Whether we realize it or not, we often judge books by their covers. We see the brands people are wearing before we greet them. We judge the content and quality of a store by the postcard they send us in the mail. We judge a professional by the style of their business card.

Graphic design is all around us, and it affects our decision making throughout the day. Businesses may not always realize the value of graphic design, but it can make or break a brand, and influence buyers to purchase. Business owners may think that investing in marketing is enough, but what they may not understand is how much graphic design boosts their marketing efforts. Below are a few ways graphic design can help your business:

Become memorable.

Graphic design raises awareness for your company. Think of the Nike swoosh, or the McDonald’s golden arches—everyone recognizes these two companies by their design. It’s the image people will always remember. If you develop a signature icon, a symbol of your company brand, and get it out into the public, people will start to remember you. 

Here's a tip: Keep it simple. Remember the brands I referenced above? They, along with other memorable brands, keep their logos simple. 

A company’s graphic design and representation is a direct representation of its performance. If you have a clean and professional logo, website and materials, then people will associate those traits with the quality of your business and the overall quality of your company as you become more memorable.

Use design to support your message.

Another way graphic design can help you is in portraying your message. A picture is worth a thousand words, and if people can understand the mission of your business just by looking at your logo, then you are doing something right. With an easily understood message in your logo, you will be able to reach a larger market. Customers don’t want to have to search for your mission statement on your website in order to understand what you do. Make things simple for your customer, and you’ll be surprised what it will do for you.

One specific place you can use design to support your message is on your website. Using graphic design to improve your website is one of the best ways to measure your graphic design ROI. Make your site more pleasing to the eye by giving people more visuals to look at. This will help increase the time people spend on your site. A good use of graphic design is inviting to customers, and using effective design on the call to action portions of your website will often times increase the success rate.

Graphic design is a strategic way to polish your business, aid your marketing efforts, and help you grow. Not only does your company’s design drive sales, but it sets you apart from your competition. How do you implement graphic design at your business? Let us know in the comments below!