Why you need a long term design strategy
Want some tips on how to get a better return on your design investment? Then a longterm design strategy could be for you.
I'm Simon from Visualise, we create memorable design that brings people and brands together.
A question I get asked a lot when I explain how I go about planning design projects is as a business, why should I be considering a long term design strategy?
The quick reply is that you don't plan your marketing on a project by project basis, or at least you shouldn't be. So why plan design in that way?
As a business, you should be looking at how to get yourself noticed. Whether that's through advertising, the creation of leaflets, social awareness, or digital marketing.
Generally speaking, these types of activities will be part of a three, six, or even 12 month marketing plan. So you're not just thinking about your next direct mail, you're thinking about a series of direct mail pieces that might be part of a campaign throughout the next quarter, and design should be no different.
Unless you work with a multi service agency a lot of businesses are used to engaging with a designer on an as and when required basis and this can be the downfall of many design activities. By working in this way, there's unlikely to be any consistent communication between the business and the designer with regards to what's working or what's not.
There's several things that will help design be successful. One is that you identify what the desired outcome is going to be. So what you want the reader to do. Two, is that you have the ability to track what you're doing and how it's performing. Three, you review the performance and if it's part of a campaign, make adjustments to work it better next time. And four, the creative naturally has to be on brand and targeted at your audience or strategic approach to design.
If your business is working with a designer on an ad hoc basis, it's possible that some or all of these steps are being missed out. The preferred route is to ensure that there's a strategy behind your design. It's outcome driven, and in line with your marketing plan. Working with your design partner on a more longterm basis allows them to learn about your business and work with you to calculate the success of your design and make alterations to make it work better for you in the future.
So how's your marketing plan looking for the next three to six months?
Is it supported by design strategy? If it's not, put one in place and turn design failure into design success.
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