If you have a business of your own, you probably excel at its main focus. So if you’re a computer reseller you probably know a bit about hard drives, if you’re an accountant you know your numbers, if you own a nursery you understand children (or plants!), if you’re a plumber you’ve probably seen a tap or two in your time.
Knowing what you’re good at and getting that message across has to be the key point of any of your marketing activities. And these activities can include all sorts of ways for reaching out to potential customers from websites to flyers to leaflets to business cards to email marketing to social media, adverts and more.
But just knowing what you’re good at isn’t enough. If you don’t know how to communicate that to your audience, they might not notice you at all. What do people see first when they glance at a piece of marketing material? The words on it that explain so cleverly what you do, and how you do it? They are very important, make no mistake. But that’s not the right answer.
The first and biggest impact is the way your marketing looks – in other words, how it’s designed. And no we’re not just saying that because we specialise in design (cough cough!). It’s obvious, isn’t it?
If you’re at a trade show and walking past a bunch of stands that are pretty much all the same, you’re more likely to be drawn to one that has some bold, impressive design work on its banners, right? If some flyers from local firms come through your letterbox, chances are you’ll throw them away unless they catch your eye very quickly with their design. If you’re handed 50 business cards at a networking event and look through them later, the one with the strongest logo is most likely to stand out.
Design isn’t everything, but it’s really important and you need to get it right.
Don’t be intimidated by this. It doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune. Lots of small companies outsource select things – such as buying a simple logo design. Others hire full-time designers. Some outsource everything. There’s a lot of different ways to do it and lots of in-betweens.
What’s useful is knowing what you want and then working out the best way for your business to get it. Put your customers first. What do they need to know when they see your marketing efforts? What will your competitors put out and how will you stand out from them?
Think about your target market and the sort of designs that might appeal. Think about what you are selling. By that, we don’t mean your business itself, but in each piece of marketing that you’re designing (or getting designed), are you selling your product, your prices, your convenience, your authority or your knowledge? The answer to this will or should have an impact.
Ultimately, your designs will play a huge part in your marketing, whether you’re creating a flyer or a magazine, an advert or a social media post.
If your design is done right it will be memorable and relatable to you and your product.
To speak to us today regarding a free consultation or to find out how we can help your business, contact info@thinkcreativeagency.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.
