To design means "to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan" (definition of design, Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
Marketing is "an ongoing process of planning and executing the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) for products, services or ideas to create exchange between individuals and organizations" (definition of marketing) - b2c, or between organizations - b2b.
We need to approach design as a means of marketing. First of all we need to concentrate on business needs and requirement of our customers and create unique original designs to support the general concept of their businesses.
Marketing designer doesn't design for self-satisfaction and doesn't design to show that her or she can produce fascinating design work. Marketing designer has to concentrate on the client! On his business requirements, on the market and competitive environment. Marketing designers don't create designs for the sake of artistic satisfaction, but for the clients success.
Marketing design is a means of communicating a company's vision to the targeted audience (existing and potential clients, partners, investors).
Marketing design allows us to position a company and what it offers in the competitive environment and to positively differentiate it from its competitors. In most cases the success depends heavily on how well you position yourself. This is where market-oriented design is a crucial factor for your success or failure in the marketplace.
There is no magic formula that fits every company. We first need to understand the client, define the needs and requirements, and only then develop a unique solution that will lead to the desired results. No matter what marketing collateral we design, brochures, media adverts, banners, displays, websites or catalogues, they will always "speak" to your target audience. They will reflect the conceptual essence of your company while being unique, original and, at the same time, friendly, efficient and easy to comprehend.
Marketing designers need to apply the laws of marketing to each and every design they create and always keep it in mind that they create them for marketing purposes, not just for the sake of originality and beauty.
Marketing is more than mere advertising. Marketing is a complete integrated approach to business management. Marketing and advertising are not interchangeable notions. Advertising is one of the tools of marketing and design is one of the tools of advertising.
Marketing Design serves business goals. It's a commercialised art. Good design provides successful positioning of your company and its offer on the market. It will support and reinforce your business objectives. Design is not an expense, but an investment towards the increase of your sales, strengthening your market presence and making your brand recognizable. Effective design will enhance your prestige, create competitive advantage, better your communications, and ensure that your clients and partners understand and value your company.
How does it work?
1. Listening The first step of the working process is listening to the client - we need to understand our client's business requirements, we need to learn about the products, services, communicaion objectives, vision, company goals...
2. Defining Needs Each project has its own needs. Each clent is looking for something specific (brochure, web site, conceptualisation and brand development, etc.) But we always question what are the real needs of the company and whether what our clients have in mind is really suitable for them and, of course, what would be the ideal solution.
3. Idea After defining, together with the client, what the real goals and objectives are, start conceptualising them. Concept development is the most important step in creating effective marketing materials. Without a strong concept all the creative designs, effects and visualisations are useless.
4. Decision Come up with several ideas, organize them into conceptual forms and together with the client decide on the most appropriate solution.
5. Planning To create a functional effective market-oriented design it's important to plan it. Planning includes defining timeframes, concrete steps, approval procedures, etc. We actually create a "road map" that will lead us to the successful implementation of the project.
6. Implementation At this stage we create the actual designs or complete other tasks in accordance with our "road map". We design marketing materials (brochures, catalogues, etc.) or develop a website or corporate identity and branding styles, or optimise an existing web-site... it does not really matter, since we have already got the main thing we need to successfully implement the project, i.e. - THE CONCEPT!
7. Testing is also an important, although often forgotten stage. We need to check not only the formatting and spelling. We also need to test how people get the message, react to our work and whether the objectives are successfully achieved.
8. Delivery Always deliver on time, after testing and finalising all the fine details.
The Creative brief
Here is a little tale from the Crimean War that shows the importance of a clear brief:
Lord Raglan was perched atop a hill during the Battle of Balaclava when he spotted the Russians hauling away some captured English artillery. Fortunately, he had some cavalry positioned at the adjacent hill. He hastily scribbled a note that said: "Take guns." The brief was delivered to the cavalry, who, instead of thundering after the guns that were being taken away but which they could not see from their position, attacked well-entrenched heavily armed positions in another valley. Less that ten minutes later most of the riders were dead.
So... STATE YOUR OBJECTIVES CLEARLY. BE BRIEF, BUT DO NOT MISS IMPORTANT DETAILS.
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