Gearing Up for Q4 Growth? Design Can Help Get You There
As we enter the second half of 2021 companies are gearing up to make the last quarter really count. COVID-19 paused spending for many businesses for a variety of reasons. Now that restrictions are lifted and vaccination numbers are increasing, we are seeing a return to normalcy.
By Q4 there will be a more familiar feel to how clients are interacting with brands so your budget strategy should be revving up now for the new, new-normal. It’s time to take the initiative and make sure touchpoints reflect the current state of the marketplace. How do you bring your best game? As you look down the road, don’t underestimate the value design brings to an organization.
Leveraging the power of design.
It’s a little daunting to plan ahead after an unprecedented year of ups and downs but mapping strategy for a strong marketing mix will help deliver solid results. How do you confidently press forward with a hybrid model? Well, you can start by considering Design a major differentiator and a strategic driver for business.
While some consider design “intangible” there is plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise. McKinsey & Company research shows that companies that prioritize design increase their revenue and shareholder returns at nearly twice the rate of their industry counterparts. Design can bridge the gap between purpose, or intent, and fully realized effect.
Take advantage of a golden moment.
For numbers to jump in 2021, the C-Suite should consider how their marketing, branding, and sales teams can improve and expand their design programs to support relationships and build client trust. This is the perfect time to apply lessons learned from the last year and a half. Authentic and dependable brands are in high demand. Design can help you deliver on your brand promise if you consider some key area of operation for potential upgrades or improvement.
- Take a good look in the mirror
The past year offered a lot of time for reflection. It’s time to take a good hard look at your marketing plan and ask if it truly reflects your brand’s values and market position. Authenticity needs clear messaging and well-designed visuals to communicate a platform. Brands were forced to evolve during the pandemic, especially in the digital space so it’s imperative that B2B steps up and tells their company’s “now” story with well-crafted copy, visuals, and content. - Enable your Sales Team
Communicating key messages to clients with collateral that is well-designed and well-organized, can convert marketing operations from a cost center to profit center. Design is mission-critical for creating awareness, shaping perceptions, increasing market share, and elevating brands both internally and externally. - Transcend groupthink
While internal marketing operations bring product knowledge, organizational agility, and goal alignment to the table, agencies can offer specialized expertise and guidance in areas like design. External design and marketing teams can offer tremendous value by helping to evolve a brand by approaching problems in new ways and setting guidelines to guide operations into the future. - Supercharge social media
I’ve seen businesses struggling with engagement and lead generation put a design program in place for their social accounts and suddenly it all clicks, heads turn, and the market takes notice. Pushing well-branded content across social media channels is a challenge because of the iterative nature of the application. Make sure your campaigns show up with the same tone and message across channels. By staying true to your roots you will help authenticate the brand in every way. - Design for hyperspeed impact
Most people will come across your business in digital form—and possibly on a mobile device in an instant so websites must communicate clearly and quickly. U/X and U/I design is one of the most powerful tools for organizing information to make a lasting impression. According to a recent study by Research Gate, “poor interface design was associated with rapid rejection and mistrust of a website…in cases where the participants did not like some aspect of the design the site was often not explored further than the homepage.” Make sure that your website design warrants a second look.
Design is a C-suite issue, and design performance should be tracked with the same rigor used to track revenues and costs. For those willing to invest in a design program, performance is what counts. At TBGA, we track data obsessively and present metrics regularly. It’s part of our process. For our clients, it’s not just about having access to the data, it’s being able to draw meaningful insights to act on. But a well-designed brand is also about trust. Leveraging design to reflect your brand as it evolves should be an integral part of any successful growth strategy.
