Your Parents Were Right... (Why You Need Great Design)

The design skeptic sits in his chair and says, "Well sure Justin, great graphic design is pretty to look at, but it costs money, and my customers don't really care about that.

For the most part, this is correct. Once a customer has experienced your services, assuming you are doing a great job, it's likely they will continue to use your services. This is because they understand what you offer, and they are confident in what you do. What about the prospect who isn't aware of how great your company is? (Design CAN improve internal customer experience as well, more on that later)

Your prospect will make buying decisions based on the degree of risk involved. Specifically, will you give them service after the sale, and will your products / services do what they say. They don't know the answer to this question, and naturally they assume you will tell them what they want to hear. So, what can you do? The answer is actually very obvious, and we have already been taught this general concept by our parents. (No way, are you serious?)

Remember when you interviewed for your first job? In this experience, the hiring manager or the boss played the role your customer does now. He or she had a degree of risk to gauge, therefore determining if you would be a great asset to the company. You didn't want to dress up like your parents said, but by doing so, brushing your teeth, doing your hair and highlighting your skills you appeared professional and dedicated. This minimized risk by letting this boss know you were serious enough about working for her to make a great first impression. (Any light bulbs flick on yet?)

Today, your prospects are looking at how you dressed for the "interview" but they aren't going to give you a chance to talk. The question is, what message are your designed materials sending? Are your prospects perceiving you as a risky investment? Is your competition the less risky choice? What price would you be willing to put on making that great first impression?

6 Reasons You Shouldn't Have a Logo.

I am constantly talking to clients about logo creation. It happens to be one of the very first things a new business owner thinks of. Is this because he or she knows the effectiveness of a logo or is it because in today's socioeconomic business culture logos are glamorous?

Perhaps you are sitting on the fence, unsure if you should begin the logo process yourself. Allow me to dissuade you from making a huge error. I have come up with several reasons why you shouldn't have a logo.

1. You shouldn't have a logo simply because someone else has one: Logo creation is a lengthy and sensitive process. A great logo designer is going to take a lot of your time and truly try to get into your target audiences head. If you don't have specific goals and big dreams for your logo, stay on the porch.
2. You shouldn't have a logo because you are bored of your current logo: Real logos stand the test of time and don't need to be changed every 5 years. You work hard to build positive brand recognition. If you change that brand, you better have millions to invest in a re-branding campaign.
3. You shouldn't have a logo to increase sales: A good logo is worthless without a great product and company backing it. If you have a terrible product and /or terrible service, a great logo will actually work against you. For example, AIG's logo is a big red flag to the public. They will have to spend millions to re-brand.... quietly.
4. You shouldn't have a logo if you don't have the money: If you don't have the money, and are not willing to make the investment, DON'T! Logo creation requires time and research. You have to understand the importance and be dedicated to the success of your logo project, otherwise you may settle for a cheaper logo that will cause more problems. (That gets really sticky!) Focus on your customer, giving them what they want – visually brand yourself a little later.
5. You shouldn't have a logo if you don't plan on using it: If you are going to spend the time and money making a logo, it needs to appear on everything! It is foolish to create a great new logo and then phase it in "after your old business cards run out" or "when you update your website." Don't confuse your customers!
6. You shouldn't have a logo if you plan on improving it later: Your logo will build recognition for your brand. If your customer loves you and your product they will have confidence with anything that sports your logo. If you change it later and get a "nicer logo" you will confuse your customer and deflate that trust. (I would buy ANYTHING with a Dansko logo on it. Seriously...)

Can you think of any other reasons to NOT have a logo? Have you been burned, or know of someone who has, by rushing into a logo project? Learn from those mistakes on your logo project. If you want any of these points expanded, leave a comment and I will be happy to go into greater detail.