The way your business is presented will shape every interaction you have with your audience. How can you have the benefits of a voice that stands out amongst competitors, while working within the constraints of a budget?
Big or small, new or old, every business deserves to look good and present themselves with their best foot forward.
Constrictions are the key to unlocking good old kiwi ingenuity!
Yes, certain aspects of graphic design and marketing can be expensive, but don’t undervalue the key areas of your brand’s design and visual communication. These solid foundations can make a massive difference in how the public views your business.
So, what’s the solution here?
Contact a creative design studio! Talk about the brand and marketing material you want to create, improve, or freshen up – and discuss your budget. A graphic designer will be able to use their problem-solving skills to suggest ideas and create a design strategy to help you prioritise and accomplish the most important aspects first. The rest can be built on if, and when needed.
Having a brand foundation is a great start to being noticed by potential clients or customers. Spending any amount of money on the ‘luxury’ of design and marketing material may feel like a distant dream, but it really is crucial to tell your business story and let the locals know who you are. There is no rulebook or guideline to what you need, but showing you can adapt and evolve is an invaluable starting point.
For example, we had a client approach us who was creating a new public event from scratch. They came to us with a few ideas but needed someone who knew how to bring it all together. We had a meeting about their needs, what was important to achieve, what aspects are unconditional vs nice-to-have, and their budget. From here, we put together a detailed design strategy that broke down what they needed now and what could wait.
A logo – this was needed immediately.
A show programme – that could wait.
First, we developed the logo, a poster, and vehicle signage. Building the brand and public awareness about the event with a well-presented foundation was key.
A year later, we developed pull up banners, press advertising, and social media graphics. These built on the design materials that had been created the previous year, further building up brand awareness in the public’s mind.
When the time came, the final piece of the puzzle was developed – the show programme. In previous years, the show programme had been put together by the client in a commonly used format, a standard size, simple printing, with a logo on the front, letting the audience know what they could expect to see and when – it did its job.
We helped take it to the next level by including the identifiable brand graphics we had been developing over the years, giving it a unique design, and had it printed as a custom size. Creating a thoughtfully designed programme that impressed the audience and left a lasting impression of the event.
It’s not always a case of making a big, extravagant advertising campaign. Sometimes it’s a case of having someone knowledgeable in your corner to help you focus on a basic design strategy that works for the unique needs of your business.
Whether you want to work on a project-by-project basis, by retainer, or create an all-inclusive strategy, your graphic designer can help plan this with you!
Don’t let your competitor stand in front of you. Contact a local graphic designer and start the conversation – it will be one of the best investments you make for your business.
