Graphic Design & Websites

Graphic design includes all digital and print marketing and brand-centric materials or assets. This includes logos, websites, digital and traditional ads, print collateral, sales materials, PowerPoint presentations, annual reports, event invitations, social media graphics, posts, and profiles, signage, brochures, and other graphics (for PDFs, websites, infographics, and social marketing). It is not only about making something look attractive. A design still must explain why it matters, outline key messaging, effectively highlight calls-to-action, and successfully summarize your unique value proposition and differentiators. If people have to comb through too many words, or struggle to immediately capture the primary message, graphic design work will not generate ROI.

Graphic design can be too cluttered, vague, cliché, or boring. Strategy gives the project the focus that’s needed to make the marketing effort pay off. This ensures that visuals, copy, messaging, and relevance are masterfully communicated. Strategy gives the project a reason before those opinions take over.

The “discovery phase” is where smart designers and marketers start. First and foremost, specific goals and objectives are identified. This is the number one imperative. Then, questions are asked, audience needs/wants are examined, and differentiators are clearly identified. To stand apart and build thought leadership, guesswork must be eliminated.

It is all too common that too many cooks are in the (marketing) kitchen. Revisions start piling up, and the focus is lost. A strategic brief is the remedy, an integral guide for creative projects. It keeps the strategic imperatives, audience/s, goals, message, and direction aligned. Without it, a design project can drift.

A website is often where people go to determine if an organization is the “right fit” for the stakeholders’ needs. Authenticity, differentiation, user experience (UX), and *immediate* access to relevant information (for each audience group) are several factors that determine a website’s appeal and performance. The design matters, but so does the wording, layout, images, videos, menus, and navigation through the site architecture. A beautiful site can still be confusing or miss the mark.

A lack of planning and expert management are likely to make a website or design project weak, at best. This causes disconnectedness and confusion. If the logo conveys one thing, the overall site design another, and the content yet another, people will lose interest and seek out other partners or resources. If the message is buried under the design or the messaging is too commonly used, you’ll risk looking like your competitors. There will be no clear reason for people to pursue your organization and its products, mission, or services.

Yes. Creative work can get messy fast. Deadlines move, feedback gets vague, and small changes turn into bigger ones. A managed process helps keep the project from losing its original purpose. Website designers, programmers, and graphic design agencies should utilize best-in-class project management software/tools to guide the process, exceed client expectations, and ensure proactive communications (no surprises).

No. The visuals matter, but they do not do the job alone. Good design helps people understand, remember, and trust what they are seeing. This means eliminating clutter, confusion, and ineffective messaging and calls to action.