As a graphic designer I am always mindful how important visual representation is. How your company is perceived is more often determined by your marketing collateral than any other thing short of direct interaction and word of mouth. What constitutes this visual representation includes but is not limited to:
- Website Product Packaging Commercials
- Business Cards Store and Office Uniforms/Attire Print Advertising
- Signage Invoices and Statements Company Newsletter
- Brochure Postcards Social Media Pages
- Pamphlets Emails Office Architecture
- Flyers Billboards
Many of you may have been surprised by the inclusion of attire and office architecture. Pause and think how many times you have driven to a place of business and had an immediate reaction to what the company is like based on the building condition, design and location. Are they conservative, flamboyant, lazy, reserved, cautious, trendy, traditional or modern? Such inferences determine what we will expect before the first word is ever spoken and attire is no different. How you present yourself professionally is perhaps one of the largest indicators of your business style and/or what you deem as important. This doesn't mean that it requires wearing Armani slacks to do oil changes. What it does mean is that one must consider a healthy balance between appropriateness, practicality and making a statement consistent with your visual communication strategy.
The visual style of your business tells your prospective customer more about you than you realize. Consider your invoice design. Is is plain or detailed? Is it itemized with every phase of the project or product? How are your business cards? Are they on flimsy stock or are they thick and shiny with fancy graphics? Will it show that you spared no expense which might be seen as wasteful if you're a street hotdog vendor? Or sparing no expense on business cards might be considered normal for a Wall Street broker? It can say a great deal about your company before words are ever spoken.
Whatever the state of your visual communication materials, the first thing to consider is the perceptual effect it will have on your customers and the public in general. You also have to consider whether or not you're maximizing its effectiveness and your ROI. I often think of product packaging and labeling on this point. I've seen the same product packaged and labeled differently to appease the taste and preferences of the market served; one package with different colors, typeface and styling sold to different ethnic groups. There is nothing illegal about it. It is simply maximizing your visual communication strategy by capitalizing on racial and ethnic diversity. Many large corporations have done this by making their websites in different languages with layouts, colors, and a user interface that addresses the preferences of a specific group. This is maximizing your visual strategy simply by being mindful of diversity.
The next time you have postcards designed, consider having one set in Chinese or the other in Spanish reflecting the colors, layout and visual tastes of the different groups. Tread carefully here. The last think you want to do is offend. Consult with a marketing professional before doing any grand ad campaigns without gathering all facts first. The last thing you want to do is make grand generalizations about anyone. All things being equal, you will be pleasantly shocked about how much feedback and responsiveness you get for simply considering and respecting the visual perceptiveness of one group or another. Frankly, I love designing postcards. It has more real estate than a business card to showcase your products and services. They are inexpensive to mail, and relatively inexpensive to produce. It's a great way to let people know who and what your business does without having to physically meet and hand your business card to them all.
Visual communication is all about perception. Whether it's a business card or postcard, flyer or poster, it's important to engage your audience in a way that positively reflects your organization's objectives and values.
