Graphic design is a skill used to communicate a message visually. It can be physical, digital, or anywhere in between. It is a form of art used to achieve goals by utilizing symbols, images, or even words. By using various graphic elements and tools, it helps in expressing ideas and concepts aesthetically.
In today’s competitive world, graphic design plays an important role. We, humans, are inclined towards visuals. Statistics also show that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text. Thus, it makes sense to say that graphics are one of the most powerful tools that can be used to stay on top of the game. It is not always necessary that businesses use graphic designs to promote their products or services. They can also use it to serve any useful information to their target audience.
Just like any other project, a design project also requires following certain strategies. Design strategy refers to a combined planning process that observes the relationship between how design and business complement each other. In simple terms, the aim is to integrate the business objectives with creative solutions.
A lot of people often confuse design strategy with design brief. Well, there is a difference between the two. A design strategy is how we can approach a particular project while design brief frames the goals and objectives. Both are important to create meaningful and eye-catching designs.
In this blog, we will be sharing some of the top graphic design strategies that can help your business stand out among competitors. Let’s get started!
- Be clear with your objective:
Every project starts with an objective. To create graphics for your business, the first and foremost thing you need to do is to have clarity with your objective. Why do you want to create a particular design? Is it for raising brand awareness or for making profits? Having a clear understanding of the objective will help you come up with a meaningful design.
- Research your competitors:
The next thing you need to do is to research your competitors and see what trends they are following, how they are communicating their messages, etc. It will help you come up with a strategy that can make your design stand out from theirs. To get ideas for your project, you can also research companies other than your competitors such as Apple, Nike, Starbucks, etc. Apart from their products and services, all these companies invest in great designs too.
- Use your brand colors:
In graphic design, colors play a crucial role. They have the power to make or break a design. They also communicate with the audience at their subconscious levels. As per the latest statistics:
- 85 percent of people consider colors the key reason to make a buying decision.
- 90 percent of people make a judgment about products based on color.
So, if you have any brand color, then it is advisable to make maximum use of that color(s) in your design. It will help the audience recognize your brand instantly. United Colors of Benetton (UCB) is one of the brands that use their brand color (Green) in every design. If you don’t have any brand color, then use those colors that communicate your brand message perfectly. And for that, you need to have a clear understanding of the meanings behind every color. For example, the blue color is associated with professionalism, trust, power, and authority.
Be consistent with your fonts:
Just like colors, fonts play an important role in graphic design too. They too have the power to make or break a design. No matter how great your design is, if the font is not good, it may turn off the potential customers. Make sure that the fonts you choose should be readable and clearly visible even from a distance. Once you finalize the font, try to use it in all your designs. This will help you maintain consistency and help your audience recognize your brand easily.
- Keep your designs simple:
In designing, the term ‘simple’ is often misunderstood. A lot of people relate simple design with a plain design. Well, it’s not true! In designing, simplicity means creating a design without depending on superfluous elements. If you look at the designs, let’s say of the logos of big companies like Apple, Nike, Microsoft, you will find that all these brands have simple, unique, and memorable logos. So, just like these brands, if you also want to have unique and memorable designs, make sure you keep it simple and clean.
Conclusion:
We understand that being an entrepreneur, one needs to take care of a lot of important things. But you cannot ignore the designing part. Because ultimately, it is through graphics that you can communicate well with your audience and grab their attention. So, follow these graphic design strategies and create iconic designs for your business. Want to hire a freelance graphic designer for your project? Designhill is your one-stop solution!