10 graphic design tips you should know about when starting a business

Is this your first time starting a business? Well, first of all, congratulations to you, second of all, we know what you are going through. Starting a business is not a walk in the park, and we are sure you’ve got a lot of things to figure out. Stocking up on products, finalizing your list of services, creating your branding, building your social media strategy, only to mention some.

Help and inspiration are things you most likely need at this time, so here we are taking some weight off your shoulders. In today’s article, we will discuss 10 simple graphic design tips you should keep in mind when starting a business. 

Ready? Let’s dig in.

#1 Understand the objective

Before doing anything, stop for a second and ask yourself this question: what is the objective of this particular design? Do you want to raise brand awareness, increase your sales or maybe start a conversation with your audience? Think this through, because understanding the objective is key for a successful design. 

#2 Find your colors

Colors have power. They can create a special vibe, influence emotions, perceptions, and catch the attention of your audience. Make sure you choose the colors of your brand wisely. We recommend you do some research before talking to a graphic designer or starting any graphic design work. See what colors you like, what colors match your brand message, and most importantly, understand the meaning of colors. 

#3 Choose your fonts

Similar to finding your brand colors, you should choose your fonts and stick to them. Being consistent with fonts is crucial for many reasons. Once you stick to the same fonts and use them strategically, your design will be flawless and your target audience will easily recognize you. Moreover, you can use different fonts to communicate different messages, use your thick font for the call to action, or to highlight discount percentages, headlines, etc. But if you take one piece of advice from this list, take this one: it’s best to use no more than two fonts in your design. 

#4 White space is not negative space

White space, also known as negative space, can give you more benefits than you would think. But if you are just starting a business, you might not know what is white space exactly. It’s very simple, white space is the empty (white) area between the image and text. There are two types of white space: active and passive. The active white space is intentional, it structures the design and helps the viewer to focus on the different parts of the content. The passive white space is the default space between letters and lines, and it makes the text readable. 

So how can you benefit from white space in your design? To give you a clue here’s something: white space doesn’t need to be white. It can have any color, texture, image, shape, pattern, whatever your creativity can imagine. As an example, go and check out the FedEx logo. Have you ever noticed the arrow between the last two letters? See? Simple as that. 

#5 Search for inspiration

We know, creating a logo from scratch is not easy. It can be quite a challenge, to be honest. But taking inspiration from brands that not only got a nice logo, but their business is successful also, is not prohibited. Take a look at logos of businesses similar to yours and try to understand their meaning. Get inspired. But be careful, not to copy anyone’s logo. Be authentic, try to come up with something original that can make your business stand out. 

#6 Create icons

Sometimes icons can speak better than words. They help your audience understand and interpret your messages and the information displayed on your designs. To create good icons that can grab the attention of your audience, think of metaphors and symbols that can be used instead of actual text. Once you create an icon for a particular call to action or information, stick to it throughout all your graphic designs. Consistency is key if your goal is to help people understand your icons, so make sure to use only one specific icon for one specific message/call to action all the time.

#7 Catch up with trends

When it comes to graphic design, following the trends is key. If you are starting a business, but you are not sure about your graphic design skills, or the trends, hire a professional graphic designer that knows what’s trendy and what you should forget about. 

If you want to do your own research, there are almost unlimited in-depth articles about design trends, tips, and ideas written by professional graphic designers. Also, these blogs are quite good sources for inspiration, too. 

#8 Simple is good

When creating designs, some graphic designers try to show their best skills and talent by delivering something complex. The truth is that most of the time, simplicity wins. A simple design doesn’t have to be plain. Just think of big corporations like Adidas, Nike, Apple, or Target. They all have very simple logos, and yet, they are all successful companies that are widely known. 

#9 Don’t hesitate to rely on technology

If you are going to create the designs for your new business, make sure you are familiar with some of the technology that can make your life easier. Logo maker tools, email signature creators, business card editors, just to mention some. These are usually developed for both beginners and more advanced users, so in case you have no skills, these tools can help you a lot.

#10 Be creative

Yes, simple as that. Be creative. Creative design and creative communication are what you need if you want to stand out. It gives you the advantage to be unique, to raise awareness of your brand, and maintain a quality, maybe entertaining communication with your audience. Never hesitate to implement your creativity when it comes to creating the graphic designs of your business. 

Do you need a team of professionals ready to create your branding and graphic designs? Get in touch with us today! We are looking forward to learning about your business goals and helping you reach them!