Three Ways Good Design Helps Small Businesses Build Trust

It might go without saying that there’s a lot of hard work and time management that goes into running a small business, but it’s important to say anyway. This kind of workload can (and some would say it should) take up all of your time. From answering emails to handling paperwork, or even simply finding the time to expand your business in a meaningful way, as the owner of a small enterprise, you’ll have your work cut out for you. It might not feel like it, but you’ll want any foothold you can find, to really leverage your ability to bring in customers during this time.

Good design can help your small business save time and money, freeing you up and allowing you the room you need in order to grow past your competition. It’s called a competitive edge, and it’s what sets effective businesses apart from the rest. Below, I’ve outlined three great design tips to help your small business build trust, so that you have the extra time and resources to develop your brand and grow your operation.

#1 Good designs inspire confidence.

There’s a saying: dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Amateur looks and designs are a problem, even if your small business is amateur because they damage your client’s confidence. You need to consider the image you want to portray if you’re going to make any lasting impact. Good design will help your small business to impress. Whatever look you decide on, you need to exude the image of the business you’d like to be if you were your absolute best. This involves all touch points from your brand: your website, packaging, collateral, letterhead, etc.

A professional image helps your company to build trust. Users and potential clients respond to subtle, high-quality design by engaging with it, then forming connections based on their trust. Make some precise changes, with this in mind, and you’ll start to see the benefits, guaranteed.

#2 Good design sets you apart from the competition.

Humility is a funny thing. Many businesses shy away from good design that would set them apart from their competition because they feel too exposed trying something different. In doing so, though, they fade into the crowd of similar companies out there.

Anything you can to do make yourself more memorable, is more than just important. It’s crucial. People have less time to compare and choose between indistinguishable companies, all following the same design trends – or simply copycats of each other, hoping to make quick work out of their designs without considering the damage they’re doing to their own reputations. Stand up and develop a unique image for your business. Give them something to talk about, and a reason to recommend your brand to other people, based on your captivating design alone. Don’t be afraid to differentiate and grow.

#3 Good design creates a good first impression.

First impressions last, and there’s nowhere this is truer than in the world of business. Seamless design that works the first time a user engages with it is critical to keeping that user. Think about Apple, Airbnb or Square. While you might think a visual aesthetic all over the place can’t hurt anybody, it’s whether or not your design works properly that will win or lose you that all-important business.

A bad first impression can be costly to overcome. Save yourself the time and money you’ll spend later by investing in good design the first time. It never fails – make a great first impression and new business is sure to follow.

Conclusion

In business, as in life, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Invest your time and resources into good design, at the start of your project, and you’ll see the benefits in no time. There’s so much you can do. Whether it’s revamping your social media presence, or redesigning your brand, this is what gives your small business its character. And considering this is the first time your future customers will typically be encountering you, it just makes sense to put your best foot forward.

Make a few design changes, today, and see how they change your small business for the better.

Leo Almeida has twelve years of industry experience changing hats between designer and entrepreneur. He has worked with startups worldwide, ranging from a two-person band to 20-million-plus platforms. He’s writing Growth by Design, a book on how design helps small business growth by building trust and credibility: growthbydesign.co

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