Here are some hints for effective communication throughout the design process:

1. If you don’t already have a designer that’s willing to listen to your input, create exceptional designs and work with your budget, contact us.
2. Talk to your designer about your business – what makes it unique, what makes it better than the competitors, what your customers say.
3. If you already have an idea of what you are looking for, do your best to communicate that from the outset.
4. Show your designer any current/previous marketing materials. Discuss what you liked and disliked about each piece and whether there are any you will continue to use.
5. Give constructive feedback. Once you see a concept, take some time to think through it. Consider how well it will work as a representation of your business. Let the designer know what you like and dislike in an open but courteous manner. Giving the designer well thought out reasons for your feelings will help him or her get closer the next time to what you had envisioned.

There is a common misconception that good use of space is coating every inch of your marketing materials with data. However, even design needs room to breathe.

Think about it. When wandering through a big city maze of concrete and dizzyingly tall buildings, we crave large expanses of sky. In a crowded schedule, we crave an unoccupied moment. Amidst the noise of daily life, we crave silence. A business card crammed with information and images will leave the recipient craving visual respite. If a website, brochure or other marketing piece is too crowded with information, it loses impact. Often, nothing stands out and the piece will be overlooked completely.

A well-designed marketing piece, on the other hand, will include plenty of space and only elements that enhance its purpose. Take web sites, for example. To make the biggest impact, the information must be organized in way that is easy to navigate and visually appealing. This is something we at Visage strive for. However, you don’t have to take our word for it. The following links will take you to some well-known companies that illustrate this principle beautifully:

* Google
* Nike.com
* Tiffany & Co.
* Kenneth Cole
* FranklinCovey

We also have some great examples in our gallery.