Make design an intrinsic part of your business

Marketing and design are generally two of the first areas of a business to feel a tightening of available funds. Leaders have to make important and difficult commercial decisions. Some feel that marketing can be put on hold, maybe even until the next financial year starts. However, J. Rae (2013), takes an alternative view and asks “WHAT IS THE REAL VALUE OF DESIGN?” Rae explains how design is intrinsically linked to profit by outlining the Design Council’s own research data which states that for every £1 spent on design, £20 was generated in increased revenue.

In addition, the Design Council reiterates this by stating that “In UK businesses where design is integral to operations, 84% say they’ve increased their competitiveness through design; and 79% think that design’s importance to competitiveness has risen over the past decade.” (Cited in Hands, 2009.)

Despite some business owners baulking at design and marketing investment, having an inherent stake and offering appropriate investment in design and its solutions, will support an increase in revenue and help businesses to achieve their targets and goals.

“In UK businesses where design is integral to operations, 84% say they’ve increased their competitiveness through design; and 79% think that design’s importance to competitiveness has risen over the past decade”

Design Council (cited in Hands, 2009)

Some businesses invest in design by building internal design teams, which provide benefits in terms of profits, efficiency and productivity. However, this approach can also create challenges, like being able to make the environment attractive enough to pull in the best available talent. The alternative and more viable choice, for the majority of businesses, is to collaborate with specialist agencies and consultants, who will guide you through each step of the design process.

There are many talented agencies and creative thinkers, but it can be a daunting task and an extremely difficult choice to make. When choosing an agency or designer, we highly recommend that your appointed choice is someone who fully understands the principles of design thinking. In other words, how to analyse, define and develop the different components that define your brand. Short-term fixes should be avoided and your design investment must be part of a long-term plan.

If you would like to read more and understand what effective brand design can do to help your business stand out from the crowd, then we have put together 5 Essential Tips to Create a Successful Brand. You can download this helpful white paper for FREE by clicking the button below and completing a few steps.