You may not realize it, but graphic design plays a huge role in nearly every aspect of your business. A well-designed logo can bring new customers and help you stand out from the competition. Posters and flyers can turn strangers into loyal fans and help you get the word out about your company. With how vital graphic design is to a business’s success, it’s no wonder that so many people are looking to hire a graphic designer to create professional designs for their business. So whether you want to hire a graphic designer or choose to do it yourself, we have put together three things that every successful business should have when it comes to graphic design.
- Logo or Brand Mark
The logo is the visual representation of your brand. It's the image that people associate with your company and products. When done correctly, it will be a visual shorthand for everything you want people to know about your business. A logo doesn't need to be complicated to be effective. The simplest logos can be the most powerful, as they are easier to remember or recognize in a crowded marketplace. For example, Nike's "swoosh" has become synonymous with the activewear company and its products. The same goes for Apple's ubiquitous bitten apple.
If you are a small business owner just starting out, you might think that logos are only necessary for big companies like Nike or Apple — but this is not true. A logo is an important part of branding your business, but it doesn't need to be expensive or difficult. You can create a memorable logo using one of several free online tools or a combination of software programs. But what if you don't have a background in graphic design? No worries. A logo creator can help you create the perfect logo for your business.
- Color Palette
If you're like most people, you don't have a color palette on your to-do list. But every business owner needs one. That's because colors impact our emotions, affect our moods, and can even change the way we see things.That may sound a bit new age, but it's based on scientific fact. Colors are simply different wavelengths of light. The human brain responds to them on an instinctive level and they appear to have a direct effect on how we think and act.
Businesses understand this if they're using colors strategically. Whether they realize it or not, they're using colors to shape how people feel about their products and brand. They want customers to associate positive feelings with their products, so they tend to use colors that evoke those feelings when designing product packaging, logos and websites
For example, red is associated with hunger, passion and excitement; blue is relaxing, soothing and trustworthy; yellow is cheerful; green is refreshing; purple is regal; pink is feminine; grey is sophisticated; brown is earthy and organic; black evokes authority and luxury. If you're not sure what colors will work best for your business, start by surveying customers or following your instincts about what makes them tick.
- Selection of Fonts
Like anything else in the world of web design, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing fonts. However, there is a difference between hitting the backspace key on your keyboard and working with a combination of fonts that speak to your brand identity. When choosing a font, you should consider the following, your font choice should be able to convey your business or brand image effectively. If you are thinking about using a script font for a law firm site, it probably won't work.
Consider what your company is trying to communicate and choose the font that best represents that message. The same goes for size, color, line height, and any other styling options. And while you may have found the perfect font for your business and branding, if it's not easy to read, then it will actually do more harm than good for your site. Keep in mind that modern fonts tend to be easier to read than ancient ones. Combinations of fonts can also affect legibility. Using an old-style serif with a modern sans serif can help create a visual hierarchy on a page, but some combinations simply don't work well together.
As a business owner, you want your customers to remember you. More than that, you want their positive impression to make them feel comfortable ordering from you again. However, in the age of technology where consumers rely on visual cues, it is necessary for your business to have a variety of graphic design elements in place so that your organization will be memorable and that potential customers will choose your business over others.