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Crafting Credibility: The Secrets Of Good Graphic Design For Business

If you have ever wondered if good graphic design matters for your business, the answer is yes! Good graphic design plays a very important role in the overall success of your business because it’s true what they say: people “judge a book by its cover,” and potential clients judge a business by the way it visually looks online or in print.

Not only do potential customers judge your business by its looks, but the look of your brand significantly impacts customer engagement and brand reputation.

Your business brand image conveys your overall brand identity and business values and has the potential to attract your ideal client. Professional graphic design for your business is crucial for attracting potential customers and subtly repelling those who do not align with your offerings.

The Secrets of Good Graphic Design For Business

Let’s go over the secrets of good graphic design for your business with these topics:

What Graphic Design Is and Is Not

Graphic Design IS:

It’s easy to get confused about what graphic design IS. At its core, graphic design is indeed an art form—a dynamic blend of creativity, visual communication, attraction, and problem-solving.

It’s the art of visually organizing information and ideas in a way that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and meaningful. Quality graphic design extends beyond mere aesthetics; to attract the right clientele, engaging the services of a professional designer is essential.

Professional designers possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise in visual communication, enabling them to craft designs that effectively convey messages, evoke emotions, and resonate with your target audience.

Their understanding of color theory, typography, layout principles, and industry trends allows them to create visually appealing and cohesive designs. These designs will leave a lasting impression and make it easy for potential customers to understand what your business is all about and what you are selling.

Additionally, professional designers have access to specialized industry tools and software, enabling them to execute their creative vision with precision and efficiency. Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are two programs that Soapbox Studio designers use on a daily basis.

Graphic Design Is NOT:

On the flip side, it’s important to understand what makes graphic design so specialized. First of all, graphic design is NOT easy. It takes a lot of practice, training, skill, and attention to detail. All Soapbox Studio designers have their bachelor’s degrees, and the combined experience of our lead designers on staff is over 50 years!

Graphic Design is also NOT just pretty images and fonts; it plays a crucial role in shaping a brand’s image. Design is about strategically leveraging design elements to communicate a brand’s values, personality, and message.

Through the careful selection of colors, font pairing, imagery, and layout, graphic design helps to establish a cohesive and memorable brand identity that resonates with the target audience.

Graphic Design is NOT just about choosing a template in Canva or a similar program and then choosing another template when you are bored with the first one. Good graphic design for your business is strategic and should blend cohesively with your brand guide and company image through thoughtful intention, always with the business’s client in mind.

 

Understanding the Different Types of Design For Your Business

Branding

To understand the different types of design your business can utilize, it’s important to learn what each type includes. First, there is branding, which includes your logo, brand guide, company color schemes, signature fonts, and samples of the type of imagery.

At the forefront of branding is your logo, the visual symbol that is the cornerstone of your brand identity. Alongside your logo, a well-defined brand guide provides a roadmap for maintaining consistency and cohesion across all brand touchpoints. Then, you will convey your brand’s tone and style from the company’s color schemes and signature fonts. Each component is crucial in reinforcing your brand’s identity and fostering recognition and trust among your audience.

The secret to credibility is using a professional brand guide. If you don’t already have one, have Soapbox Studio create one for you, or take a look at our Logo Rx package if you need a logo designed. You’ll want to use it whenever you hire a graphic designer to create designs for your business.

Pass it along to anyone working on your visuals or promotions. Keeping a cohesive look throughout your business establishes you as a rock-solid company.

Website

Our next type of graphic design for your business is your website. In today’s digital age, your website serves as the digital hub for your brand, making it one of the most important elements of your online presence. It’s not just a collection of web pages; it’s a dynamic platform that showcases your products, services, and brand identity to the world.

A professional website takes time to build and pull together all the foundation pieces that make it a great home for your business. It’s where you will showcase what you offer and who you are to everyone on the internet.

Adding cool pictures and graphics helps make it look even better. But it’s not just about looks; your website is also a powerful tool for growing your business. By making it easy for people to find you on search engines, giving them clear ways to get in touch, making purchases or payments, and using smart marketing tricks, your website can turn visitors into customers. So, investing in a top-notch website is key to making a big impact and getting ahead online.

Marketing

Our next type of graphic design for your business. Marketing encompasses diverse strategies and tactics to promote your products or services and attract customers.

From eye-catching advertisements to visually striking graphics across various channels, such as slide decks, email campaigns, and print materials, graphic design plays a pivotal role in capturing the attention of potential customers and conveying your message effectively through cohesive marketing.

Social Media Graphics

Let’s explore the next type of graphic design your business can implore – social media graphics. In today’s digital age, social media platforms have become indispensable tools for businesses to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive engagement.

Social media graphics encompass various visual content specifically tailored for these platforms, including posts, stories, banners, profile images, and advertisements.

Effective social media graphics are designed to inform and capture the attention of your target audience as they scroll through their feeds. To ensure maximum impact, they should be visually appealing, on-brand, and optimized for each platform’s unique specifications.

Published Content

Our next form of graphic design for business is published content. Newsletters, flyers, books, annual reports, and any other design you publish fall into this category.

Well-designed published content should capture readers’ interest with eye-catching visuals like featured images and infographics. Similarly, effective email newsletter design, with visually appealing layouts and compelling graphics, boosts engagement and drives conversions by optimizing readability across devices.

Digital Products

Your digital products are also a vital type of graphic design for your business. The digital products your business might create are workbooks, guides, checklists, lead magnets, slide decks, and more.

These products encompass a wide range of digital assets and experiences designed to enhance user engagement, streamline processes, and deliver value to customers.

Digital products have become an integral part of modern business strategies, and graphic design plays a crucial role in shaping their effectiveness and appeal. These digital assets serve various purposes, from educating and engaging audiences to generating leads and driving conversions. The better your digital products look, the more you will sell.

Video

Our final type of graphic design for your business is video. Video could be in a category all on its own, but has emerged as a powerful medium for communication, storytelling, and engagement. From short promotional clips to in-depth tutorials, video content offers businesses a dynamic and versatile platform to connect with their audience in a meaningful way.

Video graphic design encompasses a wide range of elements, including title graphics, visual effects, motion graphics, typography, branding elements, and more. These elements come together to create visually compelling and cohesive video content that will capture your customers’ attention and effectively communicate your brand message.

 

Utilizing Graphic Design For Business Success

Now that you understand the different types of graphic design for your business let’s explore how to utilize them successfully.

The best way to utilize graphic design in your business is to take a three-fold approach. You’ll want to make sure you have effective design strategies in place in these three areas of your business: print, web, and digital.

Effective Use of Print Design

First, let’s consider the realm of print design. Despite the digital age’s dominance, print materials remain a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their audience in tangible and memorable ways.

From business cards and brochures to posters and packaging, print design offers numerous opportunities to showcase your brand identity and convey your message effectively.

By investing in a professional print designer, businesses can leave behind the homemade look and provide a lasting, credible impression on customers and prospects, driving brand recognition and loyalty.

How To Best Use Web Design

Next, we have web design, which plays a central role in shaping your online presence and customer experience. Your website serves as the digital hub for your business, making it essential to prioritize user-friendly design, intuitive navigation, and visually engaging content.

From responsive layouts and compelling imagery to seamless functionality and intuitive navigation, effective web design is essential for capturing your visitor’s attention, driving engagement, and encouraging conversions.

A top-notch website serves as a tool for potential customers to learn everything they need to know about your business and inspires them to go down a path that will end in reaching out and further engaging your business.

The Best Use of Digital Design

Finally, digital design encompasses a wide range of assets and experiences that businesses leverage to connect with their audience in the digital realm. This includes social media graphics, slide templates and presentations, digital ads, and multimedia content such as videos and animations.

By adopting a strategic approach to utilizing digital design, businesses can create visually compelling and impactful digital experiences that resonate with their audience, drive engagement, and, ultimately, achieve their business objectives.

Professional design should be used purposefully across all three of these strategies, and when it is, magic happens! Your brand will automatically be elevated into a business you can be confident and proud of, which naturally boosts your sales.

How Graphic Design Can Increase Your Business Credibility

We talked a little bit about how professional graphic design can increase your business credibility, but let’s dive a bit deeper. The key to effective graphic design lies in creating visuals that not only appeal to your personal preferences but also resonate with your client.

It’s crucial to create designs that catch the eye and appeal to what people naturally like. Instead of going with personal preferences, consider what your audience enjoys. Professional design is vital because even if your clients can’t explain why they like it, they’ll notice and avoid anything that looks amateurish.

Through cohesive visual elements such as logos, color schemes, typography, and imagery, graphic design helps establish a consistent and recognizable brand image across all touchpoints.

Consistency in branding instills confidence and trust in your audience, signaling professionalism, reliability, and attention to detail.

As customers encounter your brand consistently across various platforms and communications, they develop a sense of familiarity and reliability, which in turn strengthens your business’s credibility. This credibility drives conversions and customer engagement and fosters deep customer loyalty.

Fostering deep customer loyalty is another significant benefit of credibility established through graphic design. When customers trust your brand and have positive experiences with your products or services, they are more likely to become loyal advocates who continue to support and promote your business over time.

 

Secrets of Effective Graphic Design

Not only is it crucially important to build customer loyalty and business credibility through strategic design uses, but it’s also helpful to learn the secrets to effective graphic design.

Secret #1: Keep It Simple

Secret #1 is to remember when in doubt, to keep your designs simple. Don’t use more than a few fonts in a design; if it’s a publication, 3 is plenty. The headline can be a display font, body copy font, and subhead font. In a logo, if you are not a professional, don’t use more than 2 fonts. Simple is key.

Too many fonts or graphics look confusing or even messy and unprofessional. When your customers are confused, they will not buy what you are offering, so make sure the designs you choose to represent your brand are simple and clear.

Secret #2: Limit Font Types

When you are working with fonts, make sure you limit the number of typefaces in each design piece. Also, remember that script fonts are hard to read, so it’s best to use them sparingly across your marketing. Don’t use scripts or handwritten fonts in all caps or increase the letter spacing on them. It’s a telltale sign of an amateur designer.

Secret #3: Utilize White Space

White space in a design is not a bad thing; in fact, it’s a good use of design. Every design needs a place for the eye to rest, and often, the best place for that is white space. By strategically using white space, give your customer a chance to pause and truly ingest what you are offering. Keep a good flow of content without overwhelming the viewer.

Secret #4: Use Consistent Branding

There is nothing more confusing to your customers than inconsistent branding. Your customer may become confused if your print design materials and your online presence don’t cohesively match.

And remember, confused customers do not buy what you are offering. It’s important to ensure that all design elements used in your branding and marketing are consistent and cohesive and utilize the same imagery, fonts, color scheme, and overall look and feel.

Secret #5: Use Professional or Quality Photos

If your business uses many stock images in its marketing, you may consider investing in a stock imagery service like Adobe Stock. Digital asset services will provide you with high-quality, legal-use images that you can use in various areas of your marketing.

If you have photos of yourself or your staff, invest in a photographer or someone skilled at photography who can do a professional photo shoot for you, even if it’s simply headshots for your website and social platforms.

One thing that can ruin your business’s credibility in one glance is poor-quality images of your business, staff, or the owner. No one wants to see the arm of a loved one attached, but attempted to be cropped out. Go the extra step to present your business as the professional that you are.

To learn our other great graphic design tips, read this post: Graphic Design Tips for Entrepreneurs.

 

How Do You Know It’s Time To Hire A Professional Designer?

You may be wondering if it’s time to go ahead and just hire a professional graphic designer to sell your products and offerings to your potential customers effectively. Let’s go over the two crucial facts that will help you determine whether it’s time to get professional help with your designs.

If Your Design Is Suffering

Knowing when to hire a professional designer is crucial for ensuring the success and effectiveness of your design projects. There are several key indicators that can signal it’s time to bring in professional expertise.

It’s time to hire a professional designer if your design efforts are falling short and your designs are not meeting your expectations or the needs of your audience. If a client seems confused about any part of your services, take a look at the design as well as the copy. Does design play a role in the confusion?

While it’s commendable to try to tackle design tasks on your own, there comes a point where you may need more than your skills and resources to achieve the desired results.

You might also want to seriously consider hiring when the stakes are high, such as for important branding initiatives, marketing campaigns, ads or product launches. Investing in professional design services becomes even more critical. Your brand image and reputation are on the line, and cutting corners on design could have significant consequences.

Effective design plays a pivotal role in capturing attention, generating excitement, and driving sales when introducing a new product to the market. Professional designers can help create compelling product packaging, eye-catching promotional materials, and engaging marketing assets that effectively communicate the value proposition of your new product.

First impressions are crucial in business, as they often determine how customers perceive your brand and whether they engage further with your products or services.

Your brand’s visual elements immediately impact potential customers, whether it’s your website, logo, business cards, or marketing materials. By investing in professional design, you can ensure that your brand makes a positive and memorable first impression.

When the Benefits Outweigh the Cost

While hiring a professional designer involves an investment, it’s essential to consider the long-term benefits and return on investment. Professional designers possess design expertise and specialized knowledge and skills in graphic design, enabling them to create visually compelling and effective designs that communicate your message effectively.

They also have unique skills and are trained to think creatively and outside the box, allowing them to come up with unique and innovative design solutions that set your brand apart from the competition.

Professionals can easily create unique designs that are custom and one-of-a-kind, tailored to your brand’s identity, values, and objectives. Unlike generic templates or DIY design tools, professional designers can develop unique and distinctive designs that reflect your brand’s personality and resonate with your target audience.

Graphic design professionals also understand design principles. They have a deep understanding of typography, color theory, layout, and composition. This knowledge allows them to create designs that are visually appealing, easy to navigate, and effectively communicate your message.

Get Your Time Back and More

Attempting to create designs yourself can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially if you lack the necessary skills and expertise. By hiring a professional designer, you can save time and energy that can be better spent on other aspects of your business while ensuring that your design projects are completed efficiently and to a high standard.

Professional design plays a crucial role in shaping your brand’s identity and perception. By investing in professional design services, you can elevate the quality of your branding materials, reinforce your brand’s visual identity, and create a consistent and cohesive brand experience across all touchpoints.

Well-designed branding and marketing materials can leave a lasting impression on your audience, fostering trust, credibility, and loyalty toward your brand. Professional design helps create memorable and engaging experiences for your customers, strengthening their connection with your brand and increasing their likelihood of repeat business and referrals.

And finally, hiring a professional allows you to charge more for your services. High-quality design reflects professionalism, quality, and attention to detail, which can justify higher prices for your products or services. Investing in professional design allows you to position your brand as premium and charge higher prices, ultimately increasing your profitability and competitiveness in the market.

Elevating Business Success Through Good Design

The importance of good graphic design for your business cannot be overstated. As the saying goes, people do judge a book by its cover, and the same holds for businesses. Your brand’s visual identity is the first point of contact with potential customers, shaping their perception of your business and influencing their purchasing decisions.

Not only does effective graphic design enhance the aesthetic appeal of your materials, but it also plays a crucial role in conveying your brand’s identity, values, and message. By investing in professional design services, you can create visually compelling and cohesive branding materials that leave a lasting impression on your audience, foster trust and credibility, and ultimately drive business success.

Whether you’re launching a new product, making a strong first impression, or seeking to elevate your brand’s credibility, knowing when to hire a professional designer is essential. When the benefits of professional design outweigh the cost, and when your design needs surpass your own capabilities, it’s time to prioritize investing in professional design expertise. By partnering with a skilled designer, you can unlock the full potential of your brand and set your business on the path to success in today’s competitive marketplace.

If you are ready to partner with a professional designer, check out our packages at Soapbox Studio or our Contact Us form and find out how we can help you craft credibility through quality graphic design in your business.

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From Old to Bold: How Rebranding Can Transform Your Sales and Conversions

People Rebranding and Transforming their Sales and Conversions

Rebranding a company can be a significant undertaking that requires careful consideration and planning. In addition, a rebrand can positively and negatively affect a business, particularly regarding sales and customer interaction. In this article, we’ll explore the various factors of rebranding and how it can impact your business.

Positives of Rebranding a Company

 

Improved Perception

One of the most significant benefits of rebranding a company is improving its image. A rebrand can help shed negative perceptions or outdated associations holding it back. By rebranding, a company can position itself as modern, innovative, and relevant to its target audience.

Increased Visibility

Rebranding can give a business a new look and feel that sets it apart from the competition. A new visual identity, such as a redesigned logo or updated color scheme, can capture the attention of potential customers and make a solid first impression. Additionally, by treating the rebranding as a major announcement, a company can generate buzz and increase visibility, further enhancing the impact of the new identity.

Competitive Advantage

Rebranding can provide a competitive advantage over rivals. A fresh look and feel can differentiate a company from competitors and attract new customers who may develop an interest based on the refreshed identity.

Improved Marketing

Rebranding can also present an opportunity to update a company’s marketing strategy. A new brand identity can inspire fresh and creative ideas for advertising campaigns, social media content, and other marketing initiatives.

Negatives of Rebranding a Company

 

Loss of Brand Recognition

Rebranding can be a powerful tool for a company to differentiate itself from its competitors. However, it can also cause confusion among customers who may not immediately recognize the new brand identity. This can result in a temporary loss of sales and customer loyalty. To mitigate the potential downsides of rebranding, it’s essential to work with an experienced designer who can ensure that the new identity is easily recognizable and appealing to the target audience.

Cost

Rebranding a business can often become costly, with expenses related to hiring designers, marketing experts, and other professionals adding up quickly. For small businesses, this can pose a significant financial burden. However, there is a solution that can help small businesses save time and money while still achieving their rebranding goals – the Soapbox Studio VIP Day. The Soapbox Studio VIP Day is a dedicated 6-hour session that can be booked in advance, allowing small businesses to work closely with our experienced professionals to create a comprehensive rebranding strategy.

Resistance from Customers

When it comes to rebranding, businesses need to be mindful of the potential resistance from customers who have a strong attachment to the company’s previous identity. Any misstep in the rebranding process can potentially turn off these customers, which could decrease sales. To avoid this, hiring a professional designer with experience in executing successful rebrands is highly recommended.

Lack of Consistency

Rebranding can lead to a lack of consistency across a company’s various touchpoints. Suppose a company’s new brand identity is not consistently applied across all channels. In that case, it can lead to clarity and a lack of customer trust. Make sure that if you are spending the time and money to rebrand you hire a professional and carry it through all your marketing.

How Rebranding Can Affect Sales, Customer Interaction, and More

A successful rebrand not only impacts sales and customer interaction, but can also significantly impact the owner’s confidence in their brand or company. A company can feel more confident by presenting a modern and innovative identity that resonates with its target audience’s needs and preferences. In addition, a fresh, creative marketing campaign can generate buzz and excitement around a company’s new look and feel, further boosting confidence in the brand’s potential for success. This can positively impact sales, as brand owners become more confident in their advertising and marketing campaigns. When a company is confident in its identity and messaging, it can create a more compelling and memorable customer experience that fosters engagement and interaction, increased loyalty, repeat business and positive sales and revenue.

On the other hand, a poorly executed rebrand can result in a loss of customers and revenue, as well as negative word-of-mouth that can be challenging to overcome. Working with professionals that have branding and marketing experience is crucial to ensure that the process is executed effectively. They can provide valuable insights and expertise in market research, messaging, and visual identity, resulting in a successful rebrand that maximizes the potential for growth and success.

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A DIY Logo: The Top 6 Pitfalls to Avoid

When you choose to design a logo for your business, the DIY approach can seem like an excellent way to save time and money; but in reality, designing your own logo can potentially harm your brand image. In this article, we’ll explore why investing in a professionally designed logo is worth it and how it can help you establish a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience and sets your business apart from the competition.

Here are the Top 6 reasons why avoiding a DIY logo is beneficial:

 

Lack of Professionalism

Your logo is often a customer’s first impression of your company. Unfortunately, a poorly-designed logo can convey a lack of professionalism and attention to detail. In today’s competitive market, a professional and visually appealing logo is essential to stand out and build a strong brand reputation.

Lack of Experience and Market Knowledge

Designing a logo requires knowledge and experience in design principles, typography, color theory, and branding. Professional designers have years of experience and knowledge in these areas, allowing them to create visually appealing logos that represent a brand effectively. In contrast, a DIY designer’s lack of experience and limited market knowledge may result in a poorly executed design that does not effectively represent the brand or resonate with its target audience.

Time-Consuming and Costly Mistakes

Creating your own logo can be time-consuming and potentially distract from other essential tasks in your business development. Ultimately, this can lead to costly mistakes that can harm your brand. For example, a DIY logo may need to adhere to proper resolution or file format(s), making it difficult to use across different mediums, sizes, and print methods. It may also infringe on someone else’s copyright, leading to legal issues and costly rebranding efforts.

Limited Resources

Professional designers have access to a vast library of fonts, design elements, templates, and software, which they can use to create a unique and impactful logo. In contrast, someone developing their logo without the help of a professional graphic designer may be limited to free or low-cost design software (with limited capabilities) and a small selection of assets, resulting in a less unique and impactful logo.

Limited Objectivity

A business owner’s bias or limited objectivity can hinder the creation of an effective logo. However, a professional graphic designer can approach the design process objectively and with fresh eyes, considering the business owner’s vision and ideas while offering alternative solutions that may be far more effective in representing the brand.

Lack of Brand Consistency

A logo is not just a visual representation of a brand. Still, it is also a crucial component of the overall branding strategy. Inconsistencies can occur when the logo needs to effectively communicate the brand’s message or align with the overall branding strategy. A professional designer can create a logo that complements and reinforces the overall branding strategy, resulting in a consistent and cohesive brand image across all marketing materials and the company website.

In Conclusion

Investing in a professionally designed logo is worth the cost. Trusting experts in the field, you can be confident that your logo accurately:

    • Reflects your brand’s values
    • Resonates with your target audience
    • Sets your business apart from the competition
    • Ensures consistency across all marketing materials

So, don’t let a DIY logo harm your business image. Instead, hire a professional graphic designer and see the difference for yourself! A professionally designed logo will make you look as good as you are.

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The Ultimate Checklist for Starting a New Online Business

Starting a new online business is both scary and exciting. It’s a considerable risk that takes a huge personal investment of time and money, but when it becomes successful, there’s no better feeling! If you’re starting a new online business in 2023, We’ve compiled the ultimate business checklist, so you have everything you need to hit the ground running. As an online business owner who has grown subscriber lists, launched e-courses, and run a brick-and-mortar company for over ten years, we have learned all the tips and tricks the hard way so you don’t have to. However, if you want to skip to the end, we’ve included the link to download our Free Brainstorming Guide so you can start planning a successful brand today! Here’s my ultimate business checklist for new business owners:

Business Name

Of course, a business name is essential. Your business needs an identity that goes beyond your first and last name. This gives your business room to grow and allows you to scale your revenue as you find more success. A business name also proclaims what your brand does best and what people can expect from your business.

Core Values

Creating core values is a step that’s easy to skip or push off until later. However, your core values can dictate each action you take as a business owner. Core values help you to know what your brand prioritizes and what you find valuable. Your core values will help customers and clients align with your mission down the road. But at the beginning of establishing your mission, core values are a helpful filter to select the most effective business moves to start with. For example, do you prioritize a solid work-life balance and set hours for work and free time? Or do you prioritize flexibility and integration so that you can work from anywhere? Your values will help you make the business moves to achieve the things you prioritize without getting distracted by irrelevant possibilities.

Business Plan

From the very start of your online business, you need to know what your business does and what it offers. If you sell products, you need to select which companies to partner with and source supplies from. You should have a plan to connect with clients if you provide a service. It helps to have a specific target audience in your business plan, which will help you know how to market yourself. Every business needs funding and a financial plan to ensure you’re increasing revenue and staying out of debt. As you establish your online presence, your business plan will help you curate a marketing strategy that aligns with your vision and goals. Don’t start your business without a firm plan in place!

Market Research

You know your business offers value to the public, but do they? Doing market research will help you understand customers’ core needs, which will help you know how to communicate your offer in a way that resonates with them and convinces them to make a purchase. If you have a fantastic product but don’t know how to communicate its value to the people that need it, your business won’t grow very fast. Research your competitors to understand the market and identify what is working or not working for them. Figure out what sets you apart and what messaging your target market is drawn to. This research will be invaluable to you moving forward.

Elevator Pitch

Once you know how to communicate the value of your offer to your target audience, you need to refine your pitch. You should be able to explain what your business offers concisely and compellingly within only a sentence or two. Think of being stuck in an elevator for 30 seconds with the potential customer of your dreams! How would you take them to the next step in your business in less than a minute? What are the most precise words to explain what you do? What are the most concise words that connect with their felt needs? How can you leave them stepping out of that elevator wanting more?

Business Email

People need to contact you. Most online businesses don’t have a phone number accessible, so establishing a business email address is vital. This will be valuable as you start various business accounts or download software for your business. Ideally, your email address will either be info@YourBusinessName.com or YourBusinessName@domain.com. You can create an email address with your website as the domain if you have a business website. If you can’t do this, you can set up a temporary Gmail to transition to your own environment once everything is set up. Once you have an email account, you can begin connecting with clients through email. You can create an email subscriber opt-in if you have a blog or content on your website. Once they give you their email address, you can send them discounts, downloadable resources, articles, new products, and business updates to help them stay connected.

System for Record-Keeping

Keeping precise records will be your new best friend. Keep track of the time you spend, the money you spend, the revenue you make, and the products you sell, and keep all business and tax documentation in one place. You should have organized financial records for each month, quarter, and year you are in business. You should also keep track of tax information throughout the year, so filing your taxes is simple. If you book appointments, consultations, client calls, or any other meetings, you can find the best calendar to keep track of your time commitments. There is also a myriad of booking software available to make appointments easy to manage on both sides.

Legal Paperwork and Financial Accounts

Depending on your business, you may not need all of the paperwork and accounts that a brick-and-mortar company might. Research the requirements for your state and county. If you register your business, you will need to know whether to set up an LLC, corporation, DBA, or sole proprietorship. In addition, you may need to file for specific business licenses or permits depending on what you sell. Once your business meets all the requirements, you can set up bank accounts to keep your financial transactions in order.

Registered Domain

No official business wants to be running on blogspot.com. You need your own domain to be perceived as professional and trustworthy. You can use dozens of websites to check domain availability, like Google Domains. Purchasing a domain name is usually inexpensive unless you have a common business name with a lot of competition. Once you buy a domain, that will be your website name. You can purchase multiple domains and reroute them to your website if you’d like people to find you in numerous ways.

Website

Once you have a domain, you have to set up a website. This begins by selecting a host. Every website is hosted on a worldwide server, so you must choose a hosting platform like GoDaddy and purchase a basic hosting plan. There are also services like Squarespace and Wix, which will host your website and give you all the design tools you need in one place. If you don’t use an all-in-one service, you can set up a website using WordPress through your hosting platform. If this sounds overwhelming, it might be a good idea to hire a web developer (HINT HINT) to help. Once you have your website started, you’ll need to build your web pages. You should have a home page, an about page, a contact page, and an online shop. Finally, utilize your brand name and colors to make your website look professional and consistent with all your other branding.

Logo

Every professional business needs a logo. With one glance, this critical part of your brand identity tells your potential customers who you are. They will see whether you used an elegant, feminine font, a daring, bold font, a rustic natural font, or a minimalistic timeless font. They will also notice whether you used pastel colors, neon colors, bright colors, muted colors, or neutral colors. The combination of colors you use can communicate the personality of your brand and will draw the eye of your ideal customer. This can be portrayed through your design elements, lines, graphics, and shapes. If you need help brainstorming which fonts and color palettes will best communicate your brand’s identity, download our free Brainstorming Guide.

Brand Guide

Whether you design all your social media graphics and marketing materials yourself or hire a graphic designer or VA to help you, you should have a brand guide. A brand guide lists out the names of each font, the codes for each color, and the core messaging of your brand so that every design and promotional graphic looks consistent. A brand guide will help create web pages, postcards, business cards, letterhead, social media graphics, and promotional flyers. If you haven’t yet selected the colors and fonts that best match your brand, use my brainstorming guide link above to help create a consistent brand identity that grows your credibility within your target market.

Business Card

Even though you’re an online business, face-to-face networking will still happen. If you bump into your ideal customer in real life, you should be equipped with a professional business card to hand them. A business card will include your logo, brand colors, branded fonts, business name, website, and contact info, including your business email. Make sure you have each listed item before making business cards. Some people even like to include a QR code that takes people directly to their website. Then, don’t forget to slip a few business cards into your bag whenever you leave your home or office.

Letterhead

Having official business letterhead is a necessity. It truly takes your brand’s professionalism and credibility to the next level. If you need a graphic designer to create stationery for you, send them your brand guide and logo, and they will have everything they need to get started. You can use your letterhead for any official business correspondence or even invoices.

Blog

Posting consistent content in a blog-like format helps Google know that your website is up-to-date. This will rank your website higher in Google search results and make it easier to find online, which is invaluable for online businesses. For example, you can post business updates, sales, and discounts through your blog and email list if you sell products. You could also post about how to use your product or industry-related articles. If you provide a service, you can publish content to give your clients more information and set yourself apart as a thought leader within your niche market. For example, real estate agents like to post articles about how to find your dream home, the best times to buy a house, and home decorating trends. On the other hand, a natural deodorant company might post articles about hygiene or where to buy non-toxic products. If you’re not a natural writer, you can hire a freelance writer skilled in writing articles optimized for search engine algorithm visibility.

Social Media

As a digital business, part of your online marketing plan should include at least one social media platform. Platforms you can utilize are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Reddit. Don’t go overboard. Choose only one to three platforms to focus your marketing strategy on. The goal is to post consistently on each platform with information about your products/services, branded content, photos, and graphics. Social media platforms are great ways to connect with new customers and increase online engagement with your brand. Ensure each social media platform is linked to your website and has your contact information.

As you start your new online business, this is the ultimate business checklist to help you have everything you need to be successful. With these accounts and resources in place, you will have all the tools you need to start your business in the best direction. Your potential clients will know just by looking at your website or logo that you are a trustworthy professional. With consistent branding and a credible online presence, it will be easy for potential customers to connect with you, trust you, and purchase from you. As a result, you will increase your revenue and grow your market! If you’re still feeling unsure about your branding or feel like you don’t have an eye for graphic design, you can use our downloadable Brainstorming Guide to give you confidence. This guide was created by graphic design professionals with decades of experience running a successful business. We provide you with all the crucial questions you need to answer before developing scroll-stopping marketing that your customers will love.

Don’t let the overwhelm of starting a business make you feel stuck. With this ultimate business checklist under your belt, you can take it one step at a time until your business is ready to launch! Online businesses are being started and experiencing tremendous success every day. Your business could be next with a bit of grit and a whole lot of passion!

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What Bad Graphic Design Could Cost You

Did you know that bad graphic design could cost your business significantly? Trust, reputation, and dollars – the essential things to build your business – are at stake if you have bad graphic design. Whether it’s on your website, merchandise, print marketing materials, social media channels, or products – bad design can ruin your chances of bringing in customers.

Most online entrepreneurs start off with bad graphic design. We all have to start somewhere. But just as you invest in your website or your training in your niche, you need to invest in better graphic design to continue to scale your business and monetize your content.

What are the most significant ways bad graphic design can jeopardize your success? Here’s our list of the top five.

1. Destroys Your First Impression

Whether they realize it or not, that first look matters. A potential customer will take one glance at your website or print materials and decide whether you are credible or not. They will make split-second judgments about how professional you are, how trustworthy you are, how qualified you are, and how well you fit their needs. Unfortunately, this first glance rarely includes your smiling face or firm handshake. Most people will go to websites or social media platforms to investigate a business or company before ever making contact. So what does your first impression tell potential customers? Will they know within 3 seconds whether they want to hire you or not? Will they instantly connect with your brand identity and decide they like your company more than your competition? If you’re not sure, it’s time to take a deeper look at your graphic design. This post will include a list of the most offputting design errors down below, so you can see what you’re doing wrong.

It’s very common for beginner entrepreneurs and business startups to try doing their own graphic design. It seems easier to do everything yourself or keep it in-house. Whether through YouTube tutorials or your friend’s son who has a knack for computers, these methods do not achieve a professional-quality result. If your graphic design looks amateur, potential customers will think your business is amateur.

Don’t let bad design ruin your reputation! That first impression is worth its weight in gold because it can make all the difference between whether a high-paying client chooses you or someone else. People absolutely judge a book by its cover, so let your cover tell the whole story!

2. It’s Impossible to Establish Your Identity

What do you want your first impression to communicate? Your graphics, colors, fonts, and logo help potential customers capture your brand identity with one glance. They will know who you are, what sets you apart, and what you offer. However, with bad design, it can be challenging to communicate your identity without spelling it out. Bad graphic design works against you.

Some graphics might confuse a customer because your aesthetic is basic/neutral and doesn’t communicate anything about who you are. On the other hand, your graphics might communicate something opposite your identity. As a result, potential customers may leave your website thinking you’re something you aren’t. In this way, bad graphic design is dangerous. There are plenty of things online to distract people from your website – so don’t let it be your graphics!

3. Misrepresents You

Bad graphic design can give people entirely the wrong impression about who you are and what you do. Your goal with a logo, website header, brochure, or webpage design is to tell people what to expect from you. If your graphics give them the wrong impression, it can lead to problematic customer interactions if they’re expecting something different from what you do best.

If an educator has comic sans as the font on their website, people might assume they are a teacher for elementary grades rather than adults because of the juvenile tone of the font. Whether a yoga teacher uses neon colors or pastels will cause their customers to question what kind of teacher they are and whether they emphasize relaxation or cardio. If you own a construction company and your logo includes a skyscraper, people who need help with minor home construction might never call. These graphic design elements can help or hurt you, and it’s your job to find an expert that will help you find the difference.

4. Disproves your Credibility

There are many elements that entrepreneurs utilize to prove their credibility. They may include their educational background, job history, or credentials in their bio. They might list trusted websites their work or product has been featured on. They may include testimonials or reviews. And the goal is that their website aesthetic and design presence agrees with each of these.

However, amateur-looking graphics can make even the most convinced customer doubt your expertise. Like one bad review can make people doubt dozens of good reviews, bad design can make people wonder if you’re actually as professional or qualified as you say. This will lead to customer interactions where you’re left having to prove yourself repeatedly. You don’t want that!

Instead, good graphic design can work together with all these elements to make you stand out as the expert in your niche. People will enter into each interaction, convinced you are the best person to go to and clamoring for your time because they’re sure there’s a line. If they’re confident that you’re the best, or your products are the best, they will tell their friends. And in an age of social media where a post like that can go viral overnight, I’ve seen entire product lines sold out from one convincing “word-of-mouth” testimonial. So good graphic design can contribute to convincing people you’re the best, which can give you more success than you realized.

5. Communicates Unprofessionalism

Professionalism matters. It’s all about how people perceive you. They want to know they can trust you, that you’re dependable, and you will deliver what they paid for. Even if your business practices are up to par, your graphics might cause them to doubt. Though this applies to every industry, it’s especially true for copywriters, coaches, bloggers, marketers, or anyone within the digital content space. Even though you don’t need to be good at graphic design to excel in writing or coaching, people will still view your graphics as an example of the quality of your services.

People online don’t necessarily understand that your graphics require skills you may not personally possess. Instead, they see the look of your website or business card, and they make assumptions about the quality of your work. Your aesthetic should ease these fears because it’s top-quality and professional, just like you!

Why Your Graphics are Offputting

 

Bad Colors

An out-of-date color palette or bad color combination can give people a bad taste in their mouth, even if they can’t put a finger on why. Bad colors give a terrible impression.

Messy Lines

If your lines are messy or your graphics don’t look clean, it gives an impression of hasty last-minute work or unprofessionalism.

Cluttered Appearance

People get visually overstimulated if your graphics are too cluttered or have too many overlapping elements. This will confuse them about your identity, and they may click off your site because it’s overwhelming.

Doesn’t Match Your Brand

If the words on the page say something different than your graphics communicate, your brand identity will come off as disjointed and disconnected. As a result, people may not understand who you are or what you offer.

Seems Unoriginal

If your graphics seem too basic or look like another popular brand, it will leave a bad taste in their mouths because it looks like you’re copying something that’s already been done. Not only that, but they may confuse the identity of another brand with your brand identity.

How to Avoid All These Mistakes

If you don’t want the bad graphic design to cost your business, it’s best to find an expert to help get it right the first time. This will save you hours of frustration, and the money you spend will be more than repaid as your business grows. Without this, poor color choices, homegrown logos, and amataur layouts will all slowly errode your credibility. Even if customers aren’t thinking it’s a bad design, there is something about it they wont like.

As you work with a professional, it’s essential to communicate your vision clearly. Check out our other posts on this page to learn what you need to know to establish your brand identity. As you communicate with your designer, it’s also important to trust their process. Let them do what they do best so that your website doesn’t fall into the trap of bad graphic design. Here are a few tips to remember as you go through this process:

  • Trust their professional judgment
  • Be clear on what you want
  • Communicate your brand identity plainly
  • Be flexible with exact details
  • Be specific about what you do/don’t like
  • Be open to their feedback and willing to embrace changes
  • Let them do what they do best

Ultimately, working with an expert is a collaborative process. There might be elements on your wishlist that will work against your ultimate goal. A graphic designer will be able to tell you if you’re asking for bad colors or graphics that confuse your brand identity. As you work with an expert, you’ll be able to avoid altogether these top five mistakes that will cost your business. Now, your design can help your business grow like never before!

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Graphic Design: 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs

Since aesthetics mean so much to today’s generation of consumers, even the most low-tech entrepreneur could use a few design tips. We’ve got you covered. As a graphic design company with over 50 years of combined experience designing websites and graphics for entrepreneurs and business owners, we know what it takes to keep up with today’s trends. These are our top ten tips to keep your graphics looking clean and professional in today’s marketplace.

1. Keep It Simple

People often believe that graphics need to be complex to look professional. This simply isn’t true. Keeping your designs minimalistic makes them easier to use in a variety of contexts while maintaining that clean crisp look that draws the eye.

Think about the simple shapes, lines, colors, and fonts that your favorite brands use. How can you replicate that simplicity for your brand identity? Stay away from complicated overlays, photographs, and unreadable text or colors that will distract people from who you are and what you offer.

2. Be Consistent with Colors and Fonts

If you could summarize your brand identity in just a few words, what would you say? Is your brand modern, adventurous, rustic, or colorful? Identifying some key adjectives surrounding your identity will help you stay consistent throughout your web presence and print materials.

If you run an accounting firm, you probably don’t want to use a childlike crayon font. If you own a sporting goods brand, you want to stay away from scrolling cursive fonts. The same holds true for colors. If you’re marketing to young women, rustic browns probably won’t communicate your identity effectively. Similarly, A baby clothing brand might want to avoid harsh neons. Whatever tone you choose for your branding – be consistent across the board.

3. Don’t Use Too Many Graphics or Icons

When it comes to promoting your company, it’s easy to get overly excited. You could fill a vision board with graphics that fit with your company’s vision. But be careful! If you use too many, people get visually overwhelmed and can’t make sense of what they’re looking at. For a logo, just use one image concept.

Don’t try to combine too many or it will no longer make sense. On your website, keep it simple. You can add some images or graphics that help set the tone, but don’t fill every square inch. People need negative space and simplicity so they keep scrolling and want to learn more.

4. Use Script Fonts Sparingly (and never in all caps)

We like to play around with fancy fonts. It’s just fun. But when you’re establishing a brand identity, you need to prioritize readability. If customers can’t read the words you post, it’s going to be pretty hard to connect with them.

One of the most notoriously hard to read font styles is script fonts. These are the fonts that look like handwriting or cursive. They are often thin and have a lot of extra curly wisps at the ends of letters and sentences. Use these fonts very sparingly, if at all. This is not the type of font that you want to use for your main website copy or slogan.

And if you use a script font, never use it in all capital letters. These fonts weren’t designed to be in all caps, and it often makes them even harder to read. If you’re using a script font for a main title or heading, make sure you don’t play too much with the letter spacing or distance. This can make it look awkward and minimize the handwriting effect that you were aiming for to begin with.

5. Have Someone Other Than You Critique Your Work

We are our own worst critics, but sometimes we’re also our own worst enablers. We know how much work and passion went into a project, so sometimes it is hard for us to see the flaws that exist. Getting an extra pair of eyes to look at your work and give feedback can help you see your website or brand through a newcomer’s eyes.

Maybe the colors you used don’t fit the vibe. Or maybe it’s harder to read the fonts than you realized. Getting an outside opinion can help you cover all your bases so you don’t run into problems later on.

6. Make a Folder of Logos or Brands You Love

Especially when you’re just establishing your brand or going through a rebranding process, it’s easy to get lost in the details. If you find yourself overwhelmed with all the options for colors or fonts to use, take a break. Spend a few minutes collecting the logos, shapes, and colors used by your favorite brands and put them all in one folder.

Then spend some time looking them over together. What common themes do you see? Are there similar color schemes? Do they use a similar font design? Are there specific lines or shapes among the logos? This exercise will help you cut through the overwhelming amount of options to identify what you like and what elements your eye is drawn to.

7. Don’t Feel Obligated to Use a Friend of a Friend

If your friend’s son is going to school for graphic design, you shouldn’t feel automatically obligated to use him. This is your professional brand and the quality matters. It’s easy to take shortcuts or cut costs, but you usually get what you pay for. You don’t want your brand to lose credibility with your customers because it looks like an amateur did it.

When you’re seeking help to establish your brand identity and get professional assistance designing your logo, do your research. Look at the portfolio of past projects a designer has done and see if they align with your vision. Find someone who you are confident can deliver the professional results that you want as an established business owner with a reputable brand.

8. Don’t Do It Yourself

Unless you have training in graphic design, trying to achieve your vision by yourself will only result in stress and frustration. It’s easy to have a picture in your head of what you want, but without the skills to achieve it, it’s hard to make your vision a reality without help. As an entrepreneur, your driven can-do attitude has gotten you far.

There’s a lot that you’ve done on your own. But graphic design doesn’t need to be just another item on your to-do list to make you feel overwhelmed. All of the best entrepreneurs have learned how and when to delegate or outsource complex tasks. Instead of spending dozens of hours frustrated at your computer, let a designer spend a couple of hours doing it for you. They have the skills to make your vision a reality in just a few clicks!

9. Spend Your Money Where It Counts

As an entrepreneur, you have to prioritize. You have a limited budget and a seemingly unlimited list of things you could spend it on. So how do you decide where to allocate those funds? Prioritize the items that will draw in more patrons and convert them to paying customers.

A logo is often the first impression that people have of your brand. If it’s amateur-looking and clunky, they could click off your website without giving it a second glance. If there’s money to be spent drawing in customers, a professional logo design will be one of your greatest assets.

10. Hire a Graphic Designer

Once you’ve thought through all the elements that draw your eye, what colors you prefer, and what tone your brand portrays, hiring a graphic designer is the easiest way to upgrade your web presence almost instantly. There are tons of branding professionals and social media managers that can help with the upkeep once you establish your brand, but you should start with a solid logo and brand guide.

A graphic designer can help you get started. Instead of spending the next ten months dreaming of what you want, why not hire a designer today and take real achievable steps towards your goals? As an entrepreneur, making feasible plans to move towards your vision will help you keep building momentum for your business. Turn that vision into a reality by working directly with a designer to receive a logo you can use on all of your web pages, social media posts and merchandise for years to come!

As graphic design professionals, we’ve seen people fall into the same pitfalls over and over. To help you avoid repeating these same mistakes, we compiled this top ten list to give you the easiest next steps to take. Follow these 10 tips and your business can be booming with customers who love your eye-catching brand.

Instead of presenting amateur designs and clunky colors that make potential customers doubt your credentials, you can show up every day with graphics that build their trust and increase their confidence. As you navigate the tricky obstacles of running a business and establishing a reputable online presence, let us keep the graphic design process easy so you can focus on the things that matter most! If you have questions about how to get started with a designer, click here.

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Get the Help You Need to Run a Successful Business in the 21st Century

Being an entrepreneur or business owner isn’t what it used to be. Back in the day, business owners just had to worry about the everyday logistics of keeping the business running. Occasionally an ad might run in the local newspaper, or a sale might bring customers to your brick and mortar storefront. But with the growth of the online marketplace, everything has changed.

In some ways, it has changed for good. Now, people can run businesses remotely from all over the world or connect with clients from the comfort of home. The ease of being an online entrepreneur offers opportunities that didn’t exist fifty years ago. But with all these benefits, some advancements can still feel overwhelming and out of reach. Without any background in web design or social media, it’s hard to keep up with the ever-shifting market trends. And without someone tech-savvy to help, sometimes it can feel like the online marketplace is moving faster than you can keep up with. Sound relatable?

Today’s consumers have come to expect a certain aesthetic and ease of use when they arrive at your website or interact with your brand. If they don’t capture the heart of who you are in just a few clicks, they will go to someone else. Clunky logos and amateur graphic design can be deal-breakers.

We Can Help!

As professionals with over 50 years of combined experience in the graphic design industry, we know the struggle. At Soapbox Studio, Inc. We are passionate about helping brands find their perfect look to HELP and not HURT their company growth. We help brands replace their amateur designs with a professionally curated logo, so their credibility doesn’t crumble.

With decades of experience catalyzing company sales with seamless designs, we have collected all the best tips to answer the right questions about your unique logo and brand identity in our Logo Rx Brainstorming Guide. This free download walks you through every element you need to think about, especially if you don’t know where to start. Through this guide, you can establish a brand identity that is polished and credible enough to draw in your dream customers with a single glance.

So many brands take shortcuts and skimp on budgets that cause their company to suffer. Why hire your friend who has no graphic design training to tackle this problem when industry professionals have free resources just a click away?

What is included in the Logo Rx Brainstorming Guide?

 

How to Make an Excellent First Impression

A first impression is sometimes all the time you have to draw in your ideal customer, so making a good one matters. Within this guide, you’ll find a list of the most important elements to ensure you make the best first impression possible.

Brand Identity Brainstorming Exercises

Do you know the right questions to ask yourself? With this brain dump exercise, you’ll be able to get all your thoughts out on paper, so you know where to start. By brainstorming with some questions from industry professionals, you will be able to dream big about the right things instead of getting lost in the abstract.

Refining Your Company Name

Are you confident that your name draws in the right customers? This segment will help you put your name and all identifying characteristics on paper to make sure your brand identity is being communicated clearly and articulately.

Your Brand Tagline

Do you have a tagline? Do you know the importance of a slogan? This is one of those little details that most people forget but can make a big difference. If you’re creating a logo, your graphic designer will want to create some logo options that include your tagline and some options without, communicating your identity in more ways than one. This provides you with a versatile brand package for any situation that arises, so you don’t have to Photoshop your tagline in as an afterthought.

Your Website

If you have a website set up, that’s a great start. But, depending on your goals, you may want more than a home page. For example, a landing page for your product can help increase sales, and a variety of web pages with more information can build your credibility. In addition, listing all your web pages can help you identify where you want to send potential customers, so they are engaged with your brand from the first click.

Choosing Your Brand Colors

If you don’t yet have brand colors, this exercise will help you research trending palettes to see what options exist. The guide also includes a breakdown of the emotions, connotations, and benefits of using each color. This segment will help you identify which colors express the essence of your brand so that your colors will work with your tagline, title, and logo design instead of against it.

Thinking Through Fonts

Fonts are another small detail that is easy to overlook. This segment will inspire you to research and select the perfect fonts for your headline, tagline, body copy, and other copy on your website or print materials. Instead of getting overwhelmed by all the options, this section of our guide will encourage you to keep it simple.

Finding Your Perfect Logo Design

While you may not be a graphic design guru, you probably know what kinds of logos you like and don’t like. This segment encourages you to copy your favorite logos and put them all in one place so you can see what they have in common. Once you see which logos catch your eye, you’ll have a better idea of what elements you’d like included in your company logo.

With this brainstorming guide in your toolbelt, you’ll be able to communicate what you want so a graphic designer can create precisely the logo your company needs. Then, instead of feeling stumped or overwhelmed, you’ll already have examples to show your favorite options. Download our brainstorming guide HERE to get started.

Or, if you’ve already done your own brainstorming, you can skip right to hiring our designers so you can have your own professional logo in no time! If you feel confident in what you want but don’t have the skills to make your vision a reality, we can help. Hire our designers HERE to catapult your brand’s credibility and help you draw in your dream clients. When it comes to more money in the bank, there’s no reason to wait. In about a week, you can have your logo launched, and your company’s look polished to perfection so that a customer never wants to click over to your competitor’s website again!

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How to Choose the Right Font for Your Brand

Branding requires consistency. When you have a defined identity, communicating that identity clearly every time, is what makes branding important. As fun as it might be to change up your look, it can confuse your customers and make them wonder if they came to the right place. As you’re establishing your brand colors and designs, it’s crucial not to forget the significance of fonts in establishing the tone of your company. If this seems complicated, we’ve compiled all the information you need to know on how to choose the right font for your brand.

If you’re just at the beginning of establishing your brand identity, you’ll need to decide a few things before you find fonts:

  • The name of your brand or company
  • Who your target audience is
  • What you do
  • What sets you apart
  • The tone of your brand
  • Colors that represent what you stand for
  • A logo design that encapsulates this identity

To help you think through these elements, we’ve created a downloadable pdf called Logo RX. This guide will walk you through every question you need to be asking yourself so you don’t miss any crucial details while you establish your company’s brand identity.

Fonts as identity

The last two items on the list are not necessarily prerequisites to find the right font, but they help you choose elements representing your brand identity. As you establish the tone of your brand, it’s important not to pick the colors and fonts that you personally prefer. Just because you like the look of a font doesn’t mean it communicates your brand identity well. Of course, your preferences can be a part of your design, as long as they align well with the company’s core values. Combined with a solid logo and website design, the tone of your font can make your branding feel more consistent, streamlined, and clear.

So, do you know what tone communicates your brand identity best?

Some words to choose from might be:

  • Accessible
  • Ambitious
  • Approachable
  • Beauty-centric
  • Bold
  • Bright
  • Calm
  • Casual
  • Cheerful
  • Classic
  • Conservative
  • Contemporary
  • Convenient
  • Cool
  • Creative
  • Cultured
  • Custom
  • Cutting-edge
  • Delicate
  • Delightful
  • Dynamic
  • Easy
  • Efficient
  • Elegant
  • Enduring
  • Energetic
  • Exclusive
  • Familiar
  • Fashion-forward
  • Fearless
  • Flexible
  • Formal
  • Fresh
  • Friendly
  • Fun
  • Functional
  • Generous
  • Gentle
  • Harmonious
  • Helpful
  • Honorable
  • Human
  • Industrious
  • Informal
  • Instinctive
  • Innovative
  • Inviting
  • Knowledgable
  • Lovely
  • Mature
  • Modern
  • Natural
  • Noble
  • No-nonsense
  • Original
  • Peaceful
  • Personable
  • Plain
  • Playful
  • Polished
  • Professional
  • Quirky
  • Reflective
  • Reliable
  • Romantic
  • Rustic
  • Secure
  • Serious
  • Sincere
  • Sleek
  • Sophisticated
  • Spiritual
  • Thoughtful
  • Thrifty
  • Timeless
  • Trendy
  • Trustworthy
  • Unique
  • Unconventional
  • Vivacious
  • Versatile
  • Warm
  • Wise
  • Witty
  • Zany

 

Once you’ve identified a few of these words to describe your brand’s identity, you will want to browse through different fonts to find a type format that communicates this tone. Every brand needs the fonts they choose to be easy-to-read, not too familiar, and operational in all colors.

Easy-to-Read

If you choose a font that is too thin, too thick, too spread apart, too italicized, too swirly, or too artistic, it may not be the right font for your brand. If a font is too hard to read, you will not clearly communicate your identity. You want someone to tell exactly what your wording says, whether it’s plastered on a billboard or written in 10—point font on a business card. To check if a font is easy to read, you can significantly increase and decrease the font size. You may have a different font for headlines or titles than you have for subtitles or slogans. In fact, many brands do. But in either case, you need to choose a font that is easy to read.

Not Too Common

Obviously, you don’t need to select a crazy font with a strange look to stand out, but if it’s too common, it might look like a third-grader chose it. Think of the most common fonts like Arial, Calibri, New Times Roman, Georgia, Cambria, Impact, and Comic Sans. These are fonts easily accessible in Word processors and frequently used for education, writing, and everyday purposes. If you select one of these fonts for your brand, you will be perceived as ordinary and uncreative. It may also make people think you are less credible because you used the first font on the list.

Works in All Colors

Some fonts have cutouts or utilize negative space as part of the design. These fonts can look cool but are often designed to be black with a white background. If you change the background color or the font color, are the words still legible? Does the design still look cool? Or is it evident that the font was not created with this purpose in mind? Little details like this can make a difference for your audience. If you make a glaring mistake like this, they may not think you care about the details or can provide a professional-quality product or result.

Why Does Font Impact Credibility?

Your credibility as a company is one of your most valuable assets. There will always be external influences that impact how people view you. These might be out of your control. However, you want to be certain every choice you make improves your credibility. Choosing the right font has the power to do this.

If your company gives people legal advice or helps them produce contracts to minimize liabilities, using comic sans as a font could destroy your credibility. People will think of your company as childish, unprofessional, immature, and unpolished. These words confuse your audience and oppose your company’s core values.

If you own a fashion company that is simple, feminine, modern, and dainty, you should not use a thick or rustic font. Using Impact or Roboto Mono will create the wrong impression. People will take one look at your text and make decisions about whether they like your brand based on text that is giving off the wrong connotations. Similarly, if you are a masculine and rigged brand, using a cursive and curly font will communicate the opposite message.

While these are extreme examples, they do extend to more subtle fonts. In addition, there are different font categories that you can choose from, and each carries connotations that can help or hurt your brand, it all comes down to whether or not it’s right for your brand.

 

Serif and Sans Serif Fonts

Serif is a title that refers to the tiny “feet” at the ends of letters. Sans Serif is “without feet” and is the category of fonts we use on this site. A typewriter font is a serif font because it includes these extra strokes. Many Serif fonts are perceived as more formal, classic, and official. Without the extra strokes, Sans serif fonts are viewed as more simple, modern, informal, and elegant. We typically try and stay away from using serif fonts as all caps in headlines because it makes the copy harder to read. If you want to use all caps to capture attention in that way stick with a sans serif font.

Bold or Italicized

While many basic fonts have bold or italicized options, some fonts were created with these features in mind. A bold font gives a strong impression that is perceived as unyielding and confident. On the other hand, an italicized font can be perceived as more fancy, suggestive, quoted copy and elegant. Write out your title or slogan and see how it looks with these different features applied.

Script or Handwritten Fonts

Fonts that were designed to look like handwriting can be a fun addition, but should be used sparingly. These fonts are better to use as accent than a main staple. They are good for logos but not for large amounts of copy. By using a handwriting accent, your brand can be perceived as more creative or eye catching. However, with these kinds of fonts less it more. Never use one with all caps or letter spacing because it makes you look unprofessional.

Boxy or Curvy

For some of the more subtle fonts, you’ll want to pay attention to the lines. Are they straight and boxy, or curved and rounded? Each type of line communicates differently about your brand. Straight lines are more modern and straightforward. Curved fonts are more unique and creative. The boxiest fonts look technical and robotic, while the most rounded fonts mimic handwriting and feel more casual. Try some fonts out and see how your brand title looks in different font styles.

All Caps, Lowercase, Sentence Case, and Title Case

This might not even be something you’ve thought about, but different brands utilize this element to communicate their brand identity all the time. Using all caps is bold, unapologetic, and easy to read. Using all lowercase is a bit unconventional, informal, and casual. It would be best to avoid all lowercase with an older audience. Sentence case, with the first letter capitalized and everything else lowercase, is very standard and classic and commonly used in body copy. Title case is when all words except for articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions are capitalized and most commonly used in longer headlines or sometimes bullet points. In this paragraph, the title “All Caps, Lowercase, Sentence Case, and Title Case” is Title Case and the rest of the paragraph is Sentence Case.

Font Combinations

Most brands utilize more than one font in their brand guidelines. For example, they might use one or two fonts in their logo, and another one or two for their standard font on the website or print materials. You don’t necessarily have to use your logo font on your print material. In fact, many companies do not since their logo is very specialized or sometimes custom created. So the logo font is kept special for the logo. You can work with a graphic designer or brand specialist to help identify what fonts are appropriate for your communications. If you’re curious, try a few different font combinations out and see how they look together. A good rule of thumb is not to use more than two fonts in a logo. If you have one really unique font, you’ll want the others to be simple so that people don’t feel visually overwhelmed.

Fonts can be powerful

Your font can be a powerful communicator of your brand identity in combination with your logo design, brand colors, and website design. With the right font choice, you can communicate your company’s tone and establish credibility with your target audience. With one glance, your customers or clients will understand who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Instead of using fonts and colors that work against you, the right choices will build trust and set you apart from the competition.

If you are still stuck on how to choose the right font, talk with a designer to identify how to tie those fonts in with the colors and designs that your brand is already using. Ultimately, communication is in so much more than the words you use, and a font will build credibility for your brand in more ways than one! For targeted help choosing the elements that will work best for your brand, check out our Logo RX brainstorming guide. This free downloadable guide will help you think through all elements of your logo and brand identity from the colors to the design to the fonts. For more specialized help, check out our Logo Rx program to develop a professional logo and brand design with the help of a professional so you don’t get lost in the details.