The graphic design team at Sutherland Weston excels at creating the eye-catching visuals that make our clients stand out. We know how to arrange design elements and colors for aesthetic appeal and legibility. We’re accomplished in the art of making people stop for a moment as they swipe through their Facebook feed. We turn heads for a living.

That said, our work is only as effective as the intent behind it.  

The purpose of marketing materials is to convert the customer’s attention into a desired interaction. This could mean a number of things, such as purchasing your product, giving you a phone call, or donating to your cause. This is why it is crucial for the graphic design team to have a key sense of the project’s purpose before we begin.

By answering a few key questions, we can maximize the effectiveness of a marketing piece.

Who is your audience?

Resist the temptation to answer this with “everybody.” Lots of businesses are inclined to indicate a large general group. While your message may indeed have broad appeal, it’s impossible to be everything to everybody. A small well-targeted audience is much more valuable than a large indifferent audience.

Who is your competition?

If you’re in the business of selling things, chances are this one is simple. Your competition is probably people who sell those same things. If you’re a charity organization, your competition may take the form of factors that cause people to not donate (lack of awareness, for example).

What is the intended response from your audience?

Marketing campaigns are all about converting a potential customer’s attention into action. What should that action be? It could be something like calling for a consultation, buying your product, or making a donation to your cause.

How will you reward your audience?

If the experience of interacting with your materials is rewarding, your audience is more likely to pay attention in the future – even if you didn’t quite make the sale this time. Are you offering a special sale? Is your product top-notch? Is this an opportunity to help people in need?

What will you do when people interact with your marketing materials?

Where are you sending your customers? If you’re running web ads, capitalize on their click by sending them to a page of simple, relevant, and actionable information. If you’re running print ads with your website URL, make sure that page of simple information is readily available from your website’s homepage. If a phone number is your preferred method of contact, make sure there’s a friendly voice to take those calls.

While the fundamentals of design are relatively consistent, your marketing team can make the most effective materials when these questions have been considered.

Not sure where to start? We can help! The Sutherland Weston team can help you identify the answers to these questions.