7 Principles of Design in Advertising That Will Help You Sell More
You can learn a lot about advertising from history. But even if you don't consider yourself an aficionado of the art, there are still plenty of principles to learn from.
If you can't persuade someone to buy something from you, it's probably not your product or service. You need to know how to sell to make your business a success. When designing an advertising campaign, one of the best ways to help sell your product is by using design principles. Here are seven design principles that will help you sell more.
One of the biggest mistakes small businesses make is designing their advertising materials without consulting a professional designer. It's a mistake many people make when first starting as a business owner, and it can cost you dearly down the road.
Table of Contents
1 – Aesthetic Design: Make It Easy
We should have a good design in our lives, but we should also have excellent design in advertising. The reason is that you are more likely to be influenced by a design that is easy to understand, visually attractive and reflects your values.
A design that works on these three levels will make you more likely to buy a product or service. In other words, a good design in your life and business can help you sell better. But it is worth remembering that this does not mean you will have to spend large sums of money to create a great-looking marketing piece; you need to consider making your message look good to attract more people.
Design is more than looks.
The design of a marketing piece is about how people are supposed to interact with the message. For example, when designing a brochure, a key element is whether your design encourages the customer to read through the whole document or skim it.
Another issue is how you design a website. You could lose visitors if the design makes it hard to use. It is also essential to consider whether the design of a marketing piece, including visual elements such as logos, images, fonts, and colour, reflects the brand values that are most important to you.
You must also think about the message itself. It should be clear and straightforward. Your design should support the message logically and understandably. Your design should reflect your beliefs and values and be consistent with your brand.
Make sure your design works on every level.
Your design should work on the levels of look, message and feel. If you can think about how people will see your design, what they will notice and what message they will get from it, you will be able to ensure it fits with your branding.
2 – Visual Aids: Use Graphics Wisely
Visual aids in design are used to make a point or illustrate a message. They can effectively influence and persuade customers to buy a product or service. If the visual aid in design is done well, it will add to the impact of a marketing campaign.
A designer should create images that are effective and believable. For example, an image that looks like it is painted onto a canvas should be painted on; pictures with lots of white space will look more professional.
In the case of an advertisement, the design needs to make a statement. It must not be so complex that the customer cannot understand the point that the company wants to make. A complex image will distract the viewer from the main message.
The final design of the visual aid must be consistent with the overall design of the marketing campaign. If the design does not match the company's marketing style, it will look out of place and will likely be ignored by the viewer.
3 – Colour: Use Colour to Convey Meaning
When using colour in design to convey your messages, you must understand how people perceive colours. Different colours are perceived differently by people. Understanding these differences is essential for creating a successful design.
Colours can be used as a form of communication. Designers use colour to make a point and to tell consumers about products. It's no secret that colours can significantly affect how people perceive a product or idea.
There are many ways designers use colour to get their message across. A designer can use colour to indicate if a product is functional or decorative. Designers use colour to signify what the product is for and to indicate a specific mood.
A designer can use colour to denote the quality of the product, whether it's cheap or expensive. They can also use colour to convey information, like brand or company name.
Different Colours Mean Different Things
There are several ways that designers use colour to communicate. One way to use colour effectively is to understand how people perceive it. For example, red is typically a strong and bold colour. It's often used to indicate danger or warning.
In addition, some colours are more harmful than others. For example, yellow is often associated with caution. Green has a calming effect on the viewer, and orange can be perceived as bright and happy. Red is often seen as unfavourable but can also be perceived positively in the proper context.
Another critical thing to remember is that not every colour has the same meaning for everyone. Each individual perceives colours differently, and this can also vary between cultures. Therefore, learning how colours are interpreted is essential to get the most out of the design process.
The first step in effectively using colour is understanding how people perceive colours. You must understand that people perceive colours precisely, and it's essential to understand this.
Perceived Colours
Colours are perceived in a particular way, and this varies among individuals. There are two types of colours, which you can describe as:
- Saturated colours – These are colours that have much saturation. The higher the amount of saturation, the more intense the colour.
- Desaturated colours – These are colours that have less saturation. The lower the amount of saturation, the more muted the colour.
4 – Typography: Design for the Reader
Typography design can make or break a brand. For instance, Apple products are famous for their sleek, clean, and minimalistic design. They choose fonts and typefaces appropriate for the product they are promoting and convey a sense of precision, intelligence and efficiency.
However, many of the most successful companies of our day have used a range of creative typography designs, such as the simple and fun typeface seen in the New York Times, the playful typography on Hello Kitty's website, and the witty font used by British Airways for its in-flight magazine.
The answer is that in this era of the internet, where visual communication is becoming increasingly important, simple typography design in your advertising is a great way to establish your brand and give your message clarity and consistency.
Typography design is one of the most powerful marketing tools because it can attract, intrigue, and educate. It is the easiest of all graphic designs to create and use, and it requires less time and money than other marketing strategies.
5 – Motion Graphics: Add Drama to Your Design
Motion graphics design is great fun to work on and has plenty of opportunities for creative and exciting ideas to be created. You can use motion graphics designs to attract product attention, promote sales, create a brand identity, highlight a campaign or add a little extra pizzazz to an existing design.
When it comes to using motion graphics designs in advertising, here are a few reasons why.
Motion graphics design has the power to grab attention.
Motion graphics design is compelling – a lot more than words alone can say. If you put your design into animation, you can communicate various messages quickly and effectively. Motion graphics designs can show emotion, create excitement, encourage people to buy a product, show how a product can be used, or even make something look attractive.
Motion graphics design is easy to learn.
You don't need a degree in art or design to create stunning motion graphics designs, and learning how to use the software isn't difficult.
It is affordable.
Although the price of motion graphics design depends on the level of design required, it is a relatively inexpensive form of graphic design. Most designers charge between £500 and £1,000 per project, but the higher end of this range means a lot more money goes into the design, making it an investment worth making.
It is flexible.
Motion graphics design allows you to choose various techniques to suit your requirements. For example, you can combine animation with still images and other types of illustration to produce a more innovative, creative and practical design.
It is fun.
Whether working on an exciting new campaign or creating a simple, informative display, there is something everyone can enjoy when working with motion graphics design.
6 – Brand Identity: Make Sure You Have One
When you are using advertising to promote your brand, you are aiming to build an emotional connection with your target market. It helps to create a strong link between your brand and your product, giving them a sense of familiarity. Your brand must have a distinctive personality to appeal to customers' emotions. Your brand identity plays a vital role in creating a positive association in your customer's minds.
To establish a brand identity, you must identify the values you wish to communicate through your advertising. These values should reflect the values you wish to convey to your consumers. A brand identity should be consistent with the values you wish to portray and should also be consistent across all communication channels you use.
Brand identity is not a static concept. It is dynamic, changing according to your brand objectives and evolving as your company develops.
A brand identity is a visual representation of your company, its values, goals, and personality. This includes everything from the colour scheme to the typeface used to the overall style of your communications.
Here are some critical questions to consider when developing your brand identity:
- What are the values that make up your brand?
- How does your brand distinguish itself from other brands in your industry?
- How does your brand communicate your company's purpose?
- How does your brand reflect the values you wish to portray?
- What kind of style will you use? Will it be bold, whimsical, classic or contemporary?
- Does your brand offer a personal touch, or do you wish to appear businesslike?
- Which mediums do you wish to use to convey your brand message? Do you want to go digital or print?
- Is your brand consistent across different channels and platforms?
- Who is your target market, and what do they value?
- How will your brand make your customers feel?
You need to be aware of what makes your brand special. It needs to be something that stands out to your consumers. Remember that you want to appeal to their emotions. You need to choose a set of values that best reflect the things that matter most to your audience. Once you have chosen a set of values, you must work out how you want your brand to communicate these.
What are your brand's strengths and values?
Your brand identity can take many forms. It might consist of your typeface and colours, a logo, a mascot, or a slogan. Your brand identity can also be based on your company's mission statement.
You may wish to create a unique visual identity for your brand. An effective way to do this is to use your brand's colour palette. You may want to use only one colour in your brand, such as black. This creates a strong sense of simplicity and unity. If you use several colours, they can create a more complex, stylish impression. However, if you want your brand to stand out, you might decide to use more than one colour.
The choice of colours can help you differentiate your brand from other brands. For instance, it is always easier to distinguish a high street store from an upmarket shop, as they use different colours. Red is associated with a high street store, whereas gold, navy blue and red are associated with upmarket shops.
What makes your brand special?
Once you have decided what your brand's values are, choosing a font that best represents your values is vital. You should always pick a typeface that is appropriate to your company and matches your brand.
If you are trying to make your brand appear professional, you might want to select a sans serif typeface, such as Arial or Helvetica. These fonts can help give your brand a sophisticated look, and they are ideal if you want to make your brand more consistent with other business communications.
If your brand is aimed at a younger audience, you might want to use a child-friendly typeface, such as Comic Sans or Play. These fonts can help create a fun, friendly look and make your brand seem less serious.
7 – Advertising Techniques: Be Creative
Advertising designers are usually tasked with creating images and messages that are attractive, engaging and informative. Their job can be creative, but it can also be dull, monotonous and stressful. In many ways, they are the equivalent of film directors: there is an ideal vision that they have to bring to life.
Creativity is an essential part of advertising, and most designers start by clearly defining how they want a particular advertisement to look and feel. They may also have a specific message to convey and be clear on the brand they are working for.
Many advertisers would describe creativity as a critical element of their business strategy. It is often seen as a way to engage consumers and make advertising more meaningful. Creative advertising is often based on research, which can help determine the target audience, product and place where the advert will be shown. This can include using words and images to create meaning and appeal. The main point to remember here is that design elements such as colours, shapes, patterns, textures and graphics are essential.
It can be challenging to understand why an advertiser would want to be creative with the design. Sometimes, however, it's a way of ensuring that their ads stand out from the crowd. For example, many people will be aware of the Coca-Cola bottle because of its distinctive design. The brand is also known for its famous adverts, which have helped make the drink one of the world's most successful brands.
Some brands have taken it a step further by designing their products, making them stand out from the rest. For example, Nike has produced a range of shoes, trainers, and other items, specifically designed to fit the wearer's shape and design.
Advertisers often employ creative agencies, usually offering various services, including graphic design, video production, social media marketing and online advertising. They may also offer creative ideas for advertising campaigns and creative briefs that will explain what is wanted in a campaign.
As mentioned, it's essential to understand what your client wants. You need to know what the client wants a creative brief entails. A detailed brief will often contain information about your role and responsibilities and details on how customers will view the advert and the client's expectations of you. The creative brief is vital in ensuring you meet your client's needs and they expect you to deliver on them.
Much of the work you will undertake as an advertising designer will involve research. Research can cover several areas, including understanding the market and the product and determining the audience's demographics. This information will help you ensure that the message is understood and that the products and services you offer are what the audience wants.
If you are interested in a career in advertising, it can be rewarding and challenging. You will need to be creative and innovative while keeping abreast of the latest trends and technology.
Conclusion
One of the keys to selling more is to build and maintain a relationship with your customers. The closer you get to your customers, the more successful your advertising campaigns will be. And the more successful you are, the more money you will make. By understanding how your customers think and act and what motivates them, you can create a successful marketing strategy guaranteed to increase your sales.
Check out these seven principles of design in advertising that will help you sell more.
