What is graphic design?

Yes, this is a rather simple yet very profound question which varies from each designer’s interpretation and experience. Recently, there is a lot of buzz about this intriguing question. There was even a What is Graphic Design Poster Competition at Veerle’s blog to creatively and visually express the answer to this elemental question.

Some say graphic design it’s a visual communication to evoke emotion or solve a problem. It then reminded me of a book entitled Graphic Design for the 21st Century: 100 of the World’s Best Graphic Designers - a compilation of leading graphic designers in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia together with their predictions and perspectives about this craft. Let me just share some of the interesting insights I read there:

Farrow Design: “A designer is duty bound to push the client as far as they will go.”

Peter Anderson: “Graphic design should evolve and challenge existing systems of language and perception.”

Philippe Apeloig: “Graphic design is the intersection point between art and communication.”

David Foldvari: “Ugly = Beautiful”

Tina Frank: “Design will become anything and anything will become design. Even no-design will be designed.”

Gila Kaplan: “To play the strands of a spider’s web as if they were cello strings.”

Scott King: “There’s no point in doing decorative design…it would just interfere with what I had to say…”

If you are running an online store, the product page is one of the most important parts of your site. Needless to say, having the right elements in your product page is very crucial in sales conversion.

Before you follow this improvement tips, try to understand the mindset of your customers about product pages. To them it’s a one-stop source of all information not only about your products but competitors as well. Here are some of the basic yet effective tips to improve conversion rates of your product pages:

Images

1. Provide at least 3 high quality images. Do not forget to use “see larger image” option to better appreciate the product.
2. If you are selling a wearable item show images that it is worn by your typical target customer.
3. Use white background to add some a simple yet elegant appeal to your product
4. Though it’s good to provide many images, consider also its effect on your page load. Unfortunately, patience is not a virtue of many online customers.

Product Info

5. Answer the question, “Why you should buy this product?” Emphasize the key benefits or advantages of your products or services compared to competition. Be careful not to exaggerate.
6. Offer both the overview of product (short description or summary) located at the higher portion of your page and detailed information (specifications, additional features, positive and negative testimonials) below the fold.
7. Adjust the wordings to the comprehension level of your target customers.



8. Add “call to action” phrases such as “add to cart” or “buy now” to encourage purchase. You can also highlight the savings or discounts in case you’re offering it for a limited time. Place it either on the right-hand portion of the screen or below your short product description.

Extra Features

9. Include product a comparison chart in case you have other similar products or services which a customer may want to evaluate as well. You can even compare your products against leading brands, if you’re confident about your distinct advantages
10. Include a “related products” link to encourage more purchase. Follow Amazon.com’s system called “What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing Items Like This?”

Whether you are a novice or expert logo designer, you should always leave a room for learning. In this world of graphic, it pays well to understand new trends and best practices.

The good news is that Just Creative Design gives a glimpse about a Leslie Cabarga’s book entitled The Secret Life of Logos: Behind The Scenes With Top Designers. In essence, below are the 8 crucial steps followed by 75 top designers for designing compelling logos:

1. The Brief
2. Research
3. Visual Research
4. Sketching & Conceptualizing
5. Reflection
6. Positioning
7. Presentations
8. Celebration

You might notice its semblance with our logo design process here in LDW. It might quite easy to implement but in reality a very difficult process to perfect. Moreover, I like to emphasize about positioning. It is described as:

This is where the designers choose to position themselves. They either position themselves like contractors and take orders according to their clients wishes (ie. Don’t advise their clients of design matters) OR they position themselves like a business and build themselves a long term relationship (ie. Guide clients to a more appropriate solution much alike how a lawyer does.) Designers have to choose how they wish to work.

Forging strong relationship is the pillar of every business. It is true a contractor type is a lot easier to do and has lesser risks because you can always put the blame to your customers’ bad concepts. Unfortunately, most entrepreneurs are not familiar with logo designs and some simply copy the style of leading brands. It is then the responsibility of a good logo designer to share his experience and creative expertise to create a unique and effective logo.

A growing number of religious organizations are turning to branding to create awareness to the community amid so many distractions these days hampering our worship to God. In the words of Richard Reising, president of Artistry Marketing Concepts:

There’s not a church in the world that doesn’t market itself. Some do it well, some do it badly. But when you don’t do it consistently and effectively, then you say clearly to the community that you don’t know who you are; you’re not professional, and you don’t take time to think about what you are about.

There are several aspects of church branding but here we will focus on developing a Christian logo to differentiate your organization. You can also visit our collection of religious logos as your reference.

Brief

It is enough to create a creative logo design. It must have depth and meaning. Before sketching anything or talking to a logo design company, your first step is to build your identity.

Try to describe your church in terms of the people in your community, dominant culture and other services you might offer like daycare services or some livelihood programs. If you have something special to talk about or a unique selling point then include that in your list. At the end of the day, this will serve as your guideline for developing your logo.

Symbolisms

Christianity is filled with symbols so use that to help create instant recognition to your logo. Very common in Christian logos are the cross, chalice, chi rho, candles, fire, and animals like fish, pelican or lamb.

Colors

The colors blue, red and yellow are very common in Christian logos. It’s better to understand the meaning behind these colors before using it. For instance, yellow signifies light or divinity while purple is for mourning and penitence. You can get more color meanings here.

Colors have a strong impact on our logical or emotional state. For instance, red evokes sexiness or aggressive nature while blue is associated with calmness and loyalty. You might find it hard to believe but colors can even help treat some diseases.

It is no surprise then that finding the right color or color combinations is proven to boost your brands. It helps attract attention and set a mood for your customers. Though a good logo designer can help you choose the right colors, it is also valuable to learn this aspect.

A common mistake committed by many entrepreneurs is using more colors in their logo designs. Each color creates a single message or association. So if you are using 5 colors in your logos or brands, it will deliver 5 different messages. Unfortunately, consumers cannot handle that much perception.

The first thing you should consider in finding the appropriate color is your competitors. It is not wise to copy the color scheme of the leading brands for it will create an impression that you’re just a second-rate version.

Also, pay attention to the demographics of your market such as gender, age and culture. A trendy neon green might appeal to youngsters but painful to look at for your average grandmas and grandpas. In a way, it sets the limitation of the color you can use.

For more information about this topic, I suggest you pay a visit to Inspiration Bit for it offers a comprehensive discussion of the dos and don’ts of colors.

Disclaimer: The image is for reference only. Hence, copyright belongs to the respective owners. If you are the owner and wish to have the image removed from this post, please send an e-mail to remove-logo@logodesignworks.com.