Using Graphics to Maximize Your Business (part-2)

 Designing a Business Card With Graphics

Whether you have a company or you are a freelancer, your business card is critical and how professional your business card looks can make or break your business. After all, it is the first contact you may have with a potential customer.

There are all kinds of business cards you can choose from, or you can design your own. Many are not aware of the importance of putting good graphics on your business card. Too often a graphic design is grabbed just to fill space, which means you miss an opportunity to leave a lasting image with the person(s) who receives the card.

The graphic on your business card should be associated with your business, with you, or with what you do. Graphics are a great way to brand a company, product, or person. Your business card is a bit like your portfolio but the mini version. It tells the recipient what you do and how they can contact you. 

Many times business cards are kept by the recipient for a very long time. When you use the graphic right it’s likely that the recipient will make the connection and instantly or almost instantly.

Once you’ve chosen your logo or graphic you will need to decide on the paper you will use, colors. Your options will depend on whether you are going to print your own business cards or have them printed professionally. Try not to choose a paper that’s too busy because it can be irritating and your business card just might land in the trash.

Your business card should include your logo or graphic, company name, your name, your title, phone number, email address, website, mailing address, and slogan or catch phrase if you have one. The information on your business card should be clear and concise, and remember your graphic should be memorable to your business and create branding.

Many don’t recognize the real potential of a business card and tend to cut back on distribution to keep the cost down. That’s a huge mistake! Business cards are an easy and affordable way to get your name and your business out into the community, allowing you to connect with like minded people, and potential clients or customers. Next to the web, it has the easiest and most affordable method available to a business or freelancer to gain the exposure necessary to grow your business.

When it comes to your graphic – take your time, consider your message, and choose wisely the first time so you do not have to change your graphic later. It’s that important!

How Web Graphics Design Can Help Your Business Grow

Its official – web graphic design is now recognized as the most modern method for online communication and it’s certainly easy to use. It’s a good idea to explore the different options you have available to you in the form of visual stimuli. Web graphics engage the imagination, create appeal, and even affect cognitive skills. Graphic designs play an important role in the public image of any brand, and therefore when product endorsement is an issue you need to give your graphic design the proper consideration.

 There are a number of excellent graphic design service companies that can provide you with excellent graphic designs that are aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing to your visitors. There are simply some elements that don’t convert to words and the proper graphics can.

When it comes to marketing, the significance of graphic design services is well known. When graphics are successful, it can increase the profits of a business. The graphic designer you hire needs to study the requirements of your business and look at your internet marketing plan. As the graphics design company designs your graphic designs, they can grow your profits. To get optimum graphics for your website, spend the money and hire a professional graphic design company to do your web graphic designs for you.

The needs of a business pertaining to graphic design needs vary depending on budget and type of business. When imaginative skills are put to work on graphics creations, the choices are endless. Spectacular designs can be fashioned by smart use of images, colors, and sounds. An experienced graphic designer will provide a professional looking website.

Your graphic designs choices need to match the web design, site content, and types of clients. Online competition is fierce and it’s getting fiercer every day that goes by. Your focus should be in pioneering graphic design elements that will be effective.

Graphic design is also used in logo design. A logo gives your company a symbolic identity that helps them stand out from the crowd, and it’s often referred to as branding. Your professional graphic design can be used on your websites, letterheads, flyers, and business cards.

When you are selecting a graphic design company look for experience, value, and reliability. Choose a company where you feel comfortable with the staff and where there are value added services. It’s all about matching your company with the right graphic design company to get the most value.

Business Proposals do Better with Graphics and Color

Many companies have their own unique branding, which often includes unique packaging, a logo, and other graphics that make them identifiable and recognizable. Many are not aware how important it is that this same recognition transcend across to business proposals. It’s a well known fact that business proposals do better when graphics and color are used correctly.

Color and graphics are recommended except when a customer forbids its use, which is rare. However, when graphics and color are used it is imperative that that sound judgment be used. Throwing some clipart or a colorful logo just because you don’t know what else to do will harm your business proposal not help it.

There are a number of factors that contribute to an excellent business proposal:

- Page layout

- Legibility through font choice

- Proper white space

- Good use of graphics

- Color

The latter two – graphics and color – are the most important of all the components involved in a good business proposal. There is some excellent research backing the use of color. An independent study found there is a 73% increase in comprehension and a 78% increase in retention when color and graphics are used. A University of Minnesota study found when simple graphics were used the message persuasiveness increased by 47%.

Why do graphics have such an impact when combined with words? Some people learn better with graphics, others are skimmers so they are more likely to absorb content that includes graphics. When graphics are statistical in nature, they tend to carry authority.

Here are some ways to enhance your business proposal with graphics and color:

- When doing a business proposal always include your company’s logo.

- If you have a company color make sure it is incorporated throughout your document. For example, you can subtly including a line between text and header in your company color.

- Avoid the use of poor quality generic clip art. It will do nothing for your business proposal. Don’t add just to add. It needs to have value.

- Don’t use graphics that are too complex or high tech because you will frustrate your reader and lose them.

- Try to illustrate an idea in text graphically.

- Never put your graphics at the end of your document.

- Always consider your audience when adding graphics.

Business proposals are important document and they can be much more successful when you incorporate quality graphics and color into your business proposal.

Using Graphics in Your Direct Mail Will Increase the Responses

Did you know from the minute the recipient gets your direct mail out and opens it, there are only 10 seconds where he or she will decide whether to continue reading it or throw it in the trash. During those 10 seconds your recipient’s eyes become fixed on the images and headlines. They never look at the body for even a split second.

Before your reader ever notices the text you’ve written, the reader sees the photos, the clipart, and the drawings. Once you understand the effects graphics have on flow of the eye, you can increase your response to direct mail outs by getting the reader’s attention.

- The reader’s eyes will follow the direction in which the illustration is focused.

- If something in the illustration points the eye usually will follow in that direction. For example, if a woman is wearing a vertical striped blouse, the eye will follow those stripes.

- Place the captions as near to the pictures as you can.

- Captions need to be below the picture or to the right. They should never be to the left or above the picture.

- You can capture and expand your readers view so he/she scans the whole page rather than just a small section.

- At the far left of the page put a commanding picture to draw the reader’s eye and therefore expanding the readers view to take the entire page in.

- If you have pictures with people in them put them to the left and the eye will be drawn to them.

- Put color pictures to the left and black & white pictures to the right.

- Never put an eye grabbing picture on the bottom of your page because it will draw your reader to the exit point.

- Studies indicate that 80% of eyes will go to a vertical shape then a horizontal shape.

- Readers will see circled areas before they will see square areas.

- A burst will immediately get the attention but it can backfire by causing a distraction.

- People will read within a border before they read the open tex.

If you want to increase the response to your direct mail, using these tips will certainly help. Direct mail outs can be a powerful tool when used properly. They can also be an expensive form of advertising so you won’t want to waste your ad budget.

How Graphic Posters Can Help Maximize Your Small Business

The global economic uncertainty has had its toll on many businesses, but smaller companies have especially suffered. The crunch in profits has led to a reduction in the financial resources available for marketing, advertising, and promotions, almost always the first place costs are cut. Think graphic posters – you’ll be amazed at how they can help maximize your small business.

In fact, the graphic poster is one of the best tools in an environment that is volatile. Posters have been around for decades and have long been recognized as one of the most effective promotional tools out there for small business. Let’s look at some of the advantages of a poster:

- Small businesses put posters up where they will be visible to people repeatedly. When seen over and over again the posters tend to stimulate interest in the minds of those who have seen them and that initiates action.

- Posters are a cheap promotional tool. In fact, they are one of the cheapest at your disposal, making them ideal for small businesses. Cut your costs further by finding a discounted printing service provider.

- You can easily customize posters for all budget sizes as well as initiatives. You can also use your poster campaign as a bit of a teaser about what’s to come.

- With a few simple software programs such as MS Publisher, or Adobe Photoshop, you can customize the design of your poster.

- The beauty about poster marketing is that it can be highly targeted so your posters will only flood where your potential customers can be found.

Just as real estate is all about location, poster success is all about the placement of those posters. Posters should always be placed at eye level and they should be placed in areas where traffic flow naturally comes to a stop. Place your graphic posters in areas where a number of people hang around.

Graphic posters are a good form of advertising for small businesses. It’s cost makes it a choice for even those small businesses that have tight budgets. You can rely on graphic posters to get you the type of response you need to help your business grow and prosper. During slow economic times, the graphic poster is an affordable form of advertisement that offers a lot of bang for the buck, so don’t overlook this tried and true marketing form for something more costly, newer, and less effective.

Help Your Business Grow Using Graphics

For the best result off your web, design you to incorporate graphics. In fact, web graphic design has become known as the simplest are and most creative way to communicate online. By using graphics, you can incorporate cognitive and visual components to create a website that draws visitors in and keeps them there. You have only a few seconds to capture your visitor’s interests before they hit the back button and using graphics is certainly one method of doing so.

Graphics are also important in the branding process. Brand recognition and product recall are often associated with an effective graphic. Just look at McDonalds and their big M. Everyone instantly knows what that means. Your graphic choices can play an important role in the public perception of your company and the products or services you offer.

Many companies around the world offer graphic design services. The market is highly competitive and with a little bit of research you can find a company that meets your vision and your budget. A web graphic design company can give your website the aesthetic appeal it needs and they will turn words into pictures.

It’s no secret – it has long been known that there is significant value in graphic design when it comes to marketing your products and business image. A graphics design person will take the

time to study the requirements of your business and review your marketing plan. Then they will move forward with creating graphic images that fit your business goals. While you can undertake this project on your own, it’s one of those things that is worth the price you will pay to hire someone to do it and get it right the first time.

The cost of graphic designing will correlate with what it is you need. When it comes to graphic designs, the sky is the limit. Your graphic designs should complement the look and feel of your website and it should distinguish you from the competition online.

You can also use graphic design to create a logo or some type of symbolism that over time becomes associated with your company. This type of branding has long lasting effects. The graphic images can be transferred from online to your business cards, invoices, letterhead, and other paper products.

If you still aren’t convinced of the value of graphic designs when it comes to growing your business, take a look around you. In any given street where businesses are located, you’ll find all kinds of graphics and logos that your brain instantly knows where they belong. You too have the power to use graphics as a visual aid in company and brand recognition.

 

Choosing the Right Graphic Vehicle Wrap to Promote Your Business 

Today’s economy is a tough sell. Competition has been opened up tremendously thanks to the internet. As a result, companies have had to think harder and smarter about how they can grab the attention of potential customers. Marketing has become a very sophisticated game and the messages are bold and attention grabbing. Vehicle wraps have become more common than ever because they are effective forms of advertising, but only when you choose the right graphic vehicle wrap to promote your business.

By personalizing your company vehicle with related graphics, you effectively turn your vehicle into a mobile billboard. Wherever you go you take your company’s message and spread it with those who come in contact with your vehicle whether that’s on a freeway, on a city street, parked, or sitting in a parking lot. The day of being stuck with the same old ad signs forever are gone.

To begin you need to choose a specialist. If you had heart disease you wouldn’t go to an oncologist. The same applies for your graphic vehicle wrap. Fine a company that specializes in vehicle wraps. Look for a level of professionalism you can trust.

You want to use a company that not only knows how to put a graphic wrap on your vehicle but also who understands your business and who your targeted market is, thereby creating a graphic that does what you want it to do. Graphic wraps are marketing tools. If they do nothing but make your vehicle look different they are a waste of your money.

The most important component of your vehicle graphic is in the design itself. This isn’t something you are going to change in a few months. Your graphic needs to represent your company for the next five or so years. Like with so many things at the end of the day you get what you pay for. So if you go cheap you can expect cheap.

Choose the company who will do your graphic vehicle wrap who offers a solid warranty. Some material manufactures such as Avery, 3M, or MacTAC offer warranties that range from three to five years against peeling, fading, and other manufacture defects. Then the company should offer a warranty against defective workmanship.

Putting a graphic vehicle wrap on your auto to promote your business is an exciting time. Never before have you had such a powerful marketing tool. It can cover a large area and target many people. So what are you waiting for?

 

Using Web Graphics On Your Website to Maximize Your Business

More and more webmasters are recognizing the value of using graphics on their websites to maximize business. That’s because using the right graphics can improve the appearance of the site and motivate a visitor to act. Using web graphics on your site is a smart business move.

The graphics you opt in combination with the text you utilize will present the flavor for your site. It will give your website its own personality, its own look and feel. It can be , serious, fun, or warm and inviting. When graphics are used right you can stand out from the competition. But before going graphic crazy there are some things you need to know.

The graphics you place on your web page should serve a function. If they are just there because they look cool take them off. There is no question that there are thousands of cool and impressive graphics but unless they serve a purpose there’s no value to putting them on your site.

There are a number of different types of graphics you can use on your website. Navigation buttons are used to help your visitor comfortably move around your site. They should be easy to read and you can include a small image. Your logo identifies you, and people begin to remember it over time. It gives you brand name recognition.

Background images can add visual appeal to a website but they can be bothersome if you aren’t careful used. There is nothing worse than trying to read text on a graphic that almost makes it invisible. Visitors are very quick to hit the back button if it makes their eyes hurt.

Title graphics called mastheads, are a good way to get recognition for your site. Use something unique that will stick in the minds of visitors.

Photos are popular on websites because they can make a page friendly and inviting. If you plan to use photos on your website you should optimize them for the web otherwise your pages will load slow and people will become impatient and leave before it ever loads.

For a professional looking page match your fonts on all navigation buttons. Your graphic images should match your website colors and typefaces. Your web page should be no more than 60k so if it’s larger than that either optimize your graphics or remove some of them.

 Graphics are used to improve website functionality. Don’t place graphics on your site unless they have a purpose. When adding graphics you always must balance their usefulness against the loss in speed for your page to load.

Using web graphics on your website makes good business sense so why not give it a try?

 

 Business Branding With Graphics

Business branding is a phrase we hear often but what exactly does it mean. Business branding with graphics establishes a visible queue to identify products, services, or a company as a whole by customers and potential customers alike. A graphics design is an effective way to create an association between a design and a product in the mind of the viewer.

While words are certainly a powerful tool, when it comes to brand recognition graphics are far more effective.

You want your company, your products, and/or your services to stand out in the minds of consumers and a good graphics design combined with a good marketing campaign can do just that. Look at companies like Apple, Nike, or McDonalds – three examples of branding through graphics. The ultimate goal for you and your business is to leave a lasting impression on consumers that over time require no words to know how you are.

Graphics branding should also extend to your packaging attracting attention and that graphic should be seen as attractive by the consumer. Look at Gillette or Venus products. You want to buy them just because of their packaging and you can pick them off the shelf by recognizing that packaging without ever seeing the name.

Your logo graphic needs to differentiate you from the competition, and if you are like most industries, there is plenty of competition. A recognizable logo is key to branding and to your business. There is lasting effect here and long term value as we’ve seen in the examples we already presented.

There are numerous mediums used to advertise businesses and it is well known that the use of graphics in advertising has lasting benefits to the company. Internet, print, and television ads all have the potential to have a strong impact. Proctor & Gamble is a coming that is proof of the power of a good advertising campaign that creates recognition and loyalty to a graphic design.

But it needs to go further than that – there has to be overall branding online. Professional graphics design companies have experience in creating superior graphics to create brand identity. Look at what the Walt Disney website has done or what Microsoft has done. Great example of how a solid graphic design can be powerful in your online branding.

When graphics are incorporated into online promotions, emails, newsletters, or other forms of online interaction they create a visual effect that the consumer is quick to begin to recognize when it crosses their path. Those same graphics can be incorporated into brochures, stationary, business cards, banners, and the list goes on.

If you want to reach a targeted audience, you need to reach them through a visual image. When that image is used throughout the business over time your business branding with graphics comes full circle.

 

Creating Effective Business Cards Flyers and Brochures Using Visual Design

There was a time not that long ago where print specialists or professional artists designed and produced all of your print material. Today, there are a number of excellent do it yourself options and while they aren’t likely going to be as good as having a professional design it for you, it can save you a bundle and it can certainly be acceptable for use.

Thanks to a number of different software programs and print material creating your own business cards, flyers, brochures, and other print materials has never been easy. You have a number of choices when it comes to typeset, font size, and the graphics you use. In no time, at all you’ll have created a professional look and you have the freedom to let your vision come through.

However, everything is not always better. Sometimes taking on these projects yourself can result in less than desirable results. Let’s face it – not all of us have the skills to create quality materials. These set of simple tips can help you create effective print material.

Legibility

One of the most common mistakes is choosing fonts that are hard to read. While there’s no need to choose a boring font like Times Roman, you should choose a font that’s easy to read.

Readability

Just as your copy should be legible, it should also be readable. Contrast, white space, repetition, proximity, and alignment are all important to making your copy easier to read.
Use of Graphics

Don’t be afraid to use graphics. They’re a valuable tool. However, make sure that you don’t just choose graphics to fill space, ensure they are relevant, and memorable. Placement of your graphics is also important. If you have not designed a logo you should and it should be used on all printed material as well as on your website.

You should use high quality graphics and photos. Poor quality can be fuzzy and unclear. That will reflect badly on your company since it will look very unprofessional when finished. Graphics that are too big or too small also reflect poorly on the finished product and your company.

One of the most underused, yet most powerful tools you have at your disposal are visual graphics. Take the time to understand how these graphics can benefit your company and your print material. If you are unsure how to get the most value from them look to the professionals.

Whether you create your own business cards, flyers, and brochures, or you hire a professional, isn’t as important as making sure you just get it done.

 

 Using Graphics and Copy to Design a Website That Sells

How to create a website that sells – it’s the million dollar question. Just because you build a website, does not mean they will come and it does not mean they will buy even if they do come. It’s a common misunderstanding that leaves people frustrated and disappointed because their website did not do as well as they expected.

Your copy is important and it’s not well understood. When it comes to your visitors, who are your potential customers, they care only about themselves. If this doesn’t sit well think about it – I want to feel younger, I want to feel skinnier, I want to … and the list goes on. When consumers buy things, there is always an emotion attached to that purchase. When writing your copy make sure you keep this in mind.

Quality graphics are also essential to a website; however their importance is also tied to what you are selling. For example, if you have an ebook for sale that’s for sale graphics may not play as important a role as it would be if you were selling a video game for the Wii or the Play Station, where graphics not only allow them to see what it is they are buying it can close the sale by enticing them.

Graphics are highly misunderstood. They are far more than pictures. They engage, entice, create emotional reactions, and they can mean the difference between products selling and products sitting on the shelf. Not all graphics are created equal. It’s important that you use graphics that are only of the highest quality, and those graphics need to be relevant.

In other words, don’t just choose a graphic to fill the space. Give your graphic choices the attention they deserve. Graphics are associated with products and they are also associated with branding of your. Take for example, the Golden Arches of McDonalds, which everyone recognizes. You can create the same type of branding for your business with the right graphic design. Hire a graphics design professional who has the skills to create something memorable for your online business. Simple, catchy, and designed especially for your business and/or website.

If you haven’t introduced your website to quality graphics don’t wait another day. Graphics are a powerful tool that will be provide you with return on that investment for years to come. Your online business will benefit with an increase in revenues.

 5 Ways Graphics Can Hurt Your Online Business

A web with no graphics would be a bit like chili without the seasoning! Graphics, photos and clipart are to your website as spices are to your cooking – enhancing the experiencing and leaving you with a more memorable experience.

However, just as food can be too spicy, there can be too many images on the page ruining the experience, so you’ll need to find a happy, medium. Too many images can actually turn visitors away. So what type of graphics will harm more than help your website? Glad you asked. Let’s have a look at 5 ways graphics can hurt your online business.

Too Large

When images are too large they can be too slow to load and they can also take away from the text. The purpose of the image is usually to help convey an idea relating to the content. When the image takes up too much of the screen, the visitor can be distracted missing the purpose of the site.

Inappropriate

When your website is a business design, you need to focus on the content of your pages and the overall message they project. You need to ensure the images you use are appropriate and reflect your business values correctly. If you do not present your image appropriately to the audience you are targeting it could be more detrimental than helpful.

Poor Quality Images

Using images that are unclear, fuzzy, poorly centered or amateur in other ways will be reflected in the assumption your business is also amateurish. No images are better than poor quality images.

Illegal Images

There’s a lot of creative images on the internet and you might do a right click and save without thinking much about it. The problem is that if you use these images on your website and you may find yourself facing copyright infringement. Use only those images that are royalty free unless you have permission to use others.

Ignoring the Use of the ALT Tag

Many people ignore the ALT tags, not realizing just how important it is. The alt tag is like a free sign to your website. Without the use of the ALT tag, your website is at a disadvantage for visitors and you will also be non-compliant when it comes to web standards.

Knowing how graphics can hurt your website as well as help your website will help you to build your website in a manner that keeps your visitors interested in what your website has to offer.