As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. In many cases, design is the first impression many prospective clients have of your business. Having an effective design can help attract customers, and make them feel more comfortable and confident purchasing from or working with your business. A strongly designed piece can effectively portray a business’s professionalism, quality control, attention to detail and move a company beyond its competitors.
It is really no surprise that large corporations spend millions of dollars on market research and design teams to ensure their logo and other image items are perfect. While smaller companies don’t have the same budgets, they still need to pay close attention to how design plays a part in their marketing efforts. How important is design to the growth of your company?
Design should link to everything about your business and brand. Design shows who you are as a company and should reflect what you are about. Everything you create as a company should have design in mind. By establishing a consistent image in your branding, users connect to your look and feel loyalty to your company. It’s all about recognition.
Think of design as the vehicle that gets your business name out there. Eye-catching design helps your company rise above the rest of the marketing clutter to attract the correct kind of prospects. Thoughtful design will reinforce the central message of the campaign and produce responses.
From large corporations to small businesses and generous to small budgets, it is a good investment to hire professionals, such as the Creative Team at West Press, to visually communicate your ideas and messages in an aesthetically pleasing and fiscally responsible way. A professional graphic designer can give you valuable ideas with concepts that have the ability to draw clients and reassure them they are doing business with the right company.
Simply put, good design is a basic tool for intelligent targeted marketing. The goal of any marketing campaign should be to have clean and effective design that identifies with the target audience, engages with them and drives performance.
Good design will draw the customer’s attention to the points that are most important. When it comes to design, a business can often be faced with the problem of too much information, copy or imagery to try and squeeze in. Whether it’s a printed advertisement, brochure, website design or sign, the battle against information overload is an important issue that can sometimes be overlooked. Here are few factors to keep in mind:
- Key Message: Calls to action should be precise and to the point. Sticking to fewer messages instead of having multiple offerings will greatly improve the effectiveness of your marketing piece.
- Visuals/Imagery: Photography and illustrations are a great way to communicate your message. It is important that the quality is high, as poor quality imagery can significantly lessen the overall look and the way people perceive your brand image. Also make sure you have the legal right to use the images you’re featuring in your marketing materials.
- Copy/Typography: Nobody likes to read huge chunks of text. Breaking copy blocks down into manageable chunks helps maintain interest and keeps customers focused on your content and brand. Typography is also an important factor that can greatly impact the legibility of your design. It is important to make sure the font is easy to read and that the point size is of a suitable size for your audience. For example, if your target audience is seniors, consider bumping up the point size to make it readable.
- Website Design: The visual appeal of your website has become expected rather than preferred, and how well your site is designed (graphically and ease of usability) can be the deciding factor for a prospective client. Many customers assume a poorly designed website is owned by someone who really doesn’t care about their success or who really wants your business. Well-designed sites encourage customers to take specific actions and reinforce a company’s overall brand.
Whether you need a marketing brainstorming session for your next campaign or help executing your company’s first impression through design, West Press’ talented staff is here to help your business achieve its goals. Contact West Press or your Account Executive at 520-624-4939 today.