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Plan to start this new year with good fortune!

Written by Dana Robertson

Published on

Pennant's blog has been on hiatus since mid 2020, but is preparing for a return in 2023

“Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.” – Thomas Edison

Your company’s look, on the web and in print, is fundamentally linked to your growth goals in 2020! As your clients scroll through endless images and advertisements, they are scanning for the visuals that will instantly tell them who you are and what you do.

So, what are you planning to communicate in 2020? Maybe you have a website, style guide, solid visual brand, and even some print products. First, you want to ensure that your visuals are playing to your greatest strengths as a business. Then, you can consider your next steps for the new year. 

Steps to Success

1. Take stock

A great place to start is just looking at what you have. Break it down by category: web ads and graphics, website, email and social profiles, print products. What is there? How long has it been since these have been updated? Is there something missing that you’d like to add? What are your reactions to the visuals? Write them down. 

Annual Graphics Assessment

download and print to help you plan!

2. Build your budget

Free yourself in 2020 with a budget! Budgets are beautiful boundaries that outline what is possible. Use it as a guide to help you prioritize which marketing pieces to invest in to get you to this year’s goal. Knowing your budget can also help you avoid the sticker shock of marketing proposals. An insider secret: It is ALWAYS okay to give a prospective designer your budget in advance! Knowing the boundaries of your budget early gives you the tools to hire the right fit.

3. Assess the impact

Now it’s time to think about the impact that each image or design has on your customers. Consider these questions and write down your responses! Have you received feedback from customers in the past year on your website, infographics, or social content? Are your brochures or emails garnering the responses or leads you were aiming for? Are you closing sales as a direct impact of your infographic, website, or social banner? Do you have metrics that prove this? What direction can we take with our design to have a greater impact on our business? 

4. Head out! 

Once you are able to get clear what you’ve got and what you can do, you need to determine where you’re headed. Admittedly, this is where some businesses get lost. Remember, the tiniest seed can grow into the greatest tree, and the smallest spark into the biggest bonfire! The key is giving them the right care. Take the assessment you have, the budget you’ve set, and your inspirations and ideas – no matter how simple – and begin to walk in the direction of your 2020 vision.

5. Find friends along the way

Don’t be afraid to let an expert handle it. Sometimes we’re afraid to defer to someone outside the company for the work, but a professional can save you time and money by providing you a top-notch service and product that really speaks your message. *Insert shameless plug here* We are totally here for you! 

Read on to learn more about the ways we’ve walked with our customers: 

The shortest path. 

Sometimes it’s the little things – mobile optimization, email signature, social media images, consistent branding. The customer experience depends on the small details. Is your contact information easy to find? Does your website work well on mobile devices? Does your social profile match your email signature and your images on social media? Do you have a business card that stands out and speaks to your brand? The little things matter to us! We have ways to look at the little things and identify the tweaks you need.

A little course correction. 

Sometimes it’s a new look! Updated and consistent branding can provide an overall message that will speak louder than any copy. It shows that your business is current and understands that consistency is everything. Do you have a logo? Do you have a style guide or a set of guidelines that you stick to and apply consistently in all areas of your business process? Do you need guidance? Is this not your forte? Well, it is our specialty and we love it! Chat with us!

Take the road less traveled. 

Sometimes it’s the whole shebang. An overhaul across all mediums of marketing says a lot. Yes, it’s an investment, but it’s also the way you set the tone, reach your ideal client, and bring in revenue. It communicates what words or a sales pitch cannot. Combined with the talent of your sales team, the impact can give you a huge boost in the coming new year to achieve ALL of your goals. We want to go there with you. We can design and develop every step of the way, to meet all of your print and web needs! Send us a message!

No matter what design path you take this year, the team at Pennant Creatives is cheering you on! May you find prosperity, good fortune, and friends along the way!

Til next time,

The Dreamer and The Designer

Pennant's blog has been on hiatus since mid 2020, but is preparing for a return in 2023

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