When it comes to business (or anything really) design is crucial! You can have the best product in the world, but if it doesn’t look any good then no one is going to want to buy it. We place a great deal of emphasis on design in our workshops and this is exactly why. Here are a few of our top tips for design to get you started.
1.0 Think About Your Target Customer
Have a look at who you’re going to be selling to and think about what they would like in a product. A great example is Apple vs Smiggle. Apple goes for a very sleek and stylish look with neutral colours and this works incredibly well as they are targeting people that love design and aesthetic and it’s also very versatile so anyone can use it. Smiggle on the other hand are appealing to kids which is why they have chosen their bright coloured products with a range of textures and smells to appeal to the senses of children. Think about what your customer would like and design for them.
2.0 Look At Your Competition
Market research is crucial to understanding what else is out there and what you’re competing with and it’s the same for your branding and design. To start with, have a look at what colours and design elements your most successful competition are using. Chances are if they’ve been using it for a while, it is tried, tested and very effective. Also, if they're a big company - chances are they've spent an exorbitant amount of money researching its effectiveness. Now I’m not saying to go out and blatantly copy them, quite the opposite actually. What you want to do is take inspiration on what colour palettes appeal to the target customer to find the style that works. Keeping in the restraints of the style, what you should then look at is something that will stand out and catch people’s eye. Think about seeing your branding on the shelves at the shops next to your competitor, what is going to be the most eye catching and appealing.
3.0 Talk To Your Customer
A bit of a running theme throughout this blog has been around talking to your customers and the same applies for design. Once you have a few different designs to choose from, go to some of your customers and get their feedback on what they do and don’t like about each and what their favourite is. You don’t want to just be asking anyone and everyone for their opinions, because at the end of the day it’s your target customers that will be doing the buying.
4.0 Build Your Brand
Whilst it is important to try different designs to see what works, it’s important to stay true to your brand once you’ve found a style that you like. This is so your products and materials are easily recognisable no matter where they are. This includes deciding on a colour pallet, font, shapes and more.
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These are some essential points for starting up with your product design and we hope they help! We can’t wait to see what you create.
If you're looking for more information on how you can bring your product to life, make sure to have a look at our Young Entrepreneurs Hub. Or alternatively, download our free Young Entrepreneurs Starter Kit.