It’s been said before, but should be said again, “Human beings are visual animals.”
They react emotionally to color, images, shapes, and movement. That’s why it’s so important to have your graphic design agency present your business in the correct way in order to achieve success. But, you may ask, what is the correct way? How can you be sure potential clients will react the way you want them to when they view your website, your print advertising, and any other promotional material the business produces?
A Question of Balance
First and foremost, it’s essential to work with your graphic design agency to achieve the right balance of visual information and content (information presented in text form). Many years ago, a band called the Moody Blues produced a collection of music titled “A Question of Balance.” This collection was intended to convey the idea that people should seek balance in their lives, with a good mix of work, play, and relaxation. In addition, the musicians urged people to devote time to intellectual activity.
This means you probably shouldn’t rely totally on photos, images, and graphics to convey your message. It’s important to have just the right amount of words (explanation) in your materials and on your site, to satisfy as many inquiring minds as possible. When you don’t handle this recipe properly, you risk turning too many visitors away. That’s precisely what you don’t want, right?
Start by choosing your images carefully. Your graphic design agency should understand that the image will play a role in your marketing and advertising that is just as important as the text. Going back to the original idea of human beings being visual animals, make sure your images and graphics fit the context of your presentation as closely as possible. “Good enough” is simply not good enough.
Speaking of Balance
Unfortunately, business owners and designers sometimes miss this balance by focusing almost solely on creativity while ignoring the clarity that must be present in every idea you present. Even if you’re not selling a product, your message must be unmistakeable. What this means is simply that, in presenting an idea or selling a service you must hit the mark in explaining that idea or service. Your graphic design agency is your best partner in this effort.
In more basic terms, if you feel your image and your text are competing rather than complementing, it may be time to start over. And yes, it’s worth the extra time it takes to get it right. As many readers will attest to, some writers are so self-focused they forget that the text is intended to convey a message to the reader, not to impress them with literary skill.
You can get a good idea of what your goal should be by thinking about how you shop for a birthday card. The best of these cards balance images to capture the shopper’s eye with brief but accurate words to deliver the perfect message. This is the goal you’re striving for when you hire a graphic design agency.
