Attract more customers with professional graphic design

Stand out! Get noticed! Attract customers! That's what you want for your product or service. But how do you do it? 

Great graphic design is the answer! Clear messaging that attracts your target customers is what you are looking for. When you are trying to determine what designs will be best the task can be intimidating and confusing. What is it that sets one apart from another? How do you judge graphic design for yourself? It's not an easy task, because it also involves personal taste. This is why you are perfect for the job. I often tell clients to remember that we are all consumers. Everyone’s opinion matters. View designs through your "consumer eyes". Why do you select one brand over another? How much influence do my instincts have on my decision-making? The short answer is a lot. There is a lot of science behind communicating with color effectively and how different designs can make you feel.

One of my favorite examples of design science is on the floor of a casino. Imagine you’re standing inside of a casino in the heart of the game tables and the slot machines. When you look down, you see a very busy carpet with all the colors of the rainbow. The carpet design is so busy it looks like a confetti (or maybe its fireworks) color explosion that is very confusing. This is effective for the casino because our brains are used to solid colors and minimal designs when it comes to carpets. Our brains do not like busy and confusing designs. So you look up.

You look up to the ceiling only to be pushed back by thousands of lights and mirrors. Which have a similar reaction as if you looked at the sun. So where do your eyes go? Where do you find the calm and focus your brain craves? Straight ahead toward the game tables and the slot machines. This is a very effective use of the science behind the design. 

Design is a tool we use to keep your target audience focused. You want to use design to guide the customer. Designs should help your customer. Designs should make it easy for them to find what they need.

Here are some thoughts to keep in mind when looking at designs. 

Emotion

Design is an art form and the purpose of art is to evoke an emotional response. Take the time to sit with the design and see how it affects you. Do you like it? Does it make you want to know more, buy more? Do you respond in some way negative or positive? Try to determine what emotion you are feeling when you are reviewing a design and determine if that feeling is appropriate. Does it make you want to act or buy? If it doesn’t, invest in more design options or keep making alterations until it does.

Brand

Does the design complement your current brand? Our brains also love consistency. The more consistent your designs are the more the customers will recognize your brand and trust your business. And in today’s world, trust is very important to consumers. If your brand has a style guide, make sure the designs are following your brand guidelines.

Message

What message is the design sending? Is the message presented simply and clearly? Is the layout confusing or is it difficult to know where you are supposed to look next? Examine the graphic design options and determine which ones provide a clear message. On a basic level, we all expect an ad to follow the same formula. Big bold font calling out your problem. Followed by a description of why this company is the solution and detailing the benefits. Which is followed by a call to action. Call us today! Register online! Buy now!

Visuals

Our brains process visually, so the visual message is very important, often more important than the words. How clear and bold are the graphics in the designs you are considering. Do you get the message immediately? Are the visuals different and unique or do you have the feeling that you've seen them before? Is the design using the same "stock" images as everybody else or is it presenting your product in a completely unique way? 

Fonts

What about the font? Does the typestyle match the emotional feel of the piece? Does it help the message stand out? Is it readable? Many times designers will sacrifice legibility to use a “cool” font. This is a mistake. In recent years as mobile device use has exploded, we have seen a common trend of brands moving to a bold san serif font. This is because it is very legible when used in all sizes. Including a very small ad banner on your mobile phone.

Benefits

Are the benefits clear and highlighted? While benefits are a selling point and not really a part of the design itself, they are a very important part of what makes a design compelling and effective, because it's the benefits that attract your audience. Remember that your customer has a pain point they are trying to fix. The design should paint a picture of what life looks like after your business fixes the problem.

Call to Action

A call to action is one of if not the most important part of print design and website design. It is as it sounds, a call to the customer to act? They can be strong like: “Reserve your spot now.” Or the popular “Order now while supplies last.” They can also be simple and less aggressive like: “Call us today for a free consultation.” or “Sign up to receive our newsletter” Whether your call to action is simple or aggressive, make sure it is there. It is your job to make the customer’s life better. Whether you are selling insurance or tea, it is your job to help them get what they want. Make it easy for them. 

Market Research

Lastly, when deciding what design will be most effective for your brand, it is very important to do your own market research. For example, let’s say you are wanting to sell a product in stores and the designer has provided you with 5 different designs for your packaging. You are now asked to pick which one you like best. You have your own tastes and you hopefully have a favorite or two, but how does it compare in your industry. Market research is taking the designs to the store and comparing them to the other products on the shelf. Does your design stand out? Does your design convey the message better than the other products in the same category? If you own a services business, how does your website convey the message better than your competition? Study your competition and make sure you are doing everything better. 

Great design will not only help you attract customers it will serve a purpose to your audience. It will inform them and remind them of why they do business with you. Consistent design across all media channels will elevate the perceived value of your business. And eventually, cause happy customers to become advocates. People take pride in who they hire and what they buy. Great design makes it easy for them to share.

As the great Milton Glaser would say, “the purpose of the graphic designer is to inform and delight.”

For a free consultation and to learn more about how graphic design could help your business, visit our website or call us today at 1-603-677-7032.