How Sh*t Design is Killing Your Brand & Costing You Customers

Imagine a world where all you need for good design is Microsoft Word. It would be like the local council using a knife and fork to repair a road. Which is what they do. You might get the job done, but the results would be far from impressive. Or a butter knife to do brain surgery. And let's be honest, your audience would feel pretty shitty and probably wouldn't trust your brand.

But when it comes to graphic design & visual communication, you need the mindset and skills to make your brand shine.

I want to talk to you about trust. Building trust takes time. It can take tears to build it up but do something silly and you can break it in seconds. But what does design have to do with trust? And why does good design matter? Well, let's start with the obvious. Humans are visual creatures. We make snap judgments based on appearance, and your brand's visual identity is often the first impression you make. If your logo, website, or marketing materials look like they were thrown together by a bored intern, what message does that send about your attention to detail, quality, and professionalism? It says, "Hey, we don't really care about our brand or our customers."

Great design breeds trust

Great design breeds trust and brand advocacy. When your visuals are polished, cohesive, and visually appealing, it shows that you've put thought and effort into every aspect of your brand. It conveys a sense of professionalism and competence, which makes your audience more likely to trust you and become loyal customers.

Think about it. If you had to choose between two companies offering the same product or service, but one had a sleek, modern, and visually pleasing brand identity while the other had a cluttered, outdated, and unprofessional look, which one would you choose? I'm guessing you'd go with the former.

Now, let's talk about retention. Getting customers is one thing but keeping them is a whole different ballgame. And good design can make a big difference. When your brand looks great, it enhances the overall user experience. It makes your customers feel good about interacting with your brand, whether it's browsing your website, using your app, or receiving your promotional materials. They begin to trust your brand and the loving relationship starts to blossom.

Poor design will damage your reputation

On the other hand, a poorly designed brand experience can be frustrating, confusing, and just bloody off-putting. If your website is a maze of Comic Sans, clashing rainbow colours and chaotic layouts, or if your app's interface is a jumbled mess, your customers will quickly lose patience and move on to your competitors. Don't let bad design be the reason you lose customers and harm your brand's reputation.

But where do you begin? What can you do to begin to shift your mindset? Read on.

1. Hire a professional designer: Unless you have a background in design, it's best to leave it to the experts. A professional designer understands the principles of good design and knows how to create visuals that align with your brand's personality and message.
2. Keep it simple and consistent: Clean, minimalist designs are often the most effective. Avoid clutter and stick to a cohesive colour palette, typography, and visual style throughout all your brand materials.
3. Understand your audience: Good design is not just about making things look pretty. It's about understanding your target audience and designing with their preferences and expectations in mind. Research your audience's tastes and design accordingly.
4. Test and iterate: Don't assume that your first design is perfect. Test it with your audience, gather feedback, and iterate based on their responses. Design is an ongoing process of refinement.

But what next?

To create really good graphic design, you'll need a combination of tools and skills. Here are some essential tools and where you can get them:

1. Graphic Design Software: Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) is the industry standard for graphic design software. It includes powerful tools like Photoshop for image editing, Illustrator for vector graphics, and InDesign for layout design. You can subscribe to Adobe CC on their website. If you're on a budget, you can also explore alternatives like Affinity Designer or CorelDRAW.
2. Stock Images and Icons: High-quality images and icons can enhance your designs. You can find a wide range of stock images on websites like Shutterstock, iStock, and Adobe Stock. For icons, resources like FontAwesome and Flaticon offer extensive icon libraries that you can use in your designs.
3. Typography Resources: Good typography is crucial for effective design. You can find a variety of fonts on websites like Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, and Font Squirrel. These platforms provide both free and premium fonts that you can use to elevate your designs.
4. Colour Resources: Colours play a significant role in the design, and tools like Adobe Colour can help you create harmonious colour palettes. They provide colour schemes, colour exploration tools, and the ability to generate colour combinations that work well together.

Take it to the next level...

Now, let's talk about training. Here are a few options to improve your graphic design skills:

1. Online Courses: Websites like Udemy, Skillshare, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of graphic design courses. Look for courses taught by experienced designers that cover topics like design principles, software tutorials, and specific design techniques.
2. Design Blogs and Websites: There are numerous design blogs and websites that offer tutorials, articles, and design inspiration. Some popular ones include Smashing Magazine, CreativeBloq, and Behance. Subscribe to their newsletters or follow them on social media to stay updated.
3. YouTube Tutorials: YouTube is a treasure trove of graphic design tutorials. Many designers share their knowledge and skills through video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and tips and tricks. Channels like The Futur, Piximake, and Dansky are great places to start.
4. Community Events and Workshops: Check out local design communities and organisations in your area. They often organise workshops, meet-ups, and events where you can learn from industry professionals, network with fellow designers, and gain valuable insights.

Thomas Gagen
Creative Director