As Thomas Watson Jr. told his students in 1973, “good design is good business.” We politely disagree. We believe good design is great business. In our modern digital world, brands have the ability to be noticed anytime and anywhere in search results, on walls, or even feeds. At the crux of all of this attention is the need to not just be seen but to be recognised.

With consumers more readily recognising a logo than a word, good design is imperative. Your page on Facebook has become your ad in the newspaper while your website is the modern shop window. Your future customers don’t just see your quality work and call you, instead they need to be reassured that you’re the best (and are able to compare with your competitors in just seconds). Investment in design is essential for those of us who go beyond competing on price and offer an enhanced business to consumer relationship.
To make your brand stand out, your website should follow a certain set of rules that you most likely already know, but even a small error in design could cost you a new customer as they venture away from your site. Your menus should be concise and clear and you should have an easily located contact button. Creating fluidity between paragraphs and pages is as simple as using complementary colours and fonts while your logo and tone of voice should be present throughout. Perhaps most crucially, your website should be responsive and function across all devices as more and more users are sticking to their smartphones and tablets.

Updating content across your website and social media is imperative for remaining relevant in your market. However, sometimes just content isn’t enough. With design constantly evolving, even the smallest tweaks to your website can inspire your current and future customers to get in touch.
But, be sure you don’t miss the opportunity to advertise offline. Your brand should be consistent across all mediums whether that’s your website, a billboard, a brochure, or your business card. Ensuring everything from your logo to your imagery or your copy to your layout are symmetrical to your website is important as each interaction with your potential customers is a sales opportunity.

So, when is the best time to invest in design? Now. Because your competitors already are. Give us a call or drop us a line to see how we can enhance your brand to increase your opportunities.