Fix Your Website Bounce Rate with Responsive Design

In the world of Internet marketing, a website which as a high bounce rate is considered to be a very negative blow. It’s a warning sign that something is wrong with your website, so if you want to capture more sales and leads, a high bounce rate is a issue you can’t afford to ignore.

A bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who come to your site and leave after viewing only one page. In most instances, this means that they land on your site, look at it for a few seconds, and then leave.

A bounce rate also shows you how effective your brand connects with your visitors, and today mobile website visitors have less patience than a desktop visitor does. It’s a fact that internet traffic shifts more heavily towards mobile these days, so the best way to engage visitors and lower your bounce rate is to have a responsive site that offers a great mobile experience.

A great questions is why do people bounce? Something brought made them come to your site, it could have been a page title, a meta description, or a social post, but they were at interested enough to click on your page. And they may just leave because they didn’t get the information they were looking for, or the page took too long to load.

A high bounce rate means people aren’t engaging with your website enough, which more than likely means they’re not buying your services. So, reducing the bounce rate on your website needs to be a priority if you want to see an increase in sale conversions.

We all get put off by the way a menu is not displayed correctly on a site that is not mobile responsive, it could be that the text is jumbled and images are not shown as intended. This often means that the user will move on to another website instead, perhaps your competitor whose website is responsive, and much easier to navigate on a mobile device. If your website is mobile responsive, things like Calls to Actions can be easier to find. Some interesting studies have been found by MoPowered, which state 30% of mobile shoppers leave a transaction if the experience is not optimised well for a mobile.

A desktop visitor can bounce 45% of the time on average. Mobile users are more likely to leave so you have to expect a mobile bounce rate figures to be up to 18% higher than desktop figures. The difference between mobile and desktop bounce rate percentages can be even more bigger with lead generated websites because of the requirements to complete large forms on a website. The expected bounce rate for tablets is up to 15% higher than desktop bounce rate numbers. A much higher percentage for mobile and tablet devices may indicate that the website is not optimised for smaller screens.

January 18, 2017 admin Google, Web, Web design Comments Off

Flat Logo Design

Flat Logo Design: The Latest Design Trend

Like all creative things, there are always trends that come and go. Some trends turn out to be quick, while others have a longer and more impact. One trend that has been raising eyebrows in a good way is flat logo design.

What is flat design? According to Wikipedia, it’s a design aesthetic that is minimalism and does not have that 3D effect. For example, you it does not have any drop shadows, gradients or textures in flat design because all stylistic choices give the impression of depth. There’s a website entirely devoted to showcasing flat design in all its wisdom.

Big Brands Switching to Flat Design

Apple is the perfect example of a massive tech company that was well ahead of the flat design trend that’s taking the logo world by storm right now. Its current logo, which meets all of the requirements for a flat design has been around since 1999. However, Apple has until recently embraced skeuomorphism, which explains why so many Apple buttons and icons in the company’s products and website were in 3D.

After iOS 7, it became clear that the Apple shifted more committedly to flat design than ever before. It did this at the right time, when this design aesthetic was just taking off. It has to be noted that Apple’s shift to a flat design is more slow instead of quickly. For example, the icons and buttons of iOS 7 simply look flatter than any other Apple user interface of the past; technically, they’re still not 100% flat…but it’s a work in progress!

iOS 7 Apple flat logo design example

Why Is Flat Design So Popular?

One reason a trend begins to gain popularity and pop up in increasing places is because of it’s coverage. Flat design has been covered in many outlets over the past few years. As more consumers get exposed to this design philosophy, it resonates with them.

But that doesn’t account for all of flat design’s “takeover” effect. Take Microsoft for example, In 2006 it played around with flat design with its now-obsolete Zune player; in 2010, it applied flat design to its Windows Phone 7. The availability of these products to their customer helped to make flat design take presidence in the collective consciousness of its customers.

The increased exposure to flat design also found it’s way to more brands adopting flat design for their own logos.

Look at Facebook and what it’s done with it’s= buttons and icons. Facebook just switched to flat design for the logo graphics of its various pages. Whereas pages for developers, privacy, security, universities and mobile once sported a noticeable, 3D look, they now proudly show a flat design aesthetic.

Google also jumped onboard the flat design. For example, this screenshot of Google Now, the company’s “intelligent personal assistant,” clearly shows a flat design aesthetic.

Advantages of Flat Logo Design

One reason flat logo design has expanded in influence is because of the number of design advantages it has. These advantages are diverse and offer stylistic, but also very practical advantages. Let’s look at every flat design advantage in detail:

Vibrant Colours Make an Impression – One of the trademarks of any flat logo design is bold and striking colours. This is not just a stylistic choice; it’s driven by desire. Since flat design removes elements like drop shadows and gradients to present a 3D effect, graphic designers have to use another way to indicate where one border or line ends and where another begins. By increasing contrast by way of colours, flat design is able to achieve this.

Clean Look – Because of its emphasis on minimalism, flat design creates a clean look. An clean look is useful in logo design because it communicates what your brand’s about so much more effectively and quickly rather than a complicated logo. In the end, this helps your customers connect much more easily with your business.

Better on Mobile – Flat design is a lot more mobile-friendly than any other design approach. This is something of a contradiction because buttons and icons in 3D were very popular in the early days of mobile phones. But, as time has passed and developers have understood more about designing, it was discovered that flat design scaled a lot more easily on a mobile.

Final Conclusion

Flat design has already made a big impact, and it’s here to stay for at least a while. What originally began as a quiet move by Microsoft has now expanded to where more tech companies are jumping aboard the flat logo design bandwagon. It’s interesting to note that a lot of old economy business have already been using a flat design in their logos for some time.

If you think that your brand can benefit from this, then you should think hard about getting a DesignLab to design a logo for your business that uses this flat aesthetic. After all, it’s trendy to advertise this design on your logo. We know that trends don’t last forever, but it’s safe to say that flat design still has a long life ahead.

The Psychology of Colours in a Logo

It’s helpful to understand how colours of a logo can affect your brand perception, whether you create a 3D logo or a flat logo design. This is a video for anyone interested int designing a better corporate logo with a high-impact and lasting effect based on good logo design principles.

Check out the chart below on how a good and well though-out logo can help your business:

January 3, 2017 admin Logo design Comments Off

Time to quit design? Has technology gone too far?

Is it time to quit design? Has technology gone too far?

Logojoy is a new website that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to ‘design’ your logo.

The Koto logo created by Logojoy

There seems to be no more need for checkout chicks in supermarkets any more. Now they have a machine that can simply scan your item by the barcode and then you insert your bankcard in it and off you go. The need for one on one service is slowly diminishing. It’s happening everywhere, and slowly creeping into any industry. One industry I thought it would never affect is my industry – logo design. Well it’s proven me wrong.

There is a new site named Logojoy. The website proudly says, “By using artificial intelligence, genetic algorithms, and a few other fancy technologies, we’re empowering everyone to design their own logo.” What is a ‘genetic algorithm? and does it make good logos?

Koto’s actual logo, designed by people

I wanted to test this, so I signed up and got designing.

As the owner of a design agency I thought we should run this against our own visual brand and its simple ingredients of a face, some typography and a strap line. You start by choosing five logos you like from a set of over 20 (can you see where I am going with this). Some straight-down-the-line algorithms later and you’re staring at your logo, well not really, because you’re then choosing what typeface, what colour, and how big everything is and how it relates, and it’s a online version of a very basic PC paint package. Basically you’re just starting with some templates based on things you liked.

My icon is chosen, a yellow colour palette checked and a sans serif font selected and [above] is my result. Credit card details entered and $20 later I have gone for the cheaper alternative, money talks after all and cost (and there was even a 50% sale) and the files are emailed to you in a flash.

After reviewing the new logo I think I will stick with the one we created. News of the graphic designer’s extinction and replacement at the hands of AI is still premature. At DesignLab we work with our clients to achieve them the best results for the business. Logojoy can’t help you unlock the potential in your brand, connect it with your potential customers and fans or deliver this level of service. It can’t help you understand your market, it can’t build confidence or engage audiences. What it does is give you a very average non-descriptive logo, and it will probably make some money for some clever people who created the site.

LogoJoy is a generic site looking for stuff that comes out, but isn’t all graphic design derivative in some way? However extensive a library of fonts is, or icons and shapes can be, the process just keeps this at the same level as the graphic design noise we all experience on a daily basis. The coffee shop that has slightly over roasted coffee and no experience, the sole trader business owner that wants their brand to be amazing and captivate it’s audience, but does not want to invest money in a corporate identity. They’re the businesses that will use Logojoy, because they want cheap and quick, they don’t see the value in design, and the difference it can make to a business.

Logos examples by Logojoy

Graphic design does not have to cost the earth, or be complex, but it does have to have heart and thought, and the AI robots are missing that vital ingredient, it’s that years of experience that a robot can never provide. There will always be a market for this kind of thing and more fool the people that use it. Buy cheap, buy twice.

December 14, 2016 admin Logo design Comments Off

Logo Rebrands 2016

Logo rebrands are a necessary step to take in the world of business; this could be because your current logo is confusing to customers, or it doesn’t sell your brand message correctly or it’s simply out-dated.

But, this type of redesign can be a minefield and your loyal customers may lose the emotional connection that’s cultivated over the years. It’s safe to say as a society, we don’t like change.

A Logo Can Have an Emotional Attachment

Sometimes it can seem no matter the size of the brand, it seems it send out a negative message to your market; this is because we align ourselves with the brands we engage with. We tend to take on their identity, and when the design changes, we are concerned the brand is going to change with the new logo. In short, the stronger emotional bond we have to a brand, the more negative our reactions are when they change their design.

Brand’s risk losing their audience with a new design, and though many seek advice from logo design agencies, the water’s a muddy and a rebrand is a treacherous place to be.

What big brands had had their logo redesigned for 2016, and how did we react?

Instagram

Instagram is currently of the world’s most popular social media channels. In May 2016, a new look and feel was launched. The original retro camera has been replaced with a background of oranges, yellows, pinks and purple with a white keyline of a camera. The design was described by own a Guardian writer as:

“As if the camera was murdered, and chalk was drawn around its body. Murdered at sundown.”

Head of design for Instagram Ian Spalter explained the design as a response to Instagram user evolving from a place to simply share filtered photos to a community platform that is vibrant and diverse.

Not only did the logo change, but it’s sister apps have undergone a similar makeover; Boomerang, Hyperlapese and Layout have all been given the vibrant look the brand want to evoke.

The infamous Saul Bass once stated “Logos are a graphic extension of the internal realties of a company”. Instagram are using their new logo to speak to their users, without the need for written communication, whether we like it or not.

Netflix

Netflix has become the world’s leading internet television company. It nearly avoided a PR backlash in June 2016 thanks to their announcement regarding their “not new logo” and proclaimed the new icon was simply to accompany the current logo.

This new ribbon effect “N” against a black background icon mirrors the current logo and though the ribbon effect is very pleasing, though some feedback is it serves no purpose. And when compared to the negative comments Instagram’s new logo received, Netflix has every right to be feeling good.

Past Rebranding Failures

Gap

This rebranding failure haunts us time and again. Remember in 2010 when Gap unveiled their brand new logo. It brought a global attention, for all the wrong reasons. The brand that held a firm identity by its logo for over 20 years had suddenly changed overnight, and no one was happy. One of the reasons the logo failed so badly was thanks to the use of the font. This typeface is so overused, so therefore it failed to create any unique visual appael for the audience to hold onto. After just 1 week, Gap reverted back to their old logo, with a rough estimate of around $100million lost in the rebranding process.

London Olympics 2012

Not every logo design failure is because of a rebrand; some are just terrible designs. For example the 2012 Olympics proved that, and thanks to the rise in social media, failures are now less contained than before. The logo’s intention was by being bold, spirited and some say jarring, it would echo London as a diverse, modern and vibrant city, though the internet had different ideas and the design was alluded to an X-rated image that soon reached viral status.

Logo Design

When a company wants to rebrand who have a massive budget in the multi millions are still failing at logo design, it can put off other smaller companies doing the same thing. It’s important to let your customers know if a change is coming, just incase you shock or disappoint them. Ask this, does your’e redesign need to happen? Head of design Ian Spalter from Instagram drives this message with his blog post regarding their logo change:

“Brands, logos, and products develop deep connections and associations with people, so you don’t just want to change them for the sake of novelty”.

In summary, if a redesign seems more just self-indulgent, pause and step away, or you risk alienating your customers, but if it’s necessary, then do it properly and hire a professional design / branding agency!

November 9, 2016 admin Logo design Comments Off

WordPress vs PageCloud

We are avid users of WordPress, we think there is no other website platform that offers the flexibility of speeding up WordPress, but every now and then comes along a new platform that is meant to wow us all, and PageCloud could be it? Let’s try and find the best platform to create a website using WordPress Vs PageCloud. PageCloud is a very new company that has been making a real big buzz and WordPress is the most popular platform.

What is PageCloud?
Page Cloud is web design software for dummies, it provides a What You See is What You Get (WYSWYG) editor for making all sorts of creative designs. It’s goal is to give the whole world the ability to create and share information without using web developers or coders (so there goes that industry).

What is WordPress?
WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and a content management system (CMS) based on PHP and MySQL.

Let’s look at the design comparison

PageCloud
The goal is to allow users to customise up to 90% of their website. If you designed your site in Photoshop, you can easily copy layers out of any desktop design tool and paste it directly onto your pages. With PageCloud you can drag/copy video, widgets, images, spreadsheet charts and text directly onto your site.

WordPress
WordPress is not really a builder, it’s all about installing. WithWordPress you are able to install over thousands of complex themes. Both WordPress and PageCloud require no coding. There is no theme that you can’t find. You can create a Facebook styled theme, video blog styled theme, etc. You are guaranteed to find the perfect design for your website or blog.

With WordPress you don’t need to know HTML, but if you do have coding skills, then you can put them to the test. For a beginner it will take you 5 minutes to create a WordPress website because SiteGround has an automatic WordPress installation wizard. See here how to install it.

Price comparison

There is difference when it comes to price. PageCloud costs around $20 a month, which is a little on the expensive side. The good thing about WordPress is that it is free. The only thing that you need to do is get hosting and domain name registration.

Domain names

PageCloud does allow you to have a custom domain, but you have to go buy one from a domain registrar, and then they will explain to you how to point it at your PageCloud site.

Ownership comparison

When you choose your own hosting, you won’t have to worry about deleting or shutting your site down. This is why people choose WordPress, PageCloud, Squarespace, Tumblr and Wix. With WordPress you own it, and you don’t have to worry about your hard work being gone one day.

Make sure that you have your own servers and you’re not on someone else’s servers. If you read the PageCloud terms of service you will see that they reserve the right to remove your content. This is not uncommon when you don’t have your own servers.

PageCloud’s Terms below:

2.2 License to Your Stuff. You grant us, for as long as you use the Services, a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to host, copy, transmit, display, and use Your Stuff in connection with the Services.

2.3 Content Removal. You are solely responsible for Your Stuff and your use of the Services. We don’t pre-screen Your Stuff, but we and our designees (including our third-party vendors and hosting partners) have the right (but not the obligation) in our sole discretion to access, review, and monitor Your Stuff, Your Site, or any information on or made available through the Services, and if we determine in our sole and reasonable discretion, that Your Stuff violates our Acceptable Use Policy, we reserve the right to refuse, remove or delete Your Stuff, without notice.

Flexibility comparison

WordPress

WordPress is flexible. There is no other website platform that can outdo WordPress when it comes it’s flexibility. Not only does WordPress have standard features that makes your site ready to go in minutes, but they also have 30,000 of plugins that extend what your site can do. With over that many plugins you can do anything that you want. You can start an e-commerce shop, real estate listings, photography and many more.

You can start a video or music site. All that you need to do is go to the plugins section and install them mostly for free. One of the first plugins that I like installing is a SEO plugin named Yoast to boost in the search engines. Then a cache plugin for speed.

PageCloud

This is something that you will not be able to do with PageCloud. It is not spoilt in features. They offer just a regular drag and drop builder, but they don’t offer any add-ons. Plugins are such a fun part of creating a website because you get to show your creativity. PageCloud does have a very fast spot-edit though, but once again don’t expect a site that is heavy in features. WordPress is far better for the future because it lets your site grow easily.

SEO comparison
PageCloud has common SEO options like page keywords, descriptions, page titles, file name, H tags, image ALT tags, etc.

WordPress has full SEO features. You can change your breadcrumbs, URL structure,heading tags, sitemaps, image optimisation and so on. On top of that you are able to install SEO plugins.

Many popular sites are using Yoast to achieve high rankings and it is only available with WordPress. You are also able to install cache plugins that will give your site a speed boost. If you want SEO features than there is no other than WordPress.

Popularity comparison
The keyword “PageCloud” has around 18 – 20,000 monthly searches.

The keyword “WordPress” has 2,700,000 monthly searches.

WordPress powers over 25% of the entire web. There is no other platform that comes close to this, and we believe that no other platform ever will.

Support and documentation

PageCloud

PageCloud has an answers page filled with plenty of information. You will not be lacking with their library of articles. It also has a great community forum. And they have a very quick responsive email support.

WordPress

WordPress is a large company, so it has a much larger amount of support and documentation. It has more users, more forums, more videos.

The verdict: The best for your next website.

PageCloud is not something that we haven’t seen before. There is nothing that you can get withPageCloud that you can’t get with WordPress. PageCloud is new so it needs time to grow. It does have potential, but right now WordPress is clearly (and will always be) the best.

WordPress has far better SEO options, more flexibility, more support, cheaper pricing options, more design options (I can go on). I don’t know how anyone can choose PageCloud over WordPress? We have been using WordPress for years, and it has been a blessing. We can create any type of site that suits the needs of our clients.

Talk to Spiros on 0431 926 575 anytime for your WordPress website.

June 27, 2016 admin Blogs, WordPress Comments Off

When Clients Ask for Discounts

I bought a couple of new jackets recently. One was from G-Star, another from Country Road. They were not cheap, but not unreasonably expensive. I paid the price the shop asked. What I didn’t do was haggle over the price with the shop owner.

As a professional design agency, we have fees. We are not cheap, but we are also not unreasonably expensive. And we always try to be transparent in our pricing. That means that we prefer not to waste my time on price negotiations.

Sometimes, clients contact us and say, “We’d love to hire you. But can we get a discount?”, or better yet “If you look after us now, we will give you more work as our business grows”. We have found a great way to deal with these discount requests: I simply ask our customers, “Why?”

My usual reply also includes something like this, “Is there a specific reason you believe you are entitled to a discount?” Without my directly saying yes or no, I’ve bounced the question right back to the customer, forcing them to re-consider what they’re asking and to give them a chance to point out something that could be of value to us.

Some clients say they cannot afford our fees, so they’re hoping to get us at half our normal price. Sometimes, they even ask me to do my work for free (LOL). “It will be a great opportunity to present your work!” I hear. But this always just baffles me. I have never considered asking Country Road to sell me a jacket at half the price, or to just give it away for free: “Because it will be a great opportunity to show off your clothes!” Imagine if the world worked like that.

If I find a business too expensive, I wouldn’t have shopped with them. Instead, I would have checked out a cheaper imitation business. So, when faced with the discount question, my next move is to tell clients that I will happily refer them to other design agencies.

Sometimes, clients are so big they consider themselves too important, that the magnitude of their arrogance itself seems to qualify them for a discount. They say “You will be able to add our name to your list of clients!” (again, LOL).

Some clients just love haggling us. My problem with this attitude is that those clients assume that we are overpaid and with some negotiation, it should be possible to talk the fee down to a “proper” price.

Another possibility is that a client assumes that we are so desperately in need of a sale that we are willing to be underpaid, which seems like a lack of integrity on the side of the client. They sometimes say, “You probably have a special price for friends,” to which I might reply, “I have many friends and our fee is what they pay. I assume you want me to treat all my friends equally and fairly?”

We don’t say “no” to clients who ask us for a discount. We just ask “Why?” because it’s possible that they have a very good reason? It comes down to customising the value of the exchange.

The only time we would agree to give a discount is if we get something in return. In exchange for a discount you ask your client to give you something which is important or of value to you. Then you will find that your client stops and thinks about it for a minute, usually with a reply of ‘OK, we see you’re point’.

At the end of the day don’t sell yourself short. No one will value you. Set a fair price for your services.

Most of us set way too low a price. Put it a little higher than you would normally be inclined to do. The worst that can happen is someone will say no.

April 27, 2016 admin Blogs, Branding Adelaide Comments Off

Why a professional logo design doesn't cost $99

Professional Logo design today is totally under rated. People do not understand how important a good logo is and how valuable it is to their business. We are going to outline some very important points explaining to you exactly why logo design should not cost $99, and why your logo is not something you should ever take lightly.

We will do this by comparing “cheap logo design” to “professional logo design” and we will outline the reasons why professional logo designers don’t charge low fees and why you should invest in a professional logo design.

What Is A Logo?

To really understand what a logo must achieve, we first must know what a logo is. A logo’s design is for immediate brand recognition, it inspires trust, admiration and loyalty. A logo is one aspect of a businesses brand, or economic entity, its colours, shapes and fonts usually are different from others in a similar market. Logos are also used to identify business.

It makes us so frustrated as to why some people have no logo, or why they would even bother with a getting a cheap logo designed if a logo is meant to do all of these things.

Spec Work

Before we get into comparing cheap vs professional logo design I want to talk to you a bit about SPEC work. “Spec” has become the short form for any work done on a speculative basis.

For example. If you design this for me, I will pay you if I like it. – This is clealry not right.

To explain, let’s create a scene in another industry where SPEC work does NOT exist.

“I went for a dental check-up the other day. After the dentist finished, he suggested I need some work to prevent further tooth decay. I told him to go ahead, and if the dental work to my satisfaction, I’d be more than happy to pay. He responded that he wouldn’t be able to do that, because he normally provides a service when a fee is agreed upon up-front. I said I’d let him know after I checked in with other local dentists.”

This sort of thing happens in the design industry every day and is ruining the design industry. A designer should not have to invest time and resources with no guarantee of payment much like a dentist or any other professional.

Check out these comics below about Spec Work, they are very amusing.

Cheap Logo Design

What quality can you expect for a logo in between the $5 – $200 price bracket. Have a look at the following link $35 logo design contest that was held on Digital Point Forums.

The “brief” for the logo design was

“MAKE A LOGO FOR THE SITE ‘SPELA PIANO’. THE MEANING OF THAT IS PLAY PIANO. THIS IS A SITE WHERE OUR MEMBERS CAN LEARN TO PLAY PIANO ONLINE.”

Below you can see the concepts from the contestants, which one do you think won?

You will notice that nearly all of the logos above use free standard issue fonts and don’t assign to the rules of what makes a good logo. Ie. memorable, effective, describable and scalable.

Ask yourself the following questions to the contest logos above:

How many of the logos can you describe or remember?
Do you think these logos are effective without colour?
Are they scalable enough?
Do they gain immediate recognition of what they are?
Do they convey the company’s character or personality?
Do they relate to your clients by conveying a feeling of credibility?
Do they have association with quality?

Professional Logo Design

Now compare these professional logo designs and answer the same questions as above….

Can you any difference?

Why are they so different? Because professional logo designers have a process that involves research and conceptualising and this is why they do not charge $99.

The design process of a professional logo designer usually consists of:

A Design Brief: This is a questionnaire and interview with the client to create a design brief.
Research: Conduct research focused on the market itself, on its history, and its competitors.
Conceptualising: Develop logo concept(s) around the brief and the research.
Reflection: Taking breaks throughout their design process. This lets ideas mature and get them renewed enthusiasm and get feedback.
Presentation: Choose whether to present only a select few logos to the client.

Do you believe doing all of that costs $99?

On that note, did you know that the software used to make the logo is around $2,000 in itself, let alone the computer or the costs associated with essentials… i.e. paper, ink and an internet.

More Reasons

Here are some more responses from other designers on reasons why logo design does not cost $99.

A logo is the first impression your customers get of your business.
A logo needs longevity, it should stand the test of time.
A logo needs to be original (not a copy from somewhere else).
A logo should look professional.
A logo should reflect the business.
A logo is the starting point of your corporate image.

Now look back at those $99 logo designs to see they follow the above points.

How much does a logo cost?

This is the most frequently asked question, and as we say to all our clients it is the hardest one to answer without more details of the project.

The cost of a professional logo design is a question that cannot be easily answered as every company has different needs, the best way to approach this question is to draw up a customised quote for each individual. This is how we approach it at DesignLab.

A number of facts have to be taken into consideration when designing a logo, i.e. how many logo concepts, how many changes are required, how much research is needed, the size of the business, does the business need corporate stationery (such as business card or letterhead design).

The best way to find out how much a logo design will cost is to get a quote from the design agency.

Is Time To Invest?

Isn’t it about time you invested in a professional logo design?

You can can get a free quote by calling Spiros on 0431 926 575 or email us at info@designlab.net.au

April 4, 2016 admin Graphic Design Adelaide, Logo design Comments Off

How To Sell Your Design To Skeptical Clients

You know that nervous feeling just before your’e about to sell your design ideas to your clients?

It’s because you know they’re going to ask why, and you’re going to have to think up some sort of explanation. And you’re going to stutter through it with meaningless phrases: “It works because of balance” “I think this is the way to go.”

Why not instead enter the meeting with a solid argument in your back hand. To truly convince a client, nothing beats a lucid, coherent argument based on actual evidence. You may be a designer, but when it comes to pitching an idea, you have to act like a salesman.

Here are four techniques for making a good convincing sale.

1. LISTEN AND REPEAT THEIR WORDS BACK TO THEM

Sometimes, your client is trying to tell you things they don’t know how to express themselves. Your role as a designer is to pick through the subtle ties and pull out the truths they’re not being explicit about. Before you can make a valid case for any kind of solution, you need to know what the problem is. And that means listening.

Listening helps you determine what the constraints of a project really is, what the client’s concerns are. It helps you see whether or not you’ve already got the right argument in hand or if it needs looking at again.

It also helps put your client into a mindset. Repeating what you’ve heard back to the client you’re listening to is the No. 1 way to make a client feel they are being heard to the ideas you’re about to show. It shows that your forthcoming recommendations will be tightly relevant to the client’s needs.

2. ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS CONTINIOUSLY

A good designer should ask questions—about the business, they’re concerns, they’re needs, they’re prior decisions, they’re team and goals. A great designer wants to see the whole picture.

They ask questions because they’re really curious. They ask questions because the answers can help them see what they’re getting into. They ask questions because they want to work toward a vision they can use to make good design decision. Asking questions lets them do that.

Asking questions lets a designer form a coherent debate. Asking is as important as listening. It’s actually part of listening. Asking means dragging more information out into the spotlight.

Next time you walk into an interview, ask questions. Next time you need to make an informed decision ask questions. Next time you need to fend off a bad idea, someone’s bias, your own bias, ask questions.

3. PATIENTLY EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING

A client asked me to add “click here” to a link. They were worried users wouldn’t know what I meant for them to click—the link was a question like “Forgot password?” I explained the reasons for not including “Click here.”

We all know it takes time to explain things like this. That email took 15 minutes to write.

But it’s worth it. It buys you respect, and it shows your client respect. What they hear is that you care enough to explain your rationale. It also demonstrates that you have a rationale for everything you do. It can build trust.

Educating your clients and co-workers and stakeholders with every recommendation you make has effective effects:

It guarantees you have a reason for your recommendation.
It gives everyone a good reason for the recommendation.
It has a long-term effect: It teaches clients to think about design. To think like a designer. To think like a consumer. It teaches them that every decision has an impact on a user’s experience and therefore should be considered. Do this well, and over time you won’t need to form an argument for your reasoning.

4. PRESENT YOUR RATIONALE LIKE AN ESSAY

If you can present your case and do it at the start, you won’t need to argue. Your narrative will address every concern before it comes up.

It helps to apply an essay-style structure to your presentation. When you’re presenting design work to someone, that essay can be helpful. It’s a template. Its tells a story.

Here’s one tip for how to keep an audience captive while you’re making your rationale.

A lot of times, your audience, especially smaller ones will want to ask questions during the presentation. This is fine if it’s a minor question with a quick answer. There is no quicker way to derail your argument than to let something like this distract you and leave everyone forgetting what you were hoping to achieve.

The tip is simple: Ask your customers to hold their questions until the end of the presentation.

In many examples, especially if you’ve anticipated their concerns, you’ll have already answered most of the big questions. This doesn’t mean you’re done. It’s practically a guarantee that someone will ask you something you haven’t yet thought of. This is why the questions are at the end.

If you let these things throw you off track in the middle of a presentation, you may never answer the other important questions. If your meeting is an hour, leave 5-10 minutes at the end for questions.

Whatever the case, leave some time. Questions are the only way you’ll know what you’ve missed.

In Summary: It can always be a tough sell to convince your’e client your reasons for why you design a project the way you do. Steve Jobs put it so well “The customer is always right was told by the customer”. People don’t know what they want, you need to show them. Believe in what you do and why you do it. Remember customers come to you because they can’t do it themselves.

February 24, 2016 admin Graphic design, Tips & Tricks Comments Off

Importance of Adelaide Branding Business Stationary

When starting a new business or trying to revive the life your existing one, there are many things you need to consider. This could be anything conducting surveys to get a better feel for what your customers want. Or you may try to get television or radio time. While these are all good and helpful, it is very important not to forget about the importance of branding your stationary.

Importance of Adelaide Branding Stationary

Branding your business on your stationary is really important. It is what separates the more detail orientated businesses from the ones who overlook the minor aspects of their business. It is a small thing, but it can really boost your business in a way that you just wouldn’t believe. With the internet, television, and so many others forms of technology, branded stationary is one aspect of marketing that many businesses tend to overlook. But think of this, any place your business is seen means another potential customer or client.

Types of Stationary to Utilise

Your reaction may be that your business is not one that uses stationary too often. Chances are that you might use a lot more paper products than originally thought. But you will certainly need business cards with your name or logo on them. Make sure you keep them on you at all times to hand out to potential customers whenever and wherever appropriate.

Why not go beyond business cards. Have paper with your formal letterhead on it for whenever you need to print something out. Have complimentary slips with your information printed on it. Why not throw one into every customer’s order. Have your logo printed onto a pen that you give out for free. You can even have magnets printed up so that your customer will throw it on their refrigerator and constantly be reminded of you every time they use it, now that is smart marketing.

Added Benefits

There are so many benefits to having stationary printed with your logo on them. The obvious is that it acts as a form of continuous marketing. Every time your customer uses the pen or looks at the letterhead or the magnet, they will think of your business.

This can go beyond just the individual who you will be giving it to. Your friends may even borrow the pen or see the letterhead. One of your customers may even recommend you to their friends and hand them one of the business cards. A stranger may come across the stationary that was left behind. Using stationary with your information printed on it is reinforcing your brand.

Choose DesignLab

When you do decide to have your stationary designed, it is important to make sure that you are choosing the right design agency. Not all design agencies cater to businesses. Some design agencies are cheaper because they do not offer higg quality. You want to make sure that the agency you choose offers the best quality without putting you over your budget. People can always tell when something is really cheaply designed or printed based on the paper or look of the ink. You want to give a great first impression, and the right design agency can help you do that such as DesignLab. Ask to talk to Spiros or don’t be shy and call him on 0431 926 575.

July 27, 2015 admin Branding Adelaide Comments Off

Selling Your Design Value

As design agencies face more and more competition in selling their design services, they are now looking to areas where they can add design value for clients (and get paid for that added value).

For years now advertising / marketing gurus speak about something called USP (unique selling proposition). This has based on assumptions that an area of a product / service could have a unique resonance with a particular market demographic.

Value proposition – what is it?

Value proposition is the promise of a value to be delivered to a client. True value proposition works when the receiver of the value (client) has acknowledged that they have received value from the product or service.

A value proposition can apply to an any organisation, products or services.

Preparing value proposition is part of a business strategy. Strategy is based on a differentiated customer value proposition. Satisfying customers is the source of sustainable value creation.

Design value proposition – what is it?

A design value proposition is written from a working analysis of your client and your competitors. From these you can identify what value design can add to your clients’ business. Value that you know your competitor don’t offer.

The design value proposition has three important key statements.

The areas that a client values.
How a designer can offer services to enhance and communicate the value to customers
Example of success that the designer has had in project with a peer.

Design value proposition – how to use it?

The design value proposition is not a statement you put on your website, however it does guide your submission and pitches to clients. Its structure is the structure you use in pitches. You begin by showing the client you understand what it is they value. Then you outline a strategy for your services to communicate the value to customers. You may also show a strategy to enhance the value through design. The submission would finish with a budget and projected return on investment based on a similar project.

Value pricing

In any resignation, price your service on the value they generate for your client, not the number of hours it will take.
Your design value proposition needs to show the value of your service that can return for the client and now you’re asking for a part of that increased value.

It does requires trust and confidence

As stated above in the value proposition definition it has to require the client to acknowledge the added value. This is only possible if the client respects and trusts the designer…i.e. you!

June 17, 2015 admin Graphic Design Adelaide, News, Tips & Tricks Comments Off