6 tips for adding a “wow” factor with sharp graphic design

Think about the array of visual information that floats past you in a day: report infographics, website landing pages, analytic charts, even advertisements and directional signage. 

Unlike mere words on a white page, these designed communications apply an intentional blend of colors, fonts, and graphics to make their messaging pop.

In B2B communications, graphic design can be subtle or bold. It can amplify and even clarify complex talking points. And often it’s the step that shifts content from stale to sensational. 

But what goes into strong graphic design, exactly? Turns out, there are some tried-and-true rules. Dragonfly’s talented graphic design team shared these top six tips for creating compelling designs.

#1: Begin with a visual hierarchy.

Effective design requires a strong sense of scale, size, and proportion. Prioritize and direct how your readers will take in information by adopting larger fonts and bigger sizes for important elements like headings or key visual elements. Use smaller scales for supporting or tangential details.

Creating a visual hierarchy is like creating a map for your audience. With careful positioning, scale, and color choices, you can lead readers’ eyes on a predetermined path of information that helps enhance the effectiveness of your message.

#2: Be smart about font choice.

Far from an afterthought, font selection can directly impact the ease and speed with which your clients read and absorb your messaging. Always select fonts that are crisp, clean, and easy to read. In a given document, limit yourself to one or two complementary typefaces at most.

Though you might be partial to Times New Roman or Helvetica, remember that typefaces ideal for longer, printed documents may not work as well for online or digital formats. One study identified Garamond as the font with the highest average online readability.

When selecting a font, make sure it aligns with your company’s brand or tone, whether that skews toward traditional, modern, or quirky. Finally,choose font sizes and styles in a way that offsets rather than obscures your key points. (Using bold or italics too frequently or adopting an erratic range of font sizes often make your critical talking points harder to decipher, rather than simpler.)

#3: Understand less is often more.

Overly busy designs can be hard to interpret and may even feel off-putting for your clients. Say no to clutter. Instead, choose colors, shapes, and placements that feel straightforward and refined. Avoid adding type on top of images whenever possible — since layered copy can be hard to read against busy backgrounds.

Above all, respect your design’s negative or empty space. Strong designs require a canvas to shine. Resist the temptation to overly fill the page, and instead let your designs breathe.

If you’re thinking “how can we fit more into this space?” you could be tackling your design project entirely wrong. If your project feels crowded, expand your layout as needed to give each element adequate space to engage and inform.

#4: Choose high-resolution, high-impact images.

Images add power to your design, but only if they’re chosen well. Adding a low-quality photo simply to fill space in an ad or web landing page won’t wow your customers.

On the other hand, layering in a high-resolution, high-quality photo that’s perfectly matched to your messaging can be key to getting readers to stop and pay attention.

As a rule of thumb, images for print projects should have a resolution of at least 300 digital pixels per inch (DPI), while the resolution for images used in online settings should be no lower than 72 DPI.

#5: Use infographics to convey complex concepts. 

The human brain is drawn to images. In fact, some research suggests humans can process images up to 60,000 times faster than text. While it might take many — complex, jargon-laden — words to describe a certain industrial or scientific process, the same process can often be summarized quickly by a single, well-crafted infographic.

Infographics and flow charts condense high-concept information into a visual pathway that’s simple and easy for readers to comprehend, even if they’re not well-versed in a given field. So, if a section of your project feels bogged down by dense text, try using an infographic instead. 

#6: Select colors carefully. 

Select a set of design colors that complement one another. This is a step that’s especially critical when creating a company logo or brand palette. Think about the emotional connotations of the colors you’re choosing: are they cool and calming or electric and energizing? Play with those connotations and introduce some intentional contrast — but not to the point of being distracting.

Graphic design is an art form, one that takes practice to perfect. While novices can accomplish a lot with design tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator, the result is often no substitute for what’s possible from a professional’s trained hand. Dragonfly’s design team has the expertise to help elevate content big or small — from annual reports and brochures to online marketing campaigns and more.

If you have a project in need of a skilled design approach, we’re here to help.