1. Good design makes your business look professional
People will start taking you professionally if you have a professional-looking brand. It’s reciprocal.
I remember clearly when my client turned to me for help for the first time. She was having so much anxiety because she thought that people are just taking her casually.
However, after we launched her brand, it was like magic. People started to take her professionally. And not just that, she started to attract her ideal clients which she was not able to do before she had her branding in place.
Professional design establishes TRUST.
When there is trust, people will come rushing for your services without you moving a finger. Remember that when you build a brand, you build leverage.
2. Good design builds a good and lasting impression.
Did you know that studies reveal that 94% of first impressions are design-related? People make snap judgments, we all know that! As online entrepreneurs, you only have 50ms to make your site visitors stay on your website. With this being said, we only have a matter of milliseconds to lure that potential client to get to know us. So take advantage of that moment.
If you have read my recent post on First 5 Things Visitors Want to See on Your Website, then you’ll understand which sections you need to focus on. You have to work on these essential parts of your website to stop that visitor from clicking that close button.
You’ll only gain this good and lasting impression when there is clarity to your message. It would be difficult to portray that clarity if your brand isn’t cohesive at all. If there is no harmony across all your social media platforms, website, business card, etc, how would you think your potential clients would feel about your business?
Let’s say you are a life coach. You are teaching your clients how to live in harmony with all things around them. However, your brand is somehow showing the opposite since there is no consistency from your email signature to your website.
Your typography is different on your website and workbooks. Your logo is not consistent on your social media accounts and on your website. You use random colors just because you like them. It is, therefore, giving your clients the wrong signal. How can you teach harmony if there is no harmony in your brand? You should walk the talk.
A cohesive brand design connects you to your potential clients in a straight path. It eliminates confusion. The message is sent clear and crisp. With a clear and crisp message, your audience will feel good about the experience. Then, they start to connect.
3. Good design motivates leads to get to know you more.
When you are able to establish a good and lasting impression with your audience, then they will start to connect and get to know you more.
Congratulations, you passed the first step of getting their attention by using a good brand design!
When you repeatedly present a consistent visual experience, people will start to recognize your brand. This is how to achieve brand recognition. Consistency is key.
That’s why it is important to show up consistently on social media (with a cohesive brand, of course).
In social media, we always make it a point that our posts are scroll-stopping. This is because we want to get our audience’ attention. The attention span of humans nowadays is shorter than that of a goldfish. But how are we going to do so if our brand is not visually appealing?
Buffer conducted a research study on how engagement would differ between a tweet with an image versus a text-only tweet. As expected, the results showed that users engaged at a rate 5X higher when an image was included. So, Buffer recommends that if you want to increase your retweets by 150%, include an image! That is how powerful visuals are.
Once you are able to get your audience attention, grab it while it’s hot! Nurture those leads. Motivate them to engage with you without being salesy. Your brand will do this for you, in a more subtle manner. THIS is the power behind a good branding design.
4. Good design accelerates ROI.
Remember that your clients decided to avail of your service because they TRUST you.
When you have already built that Know-Like-Trust factor then your Return on Investment (ROI) is quicker than you expect it. You have now created that particular image that you want your clients to think about your brand. They have already felt your vibe and they like it.
Take note that your brand is not what you think about your business, it is what your clients think about you. They will start to feel your vibe. And once your clients are delighted they become your brand ambassadors. Therefore, it drives real business results. You will eventually get referrals naturally.
So, when your client Jenn shares her wonderful experience with your business to her friend Sarah, she will check your website and your social media. And since your brand is visually appealing and cohesive all throughout, Sarah will be convinced that Amy was indeed right about your business.
Since the message is clear and cohesive, your audience will take the action that you desire them to do. And when they take the desired action, they eventually become your client! More clients = more sales = faster ROI.
5. Good design makes your brand stand out
Using design effectively will definitely make you stand out from the online clutter. This is perhaps one of the most important reasons why you need to invest in design.
How would you set your business above the rest?
Your brand story makes you unique. You need to share your story. This should be authentic! But how can you communicate your story to your target audience?
Simple – communicate your story to your potential clients through design.
Your logo, tagline, color harmony, your symbols, and typography will give you a competitive advantage.
If you anticipate growth in your business, then absolutely yes – investing in design is worth it!
So, if you are looking forward to growing your business, why DIY your brand design when this is the single most important thing in your business?
If branding is not in your zone of genius, consult an expert, and invest in a DONE-FOR-YOU branding service. Promise, you will thank yourself after. It will spare you the stress and anxiety.
And yes, it will be worth every single penny that comes out of your pocket!
