With the business landscape as it is currently, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. Thinking about the overall marketing and design for your business, you need to think about what will speak to your consumer more.
When you do you will get the traffic, converting the browsers into consumers will bring in the revenue. However, consumers don’t want to see the same content that they can find elsewhere. They want to know that they can trust you, that you will deliver and you will care about their success.
The best way to start is to look at your messages first. Checking if what your are saying is working, attracting and solving people’s problems. Be more specific and clear in what you say. Simple, specific message will portray you in best light, building trust and that internal want. This then need to align with the marketing strategy, plans and implementation and that’s when design comes in.
Marketing needs to work with design and both play a significant role in business. They can help cement the future of the company if done well. On the other hand, if done poorly, it can be a hindrance and stop consumers from transacting with a business.
By using design, the right way, you are able to use strategic marketing to show what you do differently (and better!). So, we are going to take you through 5 reasons why design is essential for your business.
Let’s go logo
One of the first things that a customer will see when interacting with a business will be their logo. In time, the logo will be one of the most identifiable factors of the company, so it is vital that it is done right. Some of the most recognisable logos in the world are the simplest.
Think about Google, Ikea, Amazon, McDonald’s, I could go on. By designing a simple and easy logo to remember while also having some defining factor, you are increasing the memorability of the logo itself.
It is important to note that having too much on the logo can create a very cluttered and over-complicated image that will do the opposite of what you want. We would all rather buy a simple product that does the job rather than a complicated one; a logo should be no different.
All about the brand
Branding means establishing certain amount of recognition through design. If you are trying to do this without help of marketing and design it simply won’t work. Branding is not just about choosing a specific colour palette but about the feeling that something in particular evokes in you.
Granted a colour will help if used well but it isn’t enough. Yes, a study found that using a signature colour can cause an 80% increase in brand recognition! However you won’t be recognised straight away like Apple or Amazon. It takes time and years of marketing to get there. Keeping all marketing consistent with your Brand will help increase recognition and trust. It will help embed the business and make it more memorable as it can take 5-7 impressions for people to remember a brand.
Do you trust me?
Design isn’t just about the aesthetic aspect of a brand or business but also the image and emotion that different parts of the business portray. For example, when creating a website, don’t just have stock images of buildings, abacuses, or tools. By including photos of yourself or the team, you can build trust with the consumers as they can see who they will be dealing with.
A study carried out on a website found that when including a picture of the owner rather than a generic picture, the business received 48% more conversions which is quite the jump!
Modestly modern
When developing a business and building it from scratch, one aspect that is skimmed over quite often is the website. We have all been on Google and carried out a search for something that we need or want. I am sure that we all have come across a site that instantly made us shudder.
A website isn’t just online presence; it is there to represent your business 24/7. If you would rate your business 9 out of 10, the website should mirror that. Should a consumer come across your website, it should be one of the main reasons they decide to purchase from a business or contact to get some work done.
A website can look fabulous on a desktop, but when it comes to looking on a mobile phone, it could look less than ideal. The issue here is that 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website on mobile. Time is one of the biggest obstacles when getting the design right, as well as expertise as creating a website to look good while maintaining good functionality can be difficult. The website will play a massive role in the overall marketing strategy, so it is important to get it right. If you feel overwhelmed when trying to put it together, you can always get an expert to help.
Collateral damage
The last point to touch on is about the collateral that a business gives out. Whilst print isn’t used as much as it was 20 years ago, there is still a place for brochures, leaflets and more. It is entirely possible to have a digital brochure designed to showcase a business and show it off in all its glory with how technology works now.
Should a company need to run presentations, send invoices, proposals, catalogues or emails, all of it should be designed to show consistency. With the logo and colour scheme in mind as well as the same message. Having different looking collateral can be confusing from a consumer point of view, damaging the overall brand recognition. With 45% of customers expecting great design across marketing and sales collateral, it is important to get it right. Brochure can be very valuable asset for your business not only if designed right but also used in a right way. Many businesses invest in marketing that isn’t fully implemented and when there is no results they are greatly disappointed.
The last word
Design is everywhere. Everything that you use minute by minute has been designed to be used in that way. Businesses need design when it comes to their marketing strategy and branding. You don’t need to be excellent at design yourself; there will always be someone that can help put together the best design for you. Before you do start to design anything, you must understand what it is you are trying to achieve and who the target audience is.
getintouch@formatdesign.com if you need help with Marketing & Design.