Incase you are wondering what exactly I mean by 'Visual Branding' and 'Business Identity', quite simply I am taking about the Graphic Design used in your business. From your logo to fonts, colours, flyers, business cards and promo graphics.It is quite likely that you started out with a logo and maybe some colours and fonts, and here and there have worked on various graphics for your business. As things have grown and your needs expanded extra graphics have been made. And so over that time, your tastes may have changed slightly, you may have been inspired by different things, and you may have learnt new skills and tricks for designing.This is why it is wise to take a moment to review and go over everything you have to see if it is all consistently branded if anything is missing or needs refreshing and if all your graphics are working well and attracting the right people to your business.
Visual Branding is all about Communication.
Visual branding is visual communication side of your business. We may assume much of our communication and message is through words. However, research shows 93% of all communication is non-verbal and the brain processes visual content 60,000 times faster than text.
It is vital that you are sending the right message through your branding and business graphics.
Colours create feelings and have psychological associations, that send us messages subconsciously. Fonts can position your brand and tell a story about the kind of business you are and who you are for. Your layouts can lead the eye and direct how the viewer sees the design.There are many subtle cues in graphic design, that communicate a message before people read any of your text.So it is important to establish what your message is, what you want people to think about your business and who you want it to be speaking to. Once the message you want to tell is clear, you can review your graphics and branding to make sure it is properly communicating that message.
Consistency is key for a Strong Business Identity
Think about when you go to the supermarket, and go to buy your favourite brands. You identify them by their packaging. You may have caught yourself asking someone to pick up your favourite snack and saying 'Can you get me the one in the red square box'. And if they decide to re-design their packaging, we find ourselves lost, and questioning where that brand we like has gone.We tend to recall visuals far more easily than names and words. Images and colours stick in our minds and are highly memorable. So being consistent in your visual branding and having a strong consistent identity, makes you memorable and easily recognisable.
We tend to recall visuals far more easily than names and words. Images and colours stick in our minds and are highly memorable.
So if things have been a little inconsistent, it may be time to re-assess and review your current visual branding and graphics.
Visual Marketing is on the Rise
Did you know an estimated 84 percent of communications will be visual by 2018? With so much information out there, people are wanting to consume information faster, and the fastest way to get a message across is through visual communication.Considering you have a mere 50 milliseconds to create the first impression, you visuals need to be making a great impression. We will see over the coming years beautiful visuals having the greatest rate of engagement and views. You don't want to miss an opportunity to impress and draw in your ideal audience, so it is important to get those visuals down pat and have a strong identity that attracts the eye.
Positioning and Proffessionalism
If your graphics are well designed and consistent it makes your business look professional and gives that instant impression of expertise, and trustworthiness.If everything is cohesive and thoughtful, your audience will feel that. They will sense the care and professionalism put into your business. This will make them more likely to trust you and buy from you. If you look like a hobby business or a bit of a mess, it is harder to feel at ease handing over cash, knowing it is going into good hands.It speaks volumes, that if you take care of your business, and thoughtfully put it together, that it should translate into you taking care and attention to your customers and clients and audience.So if your business has grown and things have changed over time, it is good to go over your visuals and take the time to make sure everything is consistent and giving the right impression about the business you operate and the service you provide.
Don't Put it Off
The old saying 'plumber have dripping taps' and 'the builder's house is never finished' can easily ring true in our own businesses. When you are so busy taking care of your customers and clients, you can find yourself putting off taking care of your own business needs.If you want a business that grows, communicates the right message, is easier to manage and displays consistency and professionalism so as to attract the best kind of customers, it is important to take the time to review how things are going and make adjustments where needed.
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