Tell me, how seriously do you take a professional photographer if they give you a business card with bad graphics or a poor layout – or generally a “cheap” looking card? You’d probably not think of sending your best friend to him when they’re looking for wedding photos would you? Or how about a law office that doesn’t use professional stationery? I’d hope if they are going to write an important document for me they could at least have a professional look in their stationery!
What it all comes down to is if you want to be taken seriously, you need to put your best foot forward. In today’s electronic world a huge portion of that look comes not only from your website, but other materials as well, be it stationery or brochures, promotional items or trade show booths. You want to make sure when you’re potential customers/clients see you, wherever they see you, they get a good impression. And as we’ll discuss next week, consistency is key.
Lets use websites for an example. Below are two examples of websites, one using poor design techniques and the other good design techniques.
The poor design comes to us courtesy of www.webpagesthatsuck.com, and it is Yale’s School of Art website. I would think that, being art minded myself, that they would have a more professional looking page, but this one really makes you shake your head and think, really? Yale? Wow, maybe I’ll check out a different art program… But the good design, Blue Mountain Baptist Church, employs current techniques that, if you knew Church, draws from their current material. Consistent look that is very professional and pleasing to look at. Welcoming to someone that may be looking for a new church to attend or a regular attendee to know what’s going on.
These websites are a perfect example of how even just one presentation tool for your company or organization can have such a large impact on how you are perceived. And one can easily assume that Yale would probably have more money to put towards a professionally done website than one’s local Baptist church! So if a church can do it it can’t be all that hard can it? Now imagine if you have ALL your presented material, business cards, envelopes, advertisements, etc, looking professional? That would be a great impression.
So the next time you’re getting ready to hand out business cards with a sticker over your old phone number or forward someone to your website that someone in your office quickly threw together with Microsoft Word, remember, “a picture is worth a thousand words” – so make sure they’re getting all good ones! And if you or someone in your company or organization does not have the expertise to compile the professional designs, contact us!