Is your design losing you business?
Most of us realise that great design can win us more business. And most of us invest in good graphic design for a big brochure, our website or those important leaflets. But what about the rest of it? What about that Powerpoint Presentation you’re sending to your clients? How about those leaflets you’re taking to that networking event? What about that checklist for businesses you’ve uploaded to your website?
If we accept that great design will engage, inspire and build trust with your clients and prospective clients, what effect do you think bad design will have? You probably don’t need me to spell it out…
Every business designs something themselves in house. Even marketing executives at big blue chip companies design some pieces of collateral themselves. And there’s nothing wrong with that. The chances are, you design bits for yourself because you don’t have the time or the budget to get a graphic designer involved. But it’s those bits of collateral – your leaflet, your powerpoint, your case studies or your self-designed blog that can undermine your professionalism.
The bad news is that usually people don’t realise that there is anything wrong with their designs. Oversized logos compete with standard colours and standard fonts to create a look that jars with all your well produced work. The result? Your clients are confused and lack conviction in you.
It’s unrealistic to expect you to use a graphic designer for every piece of communication you produce. But you can learn some simple graphic design rules that you can apply to everything you do. And you can make the gap between the professionally produced stuff and your own stuff much smaller!
Do a bit of research into what makes design work. Read magazines, books (Robyn Williams The Non-Designer’s Design Book
