Over a 5-year study, McKinsey & Company, a global consulting firm,found that design-focused businesses outperformed their counterparts by as much as two to one, delivering an average of 32% higher revenue growth and an average of 56% higher shareholder return. The bottom line: good design matters and should be seen as an investment.

Further, there is a difference between knowing a skillset and being an expert at it, even if you have the right tools available. Consider the contrast between a friend snapping pictures on their smartphone or hiring a professional photographer for your wedding. Here’s why investing in the services of a professional design agency can have a substantial impact on your business.

Professional Design Makes a Strong First Impression
The first element a potential customer will notice about your business is the visual aspect of the design. It will only take them about 7 seconds, if not less, to make a judgment about your brand and your values. This is true for logos, websites, videos, brochures, white papers, etc. Design can literally make or break an impression in seconds, which is why it is critical to invest in impactful design and put your finest foot forward.

Good Design Promotes Trust and Establishes Authority
Make the most of this first impression by utilizing design to look professional. Think about it this way: would you wear a suit or sweatpants for an interview? Customers engaging with your brand or product for the first time will base many of their assumptions on how well your product and presentation are put together. Like the sweatpants, poor design conveys a lack of polish and competence to potential customers. On the other hand, investing in strong design across all customer-facing marketing assets makes you credible and demonstrates your expertise.

Professional Design Shows Customers You Care
Design is not solely about aesthetics; it is about creating a positive experience for users. Good design is empathetic because it addresses many different customers’ needs and reveals that thought and energy have gone into a product. Consumers intuitively know this, even if they cannot articulate it. That’s why people are drawn to certain brands over others. And that’s why it is so important to display your best self and invest in good design for every promotional material including, your logo, marketing collateral, packaging, and more.

A Consistent, Powerful Design Promotes Brand Recognition
There’s a reason people recognize the McDonalds “M” or the Nike “swoosh,” and further, have McDonalds on the forefront of their mind for fast food and Nike for sports apparel. It is because every TV commercial, billboard, poster, and more have a cohesive feel and consistent branding. The same concept applies on a much smaller scale as well. Even though your business card and sell sheet convey different information, consumers need to be able to connect the dots between the two. In fact, it takes 5-7 impressions for someone to remember your brand. Essentially, the more consistent your brand, the more memorable you become, and more importantly, investing in solid design will help you get there.

Professional Designers Understand Image Sourcing and Print Requirements
In addition to the visual benefits, working with an experienced design agency can be a time and money saver on the more technical aspects of design. For instance, professional designers have a deep understanding of image sourcing. Trademark issues are something you want to avoid at all costs and can be tricky to identify. Even a large brand like Crocs found themselves in hot water for reposting an Instagram photo without permission. Professional designers also understand concepts such as image resolution, file types, and printing specs. If you have ever printed a blurry or misaligned file, you can grasp why this is so important. Investing in a designer upfront will ensure unique artwork for your business with optimal design specifications and prevent long-term costly mistakes.

If you are ready to fully maximize your marketing potential with strong design, Evoke Idea Group is ready to help. We are a full-service design agency helping brands across all industries tell strong stories through smart design. For more than three decades, we’ve helped some of the world’s most trusted brands captivate and convert customers through impactful print and digital projects. Our experience allows us to hit the ground running on any size project. Find out what we can do for you in a complimentary consultation. Schedule yours today by email at hello@evokeideagroup.com or give us a call at (630) 639-8985.

About Evoke Idea Group

Evoke Idea Group is a Tucson, Arizona-based creative agency and marketing partner helping businesses nationwide solve marketing, branding, and communications challenges. For 30 years, we’ve helped businesses build stronger brands and connect with their audiences through strategic marketing, brand strategy, logo and identity design, graphic design, advertising, advertising campaigns, marketing campaigns, digital marketing, social media, video and motion graphics, packaging, print and sales materials, presentation design, trade show displays, infographics, and other creative services.

We work with businesses and marketing teams that need an experienced creative partner to turn ideas and strategies into effective marketing. We develop the creative concepts, produce the deliverables, and execute the materials needed to bring campaigns and communications to life. From a single creative project to a comprehensive marketing or advertising campaign, we help businesses move from strategy and concept through creative development and execution.