Top design tips

1. Benefit, benefit, benefit! If there’s one message that’s the most important thing you communicate from your design, then it should be the benefit. If there’s no benefit, there’s no interest from the person reading. People need to know “what’s in it for me?” (Or WIFM as the acronym junkies like to call it!).

It’s important to know the difference between a feature and a benefit too. A feature might be “We use high quality material in our products”, whereas the benefit would be “Our products are reliable and last longer”. You can see that both make the statement, but that the benefit better explains what is in it for the customer.

2. You and your brand. Whether it’s a logo, flyer or advert, make sure your design says something about you and your brand. Write down 5 words that describe your business. Now look at your design or logo. Do they reflect these 5 words?

Ask a couple of friends to look at your logo or design work and ask them to write down 5 words that describe it. Do they match your own perception? If not then you’re giving off the wrong image about your business.

3. Aargh! Too much information! It’s that classic situation when you’re chatting away with someone and they decide to start divulging information about their toilet habits, or their sex life. Somethings you’d rather not know about!

The same applies in business and in design. So many businesses want to tell their life story in their design. This is not necessary – people don’t want to know. Keep it simpe, keep it concise and you keep it effective.