Today I welcome another artist from JUNTOS PDX! This individual helps curate graphic designs for the cannabis industry, which got me thinking about graphic designing. What is graphic designing, why is it important, and why should an entrepreneur care? Graphic design actually dates back to the Egyptian hieroglyph – you know those old cave paintings. Yeah, that is graphic design baby! Graphic design covers a range of crafts: logo creation, album covers, web design, the package those freshly minted Nike’s come in – all considered graphic design, and that is why graphic design is important. Graphic design helps bring a message to life and attention to a brand. It is the crafting of a headline accompanied with an image that helps make a message impactful. It is important to note graphic design is actually a piece of marketing, but not specifically marketing. Take the Swoosh for example. Certainly, marketing has helped fuel the message, “Just Do It”, but without words the Swoosh brings that same impactful message without saying anything. A well-built website with search engine optimization built in, also known as SEO, can help drive new visitors to the site. Even the packaging has a message. A great example is the new cigarette packages that display the result of long-term tobacco use. They are not sexy photos, but they drive an important message home with limited wording. A graphic designer helps build a business’ first impression. It helps create the brand identity, and that is why the entrepreneur should care. Whether a solopreneur or multimillion-dollar company, a graphic designer can help share the brand story with the world. There have been a number of studies regarding nonverbal communication and most experts agree that 70% to 93% of all communication is nonverbal. A handshake is a nonverbal way to communicate. If you offer me a dead-fish handshake I will encourage you to shake my hand again but with some mustard behind the grip. Many times, a handshake is the first impression we get – our own personal brand’s first impression. Now with new technology, first impressions are made in a blink of an eye, and consumers have the ability to look up products on the go – businesses are truly being judged by the cover. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, “users often leave Web pages in 10–20 seconds, but pages with a clear value proposition can hold people's attention for much longer. To gain several minutes of user attention, you must clearly communicate your value proposition within 10 seconds.” Having a value proposition can be supported with a well created graphic design – something that grabs the end user’s attention while strengthening brand awareness. And not all graphic designers are the same – many are specialized in specific industries, like music, retail, or cannabis like our next guest Savina Monet. She helps give form to your idea. Cover to your book. Design to your products. Creative content to empty walls. For the love of weed. For the love of being an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur in a globe of entrepreneurs.
Check out Savina Monet today!