The importance of Investing In Quality Design

CHARITY ADVICE

The importance of Investing In Quality Design

Design is an integral part of every organisation, yet it tends to be the unsung hero that always gets taken for granted. Why? Because when resources are limited and you need to make quick decisions and compromises, design often falls down on the list of priorities.

What many people don’t realise is that design is actually a lot more than just making things look pretty. After all, looks are subjective, so it is easy to underestimate it’s importance. However, in reality, design is everything from the look of your business, to your brand, your message and even your products, therefore it is vital to invest the necessary energy and resources into establishing a consistent image.

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works - Steve Jobs

A mistake that many organisations make, is having all of their marketing materials in place but not knowing how to use them. This is where professional designers come in. They ensure you have the whole package, from providing professional aesthetics and consistent branding to creating polished landing pages and the best user experience possible.

To show you that your design shouldn’t be something that you compromise on, here are the main benefits of quality design as well as some tips to take your look and feel to the next level.

The Benefits of High Quality Design

A Great First Impression - think of your design like your store front, where whenever you meet a new potential client, you want to make the best first impression possible. Your design is the face of your organisation when you’re not there, so it needs to reflect you and your organisation in the best light possible, otherwise you may lose potential supporters.

You Stand Out from Your Competitors - professional design, whether that is your website, marketing materials or your product, will allow you to challenge your competition and establish yourself as the expert in your industry. By building a dominant online presence through both design and content, you can be sure that you will stay at the top of your market.

A Strong and Consistent Brand Identity - a good designer will think of the big picture, creating a solid brand that reflects your organisation’s message. This includes everything from colour scheme and fonts to your logo and use of images, and they ensure that your visual language is consistent across all of your marketing materials. The benefit of this is that it makes your organisation much more memorable!

It’s Easy for Your Customers - With internet access being available almost everywhere, your website needs to be incredibly easy to use so that people can quickly find your contact details. As well as user experience, you could also let your design speak for you so that visitors can learn what you do and what you can offer them in seconds.

More Potential Supporters and Customers - when people enjoy something, they are more likely to share it with others. We have all enjoyed a meal or service so much that we’ve recommended it to our family or friends, so create this feeling with your design. By pairing great design with easy site navigation and quality customer service, you could reap the rewards of the power of word of mouth! Organic reach doesn’t stop there either. High quality design and content will ensure that your website ranks higher on google and is therefore easier to find while searching.

Easy Tips to Find the Right Designer

Ask Around - recommendation is still one of the bestways to find great colleagues, especially when these people can give you an insight into how these people work. However, although recommended designers are a great bet, make sure you have a chat with them about your needs first before hiring, as what works for one might not work for you.

Look Before You Buy - you wouldn’t buy things likefurniture online without going in and seeing it in person first, so always ask for past work to get a feel for your new designer. You could even discuss having a trial period together to see how you work as a team and if you’re happy with their work.

Trust Your Instinct - the best designers will complementyour organisation and will work along side you to develop your brand as you do. Therefore, finding the right designer for you is crucial. If your first impression is not a good one and you don’t like certain designs, be vocal about it. A good designer won’t tell you what you should like, they will tell you what will work best and work around your tastes. Compromising on designs will end up frustrating you and your designer in the long run, costing you both money, time and potential business, so you need to trust your instinct and don’t be afraid to say so if it’s not working.

With so many benefits offered by high quality design, it makes economic sense to invest in this aspect of your organisation. From providing you with professional and memorable aesthetics to creating an excellent overall customer experience, any time and money you invest into your design will be worthwhile.