The Importance of Graphic Design for Startups & Scaleups
Many startups and scale-ups overlook the importance of graphic design, opting instead to focus their limited resources on other areas such as product development or marketing. However, those who take the time to invest in high-quality graphics and branding early on will find that it pays dividends down the road in terms of both customer acquisition and retention.
Here’s a closer look at why graphic design is so important for early-stage businesses.
The Power of First Impressions
When a potential customer first encounters your brand, whether it’s online or in person, the initial visual impression they form will go a long way toward determining whether or not they decide to engage with your company. In fact, research has shown that people make snap judgments about products and services based on their visual appearance about 60% of the time. This could be related to the crazy stat that each person on average is exposed to about 4,000–10,000 ads from brands per day. Imagine how well we have learned to cut through the clutter over time. With that much exposure, a person doesn’t really have the capacity to take time to dissect each ad and engage with it — even if they like the ad. This is why your business needs to have a strong visual brand that effectively and consistently communicates the message that you are trying to get across to your target audience.
From what I have been taught, and through my own experience as a branding/marketing professional is a fundamental rule to always adhere to. That the golden rule in branding & marketing is to KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID. (KISS). If there is one lesson that you take out from this article, let it be this acronym. There is logic as to why you should follow the KISS rule — firstly, the rule of thumb is that assume that your audience has absolutely no idea about marketing or creative work that comes off a bit too abstract. The KISS rule applies to all parts of marketing — design, copy, and even strategy.
Let’s see two event posters, one with good design and the KISS rule being followed; and another poster with bad design and has negleted to follow the KISS rule.
Copyright: Dubrek
Copyright: Village Theatre Gallery
The first poster is an example of an event poster that ignored the KISS rule. The second poster made use of the KISS rule. The former is difficult to read and thus limits the audience to be attracted to read the poster or consider attending the event. The second poster is simple — you know immediately that it is a poster for an art exhibition event. You also can see the date, venue, and gallery hours without much effort. Investing in good design could most likely lead to more event attendees.
That First Impression Is Often the Only Impression You Get
In today’s cluttered marketplace, it’s more important than ever to make sure your brand stands out from the competition. A well-designed logo, website, and print materials will help you accomplish this by conveying a sense of professionalism and quality that separates you from fly-by-night businesses that cut corners when it comes to their visuals.
Let’s take a look at some examples.
Copyright: ICAM-I2CAM (left)
Copyright: Dough Boys (right)
The above are two logos that are examples of bad logos. The first logo has created a design that is too complicated and detailed. Imagine trying to use that logo on any form of a touchpoint or application — such as on a poster or embroidered on the team kit or even as signage. The second logo has a design that unfortunately has sexual innuendo…
Now let’s look at when good design comes together.
Copyright: WWF (left)
Copyright: Nike (right)
Yes, these are two highly successful multinational brands but let’s look at the simplicity of their design. Both logos are easy to digest and remember. Not to mention that they are also super clean and sleek.
Good Design Is Good Business
Investing in high-quality graphic design is one of the smartest things you can do for your business, as it will pay off in terms of increased sales and customer loyalty. In addition to making a great first impression, good design conveys trustworthiness and credibility, two essential ingredients for any successful business.
For example, take a look at the label & product design for this bottled juice brand. The label design is sleek, minimalistic, and easy to read. You can immediately know that this is juice and that it is carrot & apple. Also, the bottle is transparent so you get to see the contents of the juice before you make a purchase.
Taken from wix.com
A Closing Note
If you’re looking to give your startup or scaleup an edge over the competition, investing in graphic design is a smart move. Not only will good design help you make a great first impression, but it will also convey trustworthiness and credibility to potential customers. With so much riding on the visual appearance of your brand, skimping on design is not an option if you want your business to succeed.
When fishing around for a good graphic design always ask if you could see their portfolio. Often, a good designer will have an updated portfolio ready to send over to you. Best of luck!
Looking for an agency to assist you with your graphic design needs? We help businesses from startups to nationwide companies with their graphic design needs (we have even won some of them a few awards). Get in touch with us.
