Ultimately what I help businesses do is sell things or find the right people for them to sell their products or services. I have a pretty good understanding of the sales cycle because of this. The sales cycle is the term used to discuss the process a business goes through to get and keep a new customer or client. I thought it would be interesting to show you all how graphic design can benefit you during almost every part of the sales cycle. Buckle up, friends, it’s time to start our tour!
Find Leads – This is the first step of the sales cycle. This is where a business will determine who their prospective client is going to be and make contact with them.
How Graphics Help: This is the area of graphics I focus on the most and quite frankly this is where graphic design and the marketing materials it helps businesses create have the biggest impact. During this step, graphics help to educate your prospective client using things like flyers and postcards about what a business does and how it can help the potential client. This also the stage where business cards and social media graphics come in handy. The whole point here is to get the potential client’s attention and get them to talk to you.
Qualify Leads – The second step is determining if the business’ offers and the potential client are a good fit for each other. It answers the question of does the business have the right solution for the client and is the client willing to invest in this solution.
How Graphics Help: This where price lists, media kits, pitch decks, and brochures come into play. This is the step where brand-centric marketing designs like the ones I just mentioned are used to weed through the leads gathered earlier by showing them a more in-depth view of how the business can help them and what the investment might look like. Having these items created using the business’s visual branding can lend an air of professionalism and showcase the expertise of the business.
Form a Solution – Usually, these are the businesses’ predetermined offers such as goods and services. This is the step where the appropriate solution is presented to the client and exact specifics of what the offer includes are discussed. This where if needed a proposal or estimate would be presented to the client
How Graphics Help: This is where catalogs, custom forms, and proposal kits would be used. Having these branded give the business that little extra edge of professionalism. It’s a tiny detail, but it will definitely be noticed!
Close Sale & Deliver Solution – This is the step where the client has decided to purchase and money is exchanged for goods and services
How Graphics Help: This really depends on what the solution is going to be used. For services, graphics typically don’t play a big role. For products though, this where things like on brand labels and packaging come into play. Again, a little detail, but an important one because they showcase the professionalism of the company and reinforce their image to the customer
Follow Up – This is the final stage. The services are completed and the products been used. This is where if the business chooses to continue to nurture this particular client for the future, they keep in touch via newsletter, social media, or other means.
How Graphics Help: This is another big stage I focus on heavily. This is where special postcards, flyers, and branded notecards are used to keep in touch with the clients. These marketing items keep the business’s name in front of these clients so when they have a need for the business again, they remember them and call them.
Now you see how graphic design can support an established business through every phase of the sales cycle! Every step of the way graphic design can help a business impress their potential client allowing them to close a sale faster and easier. It can also help the business keep the customer longer and thereby creating a repeat customer.
By the way, If you’re ready to invest in your business’s branding and take it from hot mess to heck yes, I can help you! I’ve helped dozens of small businesses create marketing materials and logos that helped them get leads and grow their business either through my done for you design service or my design consulting service and I can help your business do that too, but only if you’re really ready to create stand-out marketing materials that your potential customer will notice and be on your way to selling more and stressing less. Curious how I can help you?
I’d love to invite you to a FREE 30 minute 1:1 Getting to Know You Strategy Session. Email me today and let’s chat about how design can get your business where you want it to be and see if working together makes sense!