CORPORATE DESIGN: ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW

What is a corporate design? 

Corporate design is the visual identity of the company. It is one united style used in all visual communication of the company with its customers/ partners/investors and stockholders.

Who needs corporate Design?

Although, the name of the term refers to the corporate and gives an association with big companies like Google, Microsoft, BMW, Siemens, and ADAC; the corporate design is just as important to small companies and even freelancers as to these giants. 

Everyone who makes business and needs to promote himself/ herself or its company needs corporate design, which is a visual way of communication, recognition and an important element of creating a brand (personal or organization). That is how customers will perceive you and it is better to think about it together with a corporate identity right from the start. 

Why corporate design is important?

Corporate Design represents your business. After establishing a strong connection between company identity and corporate design and building a brand, company identity will be able to deliver the company’s values to throw its corporate design. 

The goal of corporate design is:

• Distinguish you from competitors

• Make customers remember you 

• To communicate a company’s identity

• To make a good impression

Elements of corporate Design

Most of the elements of corporate design can be divided into two categories: Graphic design of marketing materials and interior design of the office.

Graphic design of marketing materials:

Logo: Logo is the first element to start a corporate design with. I am sure you know, its importance so I will save on words.

Business cards: Business card represents professionalism and demonstrates your attitude toward your customers. 

Website design: It is hard to imagine nowadays a business without an online presence. Your website is your shop, your office, consultant and sales manager in the online presence. Often, your website is the first source of information your prospects referring to when deciding whether to work with your company.

Additional marketing materials with corporate design: Flyers,  catalogues, coupons, social media profiles

The interior design of the office:

This element is often underestimated and in vain. Successful retail companies know that their shop, is customers’ first impression about their brand but the same principle applies to all businesses. 

Well designed office with a corporate design in thought will:

•    Make a good impression on your customers

•    Deliver your business message 

•    Make a pleasant and motivating work environment for employees

•    Help you to close deals. Yes, you read it right. Just like retail stores choosing carefully where to place each product in order to increase sales or restaurants that place a bottle of wine on a table to give impression that ordering wine goes without saying, same you can use furniture and elements of decor to create a specific mood, to help your customers feel good and develop trust towards your company. These elements will not close the deal by themselves, but they will definitely help.

Where to start with corporate design and what to keep in mind?

It is important to remember that corporate design is a part of your company identity. Before starting with a corporate design, you should define clearly:

What kind of company are you?

Why are you doing what you are doing?

What are your core values and your business philosophy?

What is your vision for your company?

What do you want to represent and how do you want your customers to perceive you as a company?

It might require time and effort to answer these questions but it is a very important step as these are the fundamental aspects of your company and that is exactly what you should represent with your corporate design. 

Do’s and don’ts in corporate design

These rules are not a holy grail of design and there are some great examples of design, which are not followed by all of these rules, but if you are not a professional designer, you can achieve very good results in creating a corporate design by following these simple guidelines.

Do’s:

• Use not more than 3 colors and 2 fonts in all your corporate design marketing material. 

• Keep the same style on all your marketing material: that includes colors, fonts, and element of design

• Colors in percentage for corporate interior design: 60% main color, 30% additional color, 10% third color

• When making interior design for the office think in the complex: Functionality for you and your team, comfortability and making a good impression on visitors, uniqueness. 

I would like to emphasize the uniqueness as this element not only make you stand out, it also makes people talk about your business. 

Don’ts:

• Avoid mixing styles. It refers both to graphic design and interior design. Any style has its beauty. Choose yours and make all in that style. 

• Don’t overload the space: again, it refers both to graphic design and interior design. Leave some empty space. 

• Choose the right size: If it is a font size of your marketing materials, it should be easily readable. If it is a piece of furniture or an artwork in your office, it should be well integrated.

Art as an element of corporate Design

Art is increasingly being used for office decoration. Not only it can create a pleasant and motivational atmosphere but it also makes a good impression on your visitors. It is hard to imagine a stylish, luxury office without abstract art. Well-chosen art for your office corporate design will give your office uniqueness. A series of artworks made for your office can also reflect your company identity and its philosophy. You don’t have to spend thousands of euros on a painting. Even with a small budget spent on wall decoration, you can achieve great results.

How much does corporate design cost?

Logo Design:

200€-1,000€ by a professional designer

Website Design: 

1,000€ – 20,000€. The price is influenced by the system used to create it, the number of pages, the complexity of desired functions, etc. 

Corporate interior design:

1,000€- 20,000€. That includes 3D visualization of the complete project.