Why Great Graphic Design [Really] Matters for your Small Business

Small businesses always undervalue graphic design. When businesses face financial problems, they often first cut down their creative budget. 

Yet, we strongly believe that graphic design matters in the workplace. Here are some of the reasons why small businesses should emphasise more on graphic design.

Statistics Don’t Lie – Design Converts

Are you someone who believes in solid numbers? Then take a look at these statistics that prove that graphic design is fiscally beneficial to your small business.

In the 2005 study done by a group called The Design Council, they discovered that companies that put more effort in their design did way better than the ones that didn’t : by 200%.

If you need further convincing, another finding that came out from this study shows that “every £100 a design alert business spends on design increases turnover by £225”.

Statistics don’t lie, design do converts. So, invest in graphic design for your small business because you will be winning in the long run.

Graph courtesy of Eglinski. Check out the performance of design-alert businesses (red) against businesses that aren’t design-conscious (yellow)

Packaging Design Changes how People Think about your Product

Yes, all of us know the proverb “Do not judge a book by its cover.” Yet, knowing it doesn’t make it any easier to prevent judging the product based on its packaging. That’s why graphic design matters in making the packaging work and the product sell.

In fact, Malcolm Gladwell found out that slight additions and changes to a certain product’s packaging actually alter the reaction and taste people had. Look at some of these findings summarised by blogger Joseph Putnam.

“If you add 15 percent more yellow to the green on 7 UP packaging, people report that it has more lime or lemon flavour, even though the drink itself was left untouched.”

All of these discovery further proves graphic design matters , especially when building your brand identity! Don’t underestimate this impact on your small business and make proper design decisions in your packaging to make it work.

Great Design = Memorable Brand

Let’s be honest here : you’ve probably bought a product over another simply because it’s ‘better-looking’.

Chances are, the great graphic design is what made this possible, be it the website layout of the video hosting site or the label of the snack bar you just picked up. So, what can make your brand unique is your sleek design.

Look at this example : Blk Water is uniquely different from bottled water brands because the water is black. Despite the blackness supposedly coming from the added minerals and nutrients, the black is the obvious design that sets them apart from the other competitors.

Truth is that, many people find this black water cool. People are happy to pay more for this specific brand despite this water tasting the same as your normal bottled water brands. This is a new experience for people that they’ll enjoy. Therefore, this design alone sets Blk Water apart from the pack and shows that graphic design matters.

Design is More Than How it Looks

Graphic design matters. Yet, good design is more than making it look pretty, it’s even more about making it user-friendly and ensuring it works well.

To make it simple, design is like a translation & communication service.

It isn’t just about making fonts on your letterhead look nice, it’s more about putting together colours, images and typography on your letterhead, turning complicated data and software capabilities into a simple user-friendly format, as well as figuring out the best way to convey your information and value to your audience.

Quick example to consider : Canva. Graphic design isn’t the simplest business with the endless elements to examine, tools to utilise and things to learn. Yet, with a simple interface on Canva, tedious task of selecting format and organising image are made easy with a click of the button, making the design process a breeze for most people.

Yes, these are the reasons why graphic design matters to your small business. But no, creativity and good graphic design don’t grow on trees. Do hire a professional designer to help your business be truly successful.

If you’re keen to make your business stand out from all others, contact us today!