Getting your Visual Communications right is a key step to building a successful business. First impressions are important and they reflect the brand. Your brand.
Visual Communication communicates an idea through the visual display of information; it helps us understand the messages portrayed. There are a lots of ways you can present information visually. These include using gestures, body language, video, web and TV mediums. Here at Nvisage, the focus is on the presentation of text, pictures, photos, etc.
Evaluating the success of Visual Communication design is mainly based on measuring how well your audience understands your intended messages. The visual expression of your business will evoke an experience for your potential clients and therefore it’s critical to get this right. Whatever medium you use to visually express the brand of your company, as long as it is consistent in quality and messaging and it creates the same experience throughout, it can be extremely effective. See also ‘corporate identity’.
The web is a great communications tool and is possibly the most popular tool that’s used today to create a positive visual impression. However it’s important to remember other aspects of your business and how they are represented. These include promotional materials, logos, newsletters, etc. They all need to convey that they belong to the same ‘family of look and feel’ to successfully convince and enhance the perception of your company.
Promotional materials are an example I would like to highlight here.
Join up your designs
Having a nice website with a good user experience is important. However, if you send out a brochure which fails to convey the same brand and associated messaging, this can sadly reflect badly on your company’s image. And it can potentially create negative perceptions of your business.
In these times when we have instant access to content, people shy away from printing large company brochures, and in line with environmental issues, I agree in part with this.
That said, there’s an argument for taking an agile approach to using a company brochure. That is, by using new technology to print small runs digitally, there’s really no excuse not to have a brochure or at least a company profile sheet. It serves as a hand out for your potential clients. Or something you can send with a nice letter to an existing client, to remind them of your skills and keep you in their sight for future business. If it’s appealing and very helpful, they may even keep it.
A nice brochure isn’t just about having some text with nice pictures with smiley faces, but actually needs to have engaging content with well structured overviews and the right calls to actions (even if we can’t click them). Even better, if you can combine this product with an offering.
The same rules apply: First impressions.
If your printed promotional materials look dated, it reflects on your company badly. That it’s dated and possibly not progressive. You can’t afford to make this kind of mistake.
Business cards and more
Your immediate reaction to new acquaintances is based on what you see. You are out on the road meeting a prospective client and just when you have completed a perfect sales pitch, you take out an old, crumpled business card. That will be the last impression you give to that client.
Yes it is only a business card, but it will remind this client of your attention to detail, the care that you haven’t taken with that card. Furthermore it can convey the idea that you are not very professional.
So, always have an up-to-date, high quality business card at hand. It reflect s on you and your business. A business card could expand to more, by having well chosen content to communicate what you do and who you are; kinda telling who you are AND ‘what is in the tin’.
Toolkits and sales aids
By simply creating a basic toolkit (a folder with some inserts), which can be used for sales staff, resellers, prospective clients and existing clients, you have a very flexible tool for promotional material which offers some great benefits.
By creating factsheets, datasheets, profile sheets, newsletters for this toolkit, you are constantly updating the toolkit so that it’s current, and therefore communicating to users the benefits of being up-to-date. Furthermore, sales staff have a professional image to take to their sales pitches. They can even have a note pad in the back of the toolkit.
New prospective clients can be handed a very sophisticated precious kit with information which is useful to them. They will keep it on their shelf and when the time comes they may pull it out to give you a call.
Existing clients can be updated with the latest white papers, case studies, newsletters; information which relates to their business.
These type of measures show a very agile approach to representing and selling your company.
Newsletters
An engaging and well structured newsletter with a strong visual impact can remind a person of your company on a regular basis. These type of valuable visual communication aids will create the right image whilst passing on helpful information. Let a newsletter be a tool which is exciting to read and visually appealing and therefore will be liked by the reader.
It will reflect your company well and will keep reminding your readers of your business talents. This in turn can generate vital leads.
Our approach
Nvisage has lots of experience in developing visual language systems for communication for varied businesses and organisations. This is because our marketing team and designers understand human communication in a social context. This requires critical thinking and intellectual flexibility as well as creative flair. And it involves understanding what your audiences will connect with.
In communication, messages are paramount. But good visual design supports the message and enhances its delivery. We can help you to deliver positive, interesting messages which enhance your brand and resonate with your audiences and therefore help you grow your business or organisation.
For a ‘creative’ chat call us on 0845 094 3331 or email Sandra Staufer.
