Graphic design is an essential element of marketing success for any business and should play a huge role in your marketing plan – from message delivery to user experience.

Graphic design isn’t just having access to the right design programs; it’s a combination of skill, science, and marketing experience, and is crucial in making your brand shine. Strong graphic design for your website and marketing materials, paired with the right marketing tools, will help your business stand out from the crowd. It has the ability to make brands memorable and convert potential leads into actual customers.

Effective graphic design can increase your conversion rates and and quickly spread your message to your audience. The following five points illustrate why professional graphic design is essential to the success of your business:

1. Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is the culmination of design, marketing message, and customer service. Your company’s brand image starts with a strong logo and reaches every aspect of your business. Your logo should speak to your target audience in a way that is functional, attractive, and professional. Your brand should provide an instant connection to the products and services you offer, and a professionally designed logo and marketing materials will help you make the connection you need with your customers.

2. Consistency

Consistent design is key to brand recognition – for both your employees and your customers. The launching point for this is often a logo, and brand recognition steadily grows from there with consistent, effective messaging across all media channels. You want your team to be surrounded by stationary, company web pages, uniforms, publications, and brand messaging that consistently tells them they belong to a team with a clear mission. You also want your customers and prospects to immediately know they’re working with a strong, consistent brand with every touchpoint they have with you.

3. Professionalism

On any given day, your company is competing with marketing messages from thousands of other companies. You want to be sure that your brand stands out in a unique and professional way.

Your company should strive to make a strong first impression on clients, vendors, and prospects – and you only have a few seconds to do that. A website or marketing materials that look cheap or are difficult to understand do nothing to improve the image of your company. It can be hard to change the negative impression that your company cannot afford a professional design.

4. Communication

The impact of graphic design extends beyond your logo. Professional graphic design should be used in all of your marketing – from your PowerPoints to your sell sheets – to produce materials that clearly communicate your ideas to your target audience. Informative images paired with clear, concise copy can quickly communicate ideas that create a great impression and leave a positive impact.

5. Make it Easy for Your Customers

A poorly designed website or communications can lead your customers feeling lost, overwhelmed, or not sure what to do next. Practical and useful communications should include logical navigation, legible fonts, and colors that are in keeping with your brand guidelines. Make sure all of your communications are professionally designed with clear calls to action that encourage your customers to make the next logical step and do business with your brand.

At MCG, graphic design is at the core of what we do. From websites and mobile apps to branding, social media, and video, we’ll help you capture the potential of graphic design to help you meet your business objectives. Give us a call to discuss your next project.