Why Good Graphic Design Matters

 
Let's Talk Design
 

Hi! I’m Maria, NMM’s Creative Lead and Studio Manager. This week, I’m sharing some insight about why design in marketing and communication is so critical to your business, your brand and your identity.

There are a lot of misconceptions about design, one of which being that it should ‘look good’. To an extent, I would agree, but that’s just scratching the surface when it comes to approaching design for any project, big or small. There is no doubt that aesthetically pleasing graphics play an essential role in catching your eye, but that’s not the only criterion for judging any design. Above all, good design understands the love language of a product or brand and partners this love language with some killer visuals. 

Knowing that these work hand-in-hand, let’s first talk about understanding the product or brand. When I design anything, I think about who you are, your business, your user persona, your competitors, what is more important and what is less important to the user. One of my absolute favourite quotes from graphic designer Paul Rand is: “Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.” The challenge is not just to make your collateral look good, but it’s also deciding how to present your content in a way that will leave the most impactful impression on your audience. Good graphic design should direct the user’s attention straight to the content, beyond purely the design, the colours, the typography etc.

Moving onto the importance of visual representation – studies have shown that visual appeal can be assessed within about 50 milliseconds. This of course means that designers must make a good impression within this minuscule amount of time – no pressure! A perfect example of this is the saying ‘you eat with your eyes’ – this could not be more accurate for products and brands too. Humans are extremely visual beings – a dish of food may be made from high-quality ingredients and flavours that would blow your mind, but, if it doesn’t look good, you’ll probably hesitate to try it. This would ultimately result in a missed opportunity. 

Missed opportunities are exactly the opposite of what we need and want when it comes to marketing. So how do we avoid missed opportunities, and instead generate leads, connections, conversions and sales? Good design has a heck of a lot to do with it.

I believe good design comes out of good design practice. With that, today I will share with you my design practice process. The below steps are integral to any good designer, as they place creativity at the core of the process.

1. Being well-rested – body and mind. Yes, I know this is straightforward, but it is so essential. Having enough time and energy to do the things you want and need to do will spark the desire to create. Now I am by no means a ‘rest specialist’, but I think surrendering to the flow of your day is extremely important. When you overwork, you’ll burn out very quickly and as a result, fail to unlock your creativity within, and thus, don’t produce your best quality work.

2. Brainstorm. Get those creative juices flowing! Print photos, sketches, project flow charts, project specs, or anything that relates to your new project and create a project board. Let’s bring back the glue stick, the tape and confetti the heck out of that board. Having this visual information handy near your workspace and not tucked away in a tab somewhere in your browser can make the design process much more fluid. This allows you to unpack your client’s thoughts and needs before even tackling the design.

3. Reflect. Sometimes it’s a kind reminder of what you're capable of. For me, I like to revisit some of my previous works. As I compile some of my best work, I think about what made each piece great and how I nailed that brief. Every new design, every new project, is a new opportunity to build on the skills and creations of the past. Reflecting on those, the things you like, the things you don’t like, what you would improve and so in, is an excellent way to push your designs forward.

And finally, if this article has you stressing over your font choices or brand colours, never fear – NMM is here to help! If you think your brand could benefit from a spruce up in the design and branding department, get in touch here.