Neil Smith – Cambridge Graphics and Print

“Design is just making things pretty”

Let’s start with the basics. Just what is design? I’ll tell you what it’s not. Design is not about making things pretty. It’s not an afterthought. It’s not changing a typeface or adding some clip art. It’s not adding gold edges or a flowery pattern. It’s not something you do at the end of the process to “finish it off”.
Design is fundamental. Design is the difference between love and hate. Design is the difference between “buy” and “goodbye”. Design is the difference between total success and absolute failure. Design should be part of every decision you make. Design should be the very first thing you think about and the very last thing you stop caring about.

What on earth do you want me to do?

A leaflet popped through my door a few weeks ago for a new concierge service. They were offering to clean my fish tank, or walk my dog, or put fresh flowers in my living room once a week, or anything else I could think of. Their logo looked nice, the leaflet was printed fine. But what did they want me to do? There was no ‘call to action’. I’ve never had a home concierge, so I don’t know how I’m supposed to interact with them. They hadn’t told me the next step. Do I need to get a quote? The leaflet made it to the recycling bin. It’s vitally important that you tell your recipient exactly what you want them to do next. “Phone now to book.” “Email for a free brochure.” “Call in with this leaflet to get a free gift.” Spell it out. Or they just won’t know what to do.

Good versus bad

Good design can inspire. Bad design can humiliate. Good design can communicate. Bad design can confuse. Good design can differentiate you. Bad design can make you invisible.

Everything you do.  I. Mean. Everything.

Every time a customer ‘touches’ your business, you give them an impression. “Moments of Truth”. Defined as “any event in which the customer comes into contact with any aspect of the organisation and gets an impression of the organisation’s service.”
Your design is a moment of truth. Your leaflets give customers an impression of whether they can trust you. Your window displays give an impression of whether your business is faded and floundering. Your website gives an impression of whether you’re here-today-gone-tomorrow or around for the long haul. Your logo and letterheads give an impression of whether your business is modern or out of touch.
That’s why it’s essential that design is considered at every moment of truth or customer ‘touch point’. What do I mean by a touch point? Simply, every time a customer touches your business. A brochure they read. A form they fill in. A website they visit. A sign they follow. Believe me, if you make it hard for people to do business with you, they won’t. They’ll vote with their feet.

Everyone can afford good design

What’s more important to you? How many leaflets you hand out, or how many orders you get? You could mail a million badly designed leaflets and get no orders. Or, you could send a thousand with a clear and compelling design and win a dozen orders. The difference is design. So unless your budget is zero, you can definitely afford good design.
The reality is, printing.com’s core business is print. (The name’s a bit of a give away). We make money by selling you printing. Why would I tell you to spend less on printing? Because I know that with bad design, you’ll be wasting your money, your campaign won’t be successful and we may not see you again. If we create good design for you, you’ll win business and you’ll be back for more. Lots more. Creating good design for you is good business for us.

We’d really like to talk to you and offer up some more helpful advice and perhaps you might try us?

Neil Smith
01954 710818
cambourne@printing.com
www.cambridgegraphics.co.uk