Creative Thinking Fuels Graphic Design, Grabs Prospects’ Attention
As an executive at an established business, you may believe your graphic design needs are far behind you. With a logo and brand standards set, it’s easy to overlook the multitude of opportunities to use graphic design to boost your brand’s visibility. You may be focused on growing your customer base and developing new product offerings, but there is plenty of room to use graphic design to illustrate the benefits that your organization provides customers. Whether you’re looking to refresh your brand or need a memorable advertisement that draws new customers to your business, graphic design remains an important aspect of any growing business. There are measurable benefits of professional graphic design.
“You want to stand out from all the other businesses that do the same thing as you,” Irma Burns, graphic designer with Tell Your Tale Marketing, said. “You want your branding to visually convey your message and what you stand for. All aspects, from color palette to typography, contribute to creating a good, first impression.”
Consistency Helps Build Your Brand
While that first impression should encourage prospects to engage initially with your business, marketing with consistent brand elements is important for building a brand that others recognize and trust. You want prospects and customers to easily identify your organization with your content, and professional graphic design is critical. Just last night, I saw the beginning of a TV commercial that didn’t show the company’s branding early on.
“Is this a Kroger commercial?” I asked my husband.
Yes, in fact, the Kroger logo ended the commercial. I recognized the products’ treatment and advertising style as Kroger’s well before I actually saw the Kroger logo. While most small and medium businesses don’t have the same size budget as Kroger, this is the same type of brand recognition that you want your marketing materials to have.
Brand Standards with Permission to Color Outside the Box
Brand adherence is important, but it doesn’t mean you should allow your graphic design to become stale. Consider innovative ways to use your branding in clever applications. For instance, if your business targets women business leaders, then think about:
Which events do your targets attend? Are their sponsorship opportunities there and in which ways will the sponsorships allow you to display your logo? Beyond what the event organizers offer, what’s a new way to highlight your company to this audience? Allow graphic design to display your branding in a distinguishable way.- Which local publications are your current customers subscribed to? Are there cost-effective ways to advertise in those media outlets to gain visibility with prospects who are similar to your current clients?
- What are the challenges these women face? Can you write a blog post that helps them address those challenges as they relate to your offerings? A timely and educational blog post that uses your branding helps these women see your business as an expert that understands their needs.
- Are you taking advantage of the social media channels that these same women use regularly? Each social media platform has unique demographics. Leverage those statistics to match your target audience with the right social tool, and focus your social media outreach there. Be sure to brand these social channels, too.
Words of advice from Burns? “Trust your graphic designer to help you out of your comfort zone,” she said.
Great graphic designers think about the client’s vision, goals and new ways that the brand can be used to break through the clutter and stand out. Often, business leaders are so busy and focused on the big picture that you need a specialist to develop new ways to deliver the company message. How can you create something visual that captures your offerings and your company culture that also resonates with your target buyer? That’s the litmus test for great graphic design. Beyond looking good, it spurs your ideal clients to act and encourages your prospects to engage with your business. Now that’s graphic design that’s essential for growing your business.
Want more on this topic? View “A Big Win in Graphic Design Awards Houston.”
