5 reasons graphic design converts prospects into paying customers

Let’s face it, the graphic design industry alone is worth $45 billion globally with almost $13 billion in the US market alone.

Now consider that 68% of digital marketers use visual assets and 80% use graphic design in marketing, the proof is in the pudding that the demand for graphic design services is booming, and set to grow even further.

With that in mind, let’s explore why you need graphic design services and the benefits of engaging a graphic design services and visual communication agency to do all that work for your business.

Studies confirm the power of visual content in learning to engage audiences. 65% of the population are visual learners meaning that the majority of people will learn and retain information through visual communication. Visuals are a powerful way to break down complex information into chunks that can be conveyed quickly and efficiently. They also help you retain what’s being said longer than just reading text alone!

There are 5 key points to keep in mind when using graphic design services to develop visual marketing content.

1. Long term memory retention

A human brain stores information in both long-term and short-term memory. To help recall and to influence behaviour, information needs to be stored in the long-term memory.

We know that people struggling with dementia may not be able to recall what they did yesterday but can remember things in great detail from many years before.

Once information is locked into long-term memory, it becomes harder to forget. To ensure this happens, it is important for visual images to be linked directly to concepts.

This learning starts early and is as simple as teaching children to count using brightly coloured number cards, or early reader books that have simple words and images. The child will associate the number or the word with the visual representation of the shape or picture.

Dr. Lynell Burmark, an educational consultant, writes and speaks about visual literacy, a term that I often speak about with clients.

She states that, ‘…unless our words, concepts, ideas are hooked into an image, they will go in one ear… and out the other…’

Considering the amount of advertising that we see daily, getting effective cut through into long-term memory with visual content becomes essential.

2. Faster transmission of messages

Did you know?

• 40% of our nerve fibres are linked to the retina.
• 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.
• Our eyes can register 36,000 visual messages per hour.
• Our brain can see images that last for 13 milliseconds.
• Visuals are processed 60,000x faster in the brain than text.*

These are just some of the facts about the way the human brain processes information.

Consider babies and young children. They are born being able to see and hear, not read, and speak, as these are learned skills as they grow and develop.

Very early on they spend much of their time watching, observing, and learning to read facial expressions and body language. This enables them to communicate their needs to receive their desired responses, based on their ability to interpret the visual cues from those around them and their interaction(s) with the environment.

In fact, they are utilising visual learning as a communication strategy and fine tuning a lifelong learning skill.

Human beings in one form or another, have been around for millions of years. The first form of written communication appeared in pictograph form before evolving into hieroglyphics and then individual character/letter formations.

The evolution of written text took thousands of years and continues to evolve today with the increasing use of emojis and abbreviations.

Why? Because visual content can convey messages and concepts fast.

In a blink of an eye, you understand these messages and their concepts easily.

*key at end of article

3. Visual content improves comprehension

As a former teacher, I know first-hand that visual content improves student learning, stimulates imagination, and has a positive and long-lasting impact on cognition.

One of the jobs of marketers is to use graphic design services to create content to use in visual communication campaigns. The purpose of these campaigns is to influence a behaviour change, invoke an action and make a memorable impact.

One of the ways to do this is to make sure that the visual content is closely entwined with the words that are used. This will allow an audience to comprehend and process information more efficiently and effectively and lead to easier recall.

This infographic shows how our brains are pre-wired to automatically interpret relationships between objects, allowing for almost instant comprehension very easily.

The higher the level of comprehension, the more likely a person will be to take an action, whether it be click here, download, sign up or buy now.

Not only does our brain process visual content faster, but our level of comprehension is also increased.

Regardless of whether you can read or not, or what language you speak, ask yourself:

Which of these signs are easier and faster to understand?

And, would you go swimming if you saw the visual content ONLY, on this sign? I hope not.

In any kind of graphic design work, the connection between visuals and concepts is essential in conveying meaning.

4. Good visual content evokes powerful emotional connections

Ask yourself, how do you feel when you see different visual content?

The emotional centre of the brain is stimulated when looking at visual content. These emotions are processed and influence the way information is stored and retained.

Neural plasticity, or the brain’s ability to reshape itself can have significant implications on the acquisition of new information and the associated learning.

The visual and emotional centres in our brains are easily linked, that’s why a negative image can leave a strong emotional impression. Conversely, positive images evoke positive emotional responses.

Returned service veterans who suffer from PTSD find it very hard to ‘unsee’ things, causing significant emotional stress on the brain which ultimately impacts their ability to live a ‘normal’ life.

Whether negative or positive, visual content is responsible for invoking powerful emotional responses.

5. Visual content motivates an audience

Seeing something is a fundamental element in visual communication. People retain less than 10% of what they hear, 20% of what they read, but 80% of what they see.

Therefore, seeing something rather than hearing or reading goes a long way towards helping with retention and increasing an audience’s response rates.

I know first-hand from my days of teaching, students were far more enthusiastic and motivated when presented with visual content, compared to a block of written text. Another reason why movies and live drama are used in addition to texts when teaching literature.

In the world of marketing, utilising the principles that teachers and educators use on a daily basis makes serious sense. After all, we want our audience to be motivated to engage with our brand. We also want to remove the barriers to accessibility, make material more inclusive for those living with disabilities and motivate people to learn more about a business.

Using graphic design services in your visual communication is more likely to increase levels of engagement, improve the rate of brand retention and impact on an audience’s ability to understand the messaging.

Using  graphic design services is important in visual communication. Why?

Let’s look at the 5 main reasons you should engage in professional graphic design services.

1. Saves money on building an internal team

It’s no secret that it’s costly to find, employ and retain talented staff.

Once you calculate the recruitment costs, onboarding, training, and other hidden costs you are starting to look at some serious expenses here.

Coupled with the real risk of staff being poached in this post pandemic era, the potential cost to a business when hiring staff can be significant.

2. Access to a skill set and team that is highly specialised in what they do

Graphic design agencies live and breathe design. They are experts at preparing visual content for a vast array of purposes, contexts, and platforms.

Ever wondered why your Facebook header doesn’t display correctly when used on your LinkedIn header? Or why your Instagram post looks different when posted on Facebook?

How many times have you had your print files returned because you sent them a jpeg file? And did you know that a print ready file needs to have trims and bleed?

When engaging graphic design services, your designer is an expert on all things design, print, packaging, display, signage and – these days – animation. This is in addition to all the creative skills they have when preparing visual communication pieces.

Having access to this knowledge bank brings enormous value and is a great asset to be able to utilise when required.

3. Brings fresh perspectives and ideas

From time to time, we all need a bit of inspiration. Working in graphic design and visual communication is no different.

Agency designers are exposed to a variety of different clients, jobs, and design briefs on a daily basis. This means they are able to cross pollinate designs and strategies with different ideas and fresh perspectives from client to client.

They are also more apt at sharing honest advice and feedback on whether a design request from a client will look good or not. The Account Manager is able to discuss this and explain the design rationale behind certain design decisions. This then helps keep a design on strategy and is also key to ensure you get the best possible cut through.

Another big value add is that if the graphic design agency has a strategic marketing arm of the business, as Content Box does, you can be sure you are getting valued added strategic marketing direction, along with your graphic design services.

A good graphic design agency should never accept or release a job, without a full briefing and clear understanding of the strategy behind the intended visual communication.

4. Time savings and less stress

Customer service is at the forefront of all businesses these days. Working with a graphic design agency means that you ARE the customer!

This is a very significant shift in dynamics.

Keeping an employee ‘engaged and retained’ is challenging in today’s workforce market. Finding the right staff, keeping them focused and loyal to your business can be tough.

However, when you become a customer, you become a highly valued asset to someone else.

What’s the net result?

Better service, faster response times, more attention to detail and, with Content Box, dedication to a customer service guarantee.

All of this equals less stress and better ROI!

5. Nimble services = Faster delivery

Now you are a highly prized client, if you need something done, a good graphic design services business will ‘make it happen’.

There is no big bureaucracy to deal with, no internal politics, no ‘creative personalities’ to manage.

Instead, you get faster decision making and less ‘being lost in the system’ when dealing with large online design platforms.

What does this mean for you? Faster, more responsive, and transparent services that are flexible to meet client needs.

What happens if you don’t use a graphic design services agency?

It is important to remember that the use of incorrect visual communication can negatively impact an audience. When visual content is misaligned with the intended audience, the costs to a brand can be significant. The cost of repair to a brand can be even greater.

Just to convince you a bit more, here are some more classic design fails made by graphic designers who were most likely not very familiar with the brand and it’s nuances.

Remember I mentioned visual marketing strategy earlier on? This is where having a solid understanding of strategic marketing as well as visual content also comes into play.

So, if you’re looking for a way to access great graphic design services without the hassle and expense of hiring an in-house designer or the constraints of online platforms, then look no further than Content Box.

Plus, we have a strategic marketing arm that can help you with all your marketing needs.

We pride ourselves on creating stunning visuals to take your visual marketing campaigns and branding exercises to the next level, so you don’t end up with something like this!

Whether it be big or small, Content Box’s graphic design services are affordable, flexible, and efficient to suit everyone.

Ready to get started?

Check out our graphic design service packages here!

# If you are an agency or marketing consultant looking for larger white label graphic design packages, please call on (+612) 9440-9369 or email us at [email protected]

*thank you; OK; thinking; angry; congratulations; affection; wow; laugh out loud; work from home; out of office