I have no design training. Zero.

But people think our marketing materials look professional. The secret is Canva plus a few rules I learned through embarrassing trial and error.

Rule 1: Start With Templates, Always

The biggest mistake I see founders make: starting from a blank canvas.

You’re not a designer. You don’t know typography. You don’t understand layout.

Templates encode design knowledge. Use them.

My process:

1. Search for templates matching my need
2. Find 3-5 I like
3. Pick the one closest to my vision
4. Modify minimally

Minimal modification is key. The more you change, the more you break.

Rule 2: Limit Your Fonts

Two fonts maximum. Ever.

One for headings. One for body text.

The template already chose good fonts. Don’t change them unless you have a specific reason.

If you must add fonts, use Google Fonts or Canva’s “Popular” category. Avoid anything decorative.

Bad font choices are the fastest way to look amateur.

Rule 3: Stick to Three Colors

Background color. Primary color. Accent color.

That’s it.

I use our brand colors for everything. Blue, white, and dark gray. Every design. No exceptions.

Consistency looks professional. Variety looks chaotic.

Rule 4: Embrace White Space

New designers fill every inch. Wrong.

Empty space is a design element. It creates focus. It looks clean.

When in doubt, remove something. Fewer elements, more impact.

My rule: If I can remove it without losing meaning, remove it.

Rule 5: Align Everything

Misaligned elements scream amateur.

Canva has alignment guides. Use them. Pink lines appear when things line up. Follow them.

Center align or left align. Pick one and stick with it.

Mixed alignment looks messy.

Rule 6: Use Quality Images

Stock photos are fine. Cheap stock photos aren’t.

Unsplash and Pexels are free and good. Use them.

Avoid:

• Obvious stock (smiling business people pointing at things)
• Low resolution images
• Clip art
• Anything with visible watermarks

One good image beats five mediocre ones.

Rule 7: Size Matters (Literally)

Create at the right size for your platform.

Instagram post: 1080x1080 LinkedIn post: 1200x627 Facebook cover: 820x312 Twitter header: 1500x500

Canva has presets. Use them. Don’t resize a square for a rectangle.

Magic Resize (Canva Pro) is worth it for this alone if you post to multiple platforms.

My Go-To Templates

Social posts: “Bold Modern” category. Clean, not cluttered.

Presentations: “Corporate” or “Startup” categories. Professional without being boring.

Documents: “Simple” category. Let content be the focus.

Ads: “Marketing” category. Designed for conversions.

Find templates that match your brand vibe. Save them. Reuse them.

The 15-Minute Design Process

1. Pick template (2 minutes)

   • Search by type and style
   • Choose the closest match

2. Replace text (3 minutes)

   • Keep font and size unless necessary
   • Edit content only

3. Replace images (3 minutes)

   • One hero image maximum
   • Use Canva’s stock or upload your own

4. Adjust colors (2 minutes)

   • Match to brand colors
   • Don’t add new colors

5. Remove extras (2 minutes)

   • Delete elements you don’t need
   • Simplify aggressively

6. Align and review (3 minutes)

   • Check alignment
   • Read all text for errors
   • Export

Done. Decent design in 15 minutes.

What I Don’t Do

Complex graphics: If it needs illustration or custom icons, I hire a designer on Fiverr ($20-100).

Brand identity: Logo, color palette, typography system. Worth professional help ($500-2,000).

Print materials: Business cards, brochures. Quality matters more. Professional printing has requirements.

Know your limits. Canva for quick digital assets. Professionals for important permanent pieces.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need design skills to make decent marketing materials.

You need:

• Good templates
• Restraint
• Consistency

Canva provides the tools. You provide the discipline.

Start simple. Stay simple. That’s actually the design principle most founders miss.