Did you know visual information races through your brain 60,000 times faster than text (APR Creative)?
Not only does information go through a brain faster, it sticks. If you hear information and see a visual, it's likely you'll retain 65% of the information—even years later (The Storyteller's Secret, 126*)!
Those stats alone should show you that memorable graphic design is essential for a successful business. But have you ever considered using graphic design to grow your business? Or is graphic design an afterthought for “when I have more money”?
If it is, it shouldn’t be.
What's essential for your company is a framework for how you can use, or rather, how your company needs graphic design to grow.
If you’ve ever wondered about the importance of graphic design in growing your company, the starting line is here.
I call this the “build, communicate, keep” framework for how to grow your business with graphic design. Please come along for the ride. (And feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.)
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Build Brand Awareness
The first step to this framework is “build.” Unless you’re buying a company someone else already built, business owners have some building to do.
For those who have purchased a business, you may have some rebuilding, or definitely, some maintaining to do.
A brand awareness strategy begins (or should begin) when a company first starts its engine. Your first move when starting a company should be learning about your audience and your ideal customer.
You need to learn who they are — their likes, dislikes, wishes, and desires — and speak directly to them. This is going to help define your brand’s visual identity and brand voice. Knowing your audience well means that you aren’t wasting valuable time and resources marketing to the wrong people.
When you know your audience, your company begins building relationships with them. When your business has a consistent visual identity and brand voice it means that they build a relationship with you.
When they recognize certain styles, colors, or marketing techniques as yours, you build brand recognition and brand association. You begin building brand awareness.
An example I often think of is Target. They have a very standard — and predictable — color palette and style. When you see their ads, you can often tell it’s from Target without even seeing the logo.
Their brand is consistent, and because of that consistency, they have built brand awareness. You know who they are, what they do, and what they can do for you.
Growing brands build brand awareness.
Communicate Credibility
The second way professional graphic design helps grow your business is that it communicates credibility. Professional graphic design helps you build trust with your target market, your ideal customers.
If someone hasn't showered in a week, you probably aren't likely to seriously consider what they have to say. Especially if they come in for a job interview.
Poor graphic design (and printing) does the same thing for a business.
Your business needs to build trust. If your company has branding with juvenile, inconsistent — or worse sloppy — images, graphics, or fonts, how seriously can you expect customers to take your company?
A consistent, clean, well-put-together brand communicates professionalism.
A consistent brand builds trust with your customers and improves the customer experience. It communicates reliability. When customers see the care a company puts into their brand, it translates into the care that company puts into them.
These brands also provide value. They give their customers resources that are valuable to them — even if it's something as simple as a brochure or booklet. These companies make themselves useful to their customers — whether they are paying customers [yet] or not. And in the process, they demonstrate that they know their stuff.
Growing brands communicate credibility.
Keep Customers Coming Back
The final way to use graphic design to grow your business flows from the other two.
When your company builds brand awareness and communicates credibility with professional graphic design services, your customers will remember you. And when they remember you, they’ll keep coming back.
A good example of this is Starbucks. Almost everyone is familiar with Starbucks. As I write about this, I can even imagine the smell. (And I don’t even like coffee…except the smell.)
If you’re visiting a new location, aren’t feeling particularly adventurous, are craving coffee, and you see a Starbucks, chances are, you’ll go. There might be other options. There may even be better options. But because of the way Starbuck has branded themselves in your mind — visually and socially — you know what to expect, and they’ve kept you coming back.
Like Starbucks, growing brands keep customers coming back.
- Build brand awareness.
- Communicate credibility.
- Keep customers coming back.
That’s why graphic design is so important for growing your business. And that’s how to use graphic design to grow your business.
If you are a new small business owner, can't hire a graphic designer, and want to try and do this yourself, check out my course, Attract + Transform. In the course I teach you the skills and resources you need to know to make your company memorable.
If you need to get started building your brand or making it visually consistent, check out our services. We want you to build a memorable company that will keep customers coming back.
