Some of the truest words I've heard so far are: "If you do not plan to create your own business, then you plan to be broke."
While there are many people out there that have made life pleasant work for other companies, should not be crazy to think about going into business for himself, either a full time job or a part-time gig. With the changing economic climate things are not guaranteed and, frankly, the time spent helping someone else achieve their goals could be time well spent in pursuing their own dreams.
As graphic designers, working independently and creating our own small business is usually a fairly common thought, which is almost a given. Even if we do not market as independent, I'm sure some of us have come to do work from side to put some extra money in our pockets. Some designers like to offer design services, while others have a total business about clothing design or product development, or perhaps the association with someone else to offer more products and services.
Regardless of what they do, in order to see some growth in your business you should know that you are targeting. Many of us believe that our product is for everyone, but trying to get your product in front of everyone's going to be painful and expensive. What I do is find out who they are specifically targeted to find that niche and put your efforts on them. Learn more about them will help your efficiency and ultimately help your reach, because once you know that you are selling, best know how to design for them.
If you have never taken the time to do some research of customers, do not go mad now. Hopefully you have enough customers to try and figure it out, or maybe you've developed your product or service enough to know everything about who thinks he can pitch to. The biggest mistake is to launch your product or service in the face of all and hope they bite. That's one of the hard work, but in business who want to work smart. So here are some things you can start buying and find out what you should buy your product.
Who are they?
The first thing you need to know about your target audience is what they are. What kind of things do they do? What kind of music do you listen? What products do you use? How old are they? The answers to these questions and more will help you better understand the people who are designing. Get an understanding of these people helps you to easily and do something you know that relate to them and end up with a good communication.
As a young designer, I realize that I am interested in flyers and brochures that refer to me with great design techniques, a clear message and a professional appearance. I have also heard of brake really creative ideas and pictures and things of that nature. I like that sort of thing, so for me it's easy to want to create that kind of thing, but the truth is that people sometimes end up designing probably care less about the design and make things clean and professional. It sounds absurd, but it's true, you have to interact with the public.
Again, you have to know the target audience. If you or your client have no idea who you are designing for, you are actually taking a stab in the dark and hoping and praying to get somewhere. There are times when you can have a wide variety of people in his audience, but you have to find something in common with most people.
Do the research
Learn more about your audience does not have to be a genius and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. It is not about getting your information, but what questions you ask and what they decide to do with it. Say, for example, running a brick and mortar store shirts. You have a t-shirt design sold very well, but you want to know how to create more like it. If you have a low volume of people coming through, just ask them what attracts them to the shirt in particular. Not only is doing research here, but you're making connections with their customers. If you have more volume, or run an online store, create a quick and concise survey that asks the questions.
You should also know that you have to ask the right questions. If you want to know why people like the design of the shirt, I'm not used to ask what size shirt, I will focus on design. For example, why they like or what design means to them. Want to ask questions that will help your audience and help make guesses about things you like in the future.
Note, demographic information is only useful to some extent. You still have to find out what your audience likes and what they feel (and what felt like). They are so caught up in the boring regular questions about the age and income that you forget to ask about their interests as well.
New products can make it difficult to understand your target audience, but similar products can be investigated and beta testing. With its beta testing phase, you can continue your study of a group of users not only on efficacy, but above all things related to the design as well. Also, keep in mind that he intends to buy your product is not always the same person who buys it. Many times, we will have a big idea and we have a sense of knowing who will buy, but sometimes not always go as we planned. This is why beta testing and data collection are important.
What are you doing?
Once you feel you have a good understanding of your target market, you must have an even better understanding of what we are trying to do or what they are trying to design for. If you are trying to sell a product or service, what are you trying to convey about that product or service?
When you get to this step is easy to want to establish some kind of analysis features and benefits. This means, for example, if you are trying to sell their services in graphic design, feature that makes it possible to design large print and web design, so its advantage is that you are a "one-stop-shop ". That's very nice, but you have to be more than that. Try to highlight what you can do for them and not just the skill set. To say that print designs have the ability to captivate the audience, not only you can do print design. To say that their web designs allow users to connect to a company in a way never imagined. Saying that your product is not just a product, but also contributes to your life so much deeper.
Knowing what your target audience likes and interests will help you get to this sort of thing much easier. Not bad to show the features and benefits for some audiences, that's all you really need. But in a competitive market, you have to know what makes your audience react and if your product or service has to.
design basics
After gathering all the information and you feel like you understand their purpose and audience, then it's time to make your design. The fact that you are designing more intent does not mean you forget any of the fundamentals. You must continue to incorporate all the theories of design so you can make an effective piece of design.
The more fundamental theory that can not always be missed is the visual hierarchy. As a designer, you have to remember and understand that you have all the power to imagine what the public sees when they look at a flyer or package. Use that to your advantage in everything you do. This theory basically states that creates the hierarchy or importance on the basis of what is the largest and what is the smallest. While this is the first taxpayer, the taxpayer will be second placement. His most important visual, either a title or image, you must be above or at eye level. Put it under the eyes or outside the initial view is a total and absolute loss of time.
With the visual hierarchy, you want to take into account the design, balance, distribution, and proximity to good. These are just the basics to make sure they have some sort of order and cleanliness of whatever you are designing. Many times, we want people to stop noticing something crazy and we have done with a design or something, but do not reinvent the wheel, we should be doing everything that makes sense and is readable. You want everyone who sees his vision to get the main points, even if only in transit.
Put the two together
Know your fundamentals of graphic design is essential. That will make your audience, whoever can understand what they are trying to say. The purpose of the investigation of your audience and get to know is that when it's time for design, visual addresses them and makes them move.
As I said before, as a graphic designer, I just want to make fun designs with crazy colors, shapes, fresh, and illustrations. From my own personal business that works, because they tend to serve more fashionable young people who are interested in trying new things. However, sometimes I have a client who is less interested in that. Sometimes I have clients who are corporate, so I have to get over a bit, since it is not at all interested in cool and crazy designs. It led them to death with my design, but I'll make sure not focus on what needs attention.
Many times we get caught up in ourselves and what we want, but it has nothing to do with what we want, and everything to do with what the public wants. If you feel like the design that you want to be very creative with what you're doing, you have to have a purpose for it. You have to know that this is something that the public responds. Creative and crazy can unnecessarily alienate a large portion of your target audience if that is not what they are doing.
The ultimate goal of all that is being designed is to get people moving. You have to relate to them in a way that they get. If they listen to 60 + years old, do not use pastel colors and illustrations to attract them. If you are trying to appeal to teens, it is probably not going to use earth tones and pictures of older people to get them to do something. You have to know the demographic situation and, above all, psychographics (the way you think, feel, etc..) When you have a true understanding of the psychographics can get to do anything. If we want to feel excited about your product and the elite to own it, should know how to convey that to them. You should also know what they want to feel about your product.
Creating a visual does not have to be very forward. You want them to think about their product a bit and let them interact with them. Basically while you are worrying about your target or niche market, from time to time you have a person who is not fit any of their investigations, but does not exclude them completely. Use the design to take advantage of someone feel a certain way because that's what makes people interested in your product or service.
Try to put yourself in their shoes, what would you like to see and do not want to see? Even if it's related to your product, put yourself in the shoes of the consumer. For example, I like to pick up a brochure or see a site for a real estate agent and the visual is only given an injection of the agent glamor. What are you doing for me? How is it that makes me want to buy a property? Well, it does not. If you were to create a visual representation and only has a picture of yourself or your product or service, how that really make a customer wants to make a purchase?
The design of your website
Many designers and website owners believe a sole purpose is to tell everyone about your product or service and why it is totally awesome. Well, I beg to differ. A website is supposed to be an extension of your business and should be used to communicate with your customers and potential customers. Which is compatible with your target market and available on its website.
Make sure you have a clear message on their site, if you sell multiple products try to highlight one. If you have a number of different services emphasize or highlight the reasons why people keep coming back, creating a feeling. No matter the demographics of your audience, your website must be clear and consistent.
More research
As graphic designers and / or business owners, we must learn to understand the tactics of marketing and research. Identify a target market does not take much, but you want to make sure you're doing in a way that suits your needs. Your business and its customers rely on visual effects that make, if they end up being ineffective, which tends to be a direct reflection of their work. Again, you want to make sure they are working intelligently (for doing your research and use of it), instead of working hard (the creation of a group of images blind hope that someone picks it up).
It can sometimes be a difficult concept to understand, so I added some pretty solid and useful resources.
How to Define Your Target Market
What to Ask When Designing For a Target Audience
Conducting Market Research
How to Do Market Research
Kendra Gaines is a freelance designer from Virginia, USA. Connect with her.
Have you had experience switching from a large audience to selecting your target? What was your experience?
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