latter is more accessible, quicker and easier to use for everyday cooking needs, and let’s face it, all round more fun!
So I guess on a level I can totally sympathise with my fellow designers, but times are changing and for the better. I believe if we don’t move with the times, we get left behind and that’s when our business could suffer. I’ve noticed the same fear and uncertainty is happening within the copywriter community, because they’re worried AI is going to steal their jobs away – but instead, they should be thinking how can I use this wonderful tool to leverage my own business?
My Favourite Features of Canva
I love Canva’s mission statement “Empowering others to achieve their goals, both globally and within Canva” and every year Canva releases new and exciting features, that are fast becoming the No.1 tool that provides all the marketing solutions for business owners. Below are a few of my favourite features…
❤ You Can Upload Your Branding
As mentioned earlier, one of the sections within Canva is called ‘brand hub’. In this section, you can set your specific branding so that it applies across everything you make. You can upload your logos and logo variations, your colours, fonts and even pre-set templates for your designs. In short, everything visually that makes your business unique.
By uploading your assets to the brand hub, you can be sure that everything you design in Canva is always consistent, clear and properly branded, without having to spend time thinking about it. No more stressing about getting the shade of blue just right, or making sure you’re using the right fonts in the right places. It’s all there waiting for you with just a click of a button.
❤ Unlimited Templates
Well, not quite unlimited, but close. Many business owners work with graphic designers because they don’t have the creative skills to produce beautiful graphics. Hey, not everyone can be a designer, right? But if you struggle with creating designs from scratch, Canva has a library of literally thousands of templates for every occasion imaginable.
Need an invitation? Got one. A newsletter template? Yep. Social media posts, banner images or website? Got them too. Presentations, calendars, graphs, proposals, and even invoices. Canva has a template for pretty much anything. And since they are all completely customisable, you can add your own branding, colours and images to make them unique, so you can have great content in no time at all.
❤ The Magic Edit Tools
The magic edit tools in Canva are a game changer for me, because they allow me to quickly and easily enhance my designs without having to spend hours tweaking individual elements. Whether I need to remove the background from an image, or adjust the brightness and contrast, or magically straighten a crooked photo, the magic tools have got me covered.
They help me achieve professional-looking designs in a fraction of the time it would take me to do it manually in Adobe Photoshop. Plus, they’re so simple to use that even non-designers can easily improve their designs with just a few clicks. The magic edit tools have become an essential part of my design workflow, and I can’t imagine creating designs without them!
Final Thoughts: Canva is The No.1 Marketing Tool
It’s no secret that I think Canva is the number one tool that every business owner should use. It’s an all-in-one design platform that helps streamline processes and grow your business.
No matter what your design skill level is, Canva’s user-friendly interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and extensive library of templates and design elements make it so easy for anyone to create professional-looking graphics, presentations, and marketing materials.
I love Canva so much that I founded my own Canva Coven, which is a free Facebook group that supports and teaches female solopreneurs the power of Canva with lots of tips and tricks – you’re welcome to join too.
FAQs 
As much as Canva empowers individuals to create stunning designs, it can’t replace the artistry and personal touch of a skilled graphic designer. Canva is a fantastic tool for DIY projects and simple designs, but for more personalised and authentic branding, a designer can weave their magic to create a unique and unforgettable brand identity.
Absolutely! Canva’s ‘brand hub’ lets you upload your logos, fonts, colours, and pre-set templates. By using your branding elements consistently, you can maintain a cohesive and professional look across all your designs. Your brand’s unique identity will shine through in every design you create!
While Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud have different strengths, Canva is perfect for everyday design needs. It’s like comparing a high-end range oven (Adobe) to a fun and accessible air fryer (Canva). Both can deliver great results, but Canva is quick, easy to use, and perfect for everyday design magic!
Yes! The Canva Coven, my free Facebook group, is a haven for female solopreneurs looking to harness the full power of Canva. Join us for expert tips, tricks, and support as we create enchanting designs and take our branding to the next level. Unleash your inner design goddess with the Coven’s magical guidance!
Canva is a powerful ally for business owners. With its user-friendly interface and a myriad of templates, you can quickly create professional graphics, presentations, and marketing materials without needing extensive design skills. It’s the secret weapon for expressing your brand’s personality and captivating your audience!
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