The ROI of Good Design

In today’s digital age, visual communication plays an increasingly important role in establishing a brand’s identity and attracting potential customers. Good graphic design can be the difference between a successful marketing campaign and a failed one. But what is the return on investment (ROI) of good graphic design? Let’s explore this question in more detail.

Design is Important

Design is powerful. Design is about communicating a message to a viewer. The message can be to make a sale, create a loyal customer, encourage someone to attend your event—the list goes on.

According to McKinsey’s The Business Value of Design report, the companies that are strong at design show superior business performance and outperform industry-benchmark growth by as much as two to one.

Brand Recognition

First, good graphic design can increase brand recognition and recall. A well-designed logo, for example, can become an easily recognizable symbol of your brand. This can help you stand out from competitors and make it easier for customers to remember and identify your brand. With increased recognition and recall, you are more likely to attract and retain customers, leading to increased sales and revenue.

Establish Trust

Moreover, good graphic design can help you establish trust and credibility with potential customers. Professional-looking designs can convey a sense of reliability and expertise, making customers more likely to trust and engage with your brand. In contrast, poorly designed visuals can have the opposite effect, making your brand appear unprofessional, less trustworthy, and show your message isn’t important.

Enhance the Message

Good graphic design can enhance your brand’s message and storytelling. By creating visuals that align with your brand’s values and narrative, you can better connect with your target audience and communicate your message effectively. This can help you build a stronger brand identity and increase customer loyalty.

Improve User Experience

In addition to these benefits, good website design can also improve user experience and website navigation. By designing easy-to-use interfaces, clear navigation menus, and visually appealing content, you can make it easier for customers to find what they are looking for and engage with your brand. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business.

Measuring Good Design

So, how do you measure the ROI of good design? There are several metrics that you can track to determine the effectiveness of your designs. These include:

Your message is important!

Well-designed collateral with eye-catching designs will help your message stand out amongst other competitors. We live in a visual world needing to constantly be entertained, informed, and distracted from our day-to-day lives. We are overstimulated by the visuals being thrown at us, so you’ll want to make something that stands out to your target audience.

While good design is subjective — you’ll know if new designs are working for your business when it helps solves a business problem. But how do you create good design?

1. Aesthetics: Good design should be aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing. This can be achieved through the use of color, typography, hierarchy, and imagery, as well as through the overall layout and composition of the design.
2. Consistency: Consistency is important in good design, as it helps users to feel comfortable and familiar with the design. This can be achieved through the use of consistent colors, fonts, and layouts throughout the design.
3. Functionality: Good design should be functional and meet the needs of the user. It should be easy to use and navigate, and serve its intended purpose effectively.
4. Simplicity: Simplicity is key in good design. A design that is cluttered and complicated can be overwhelming and confusing to users. By keeping things simple and clear, you can create a design that is both visually appealing and easy to use.
5. Accessibility: Good design should be accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities. This can be achieved by using clear and legible fonts, providing alternative text for images, and ensuring that the design is easy to navigate for those using assistive technologies.

Conclusion

Good design can have a significant ROI for businesses of all sizes. By enhancing brand recognition, establishing trust and credibility, improving user experience, and enhancing storytelling, good design can help businesses increase customer loyalty and drive sales revenue. By measuring metrics such as conversion rate, brand recognition, customer engagement, and sales revenue, businesses can determine the effectiveness of their designs and optimize their marketing campaigns accordingly.

Good design should always be the goal for you and your business. While sometimes it may feel like the easy route to create something yourself, consider your time and investment. What if you took the time (aka money) you spent creating something and hired a professional?

Stay tuned for more blogs on why font and color choice can impact your branding and design.