When people hear the word “aesthetic,” the first thing that typically comes to mind is something visually pleasing, like the interior of a coffee shop. Aesthetics in business, however, is not only limited to the visual elegance of a brand’s website, packaging, or Instagram feed.
It has more to do with giving customers a memorable experience when they buy and consume products and services—something that elicits sensorial delight.
In this blog, you will learn about what aesthetics in business is all about and why you should be mindful of it. Let’s get started:
What Is Aesthetic Design?
There is a psychological phenomenon known as the halo effect. Basically, it explains how the average human being assumes that good-looking people possess positive qualities aside from their looks.
The same can be said for your products and services. If the general public thinks that what you provide is visually pleasing, they will see your business as more desirable and valuable.
Now while you should take current trends into consideration when designing your products and services, you must also bring your own personality and individuality to them. This way, you can set your business apart from your competitors.
Why Does Aesthetics Matter for Your Brand?
Here are just some of the many reasons why you should be concerned with your business’ aesthetics:
It Builds Your Credibility
Do you know how job seekers really dress up when they go for an interview? Obviously, they wear their best clothes to make the best first impression possible.
Whether you like it or not, looks matter. You may own a restaurant with mouthwatering food, but if the presentation pales in comparison to a rival restaurant’s five-star-looking dishes, you may be stopping yourself from gaining more customers.
Pay attention to detail. It may take a lot of time and effort, but it will pay off when you earn more followers on social media and visitors to your website.
It Indicates Quality
As we just mentioned, how your products and services look is a big deal. These tell your potential customers that quality matters to you. Consumers are smarter than ever these days. They can see whether a business has put a lot of thought into its products and brand as a whole, or if it only cares about making a profit.
It Boosts Engagement
Consumers love eye-catching things. They will be more likely to interact with your posts on Facebook or Instagram if your content shows something different from the rest of their feed. Make sure to keep in mind the color schemes, fonts, and even the positioning of text and products when you plan out your content marketing strategy.
How to Improve Your Business’ Aesthetics
Now that you know why you should spend a considerable time working on your business aesthetics, here are tips to help you build or improve it:
Find Inspiration
Think of what you want your brand and products to look like. Do you have go-to brands for visual inspiration? If you don’t, look for them! You do not even necessarily have to choose brands from the same niche.
This does not mean you will copy their exact branding and style, though. Instead, look for elements you like, incorporate them into your own brand, and remember to add a piece of your personality.
Design a Mood Board
After you have found your pegs, put them all together in one mood board. A mood board is a type of collage or presentation where you add imagery, ads, fonts, and other pieces of content that give you ideas of what you want your brand to be like.
Make a Buyer Persona
This is probably the most important step in building business aesthetics. Since you want to gain credibility and trust from your customers, it pays to know what they value in a product or service. Creating a buyer persona can help you here. It puts you in your customers’ shoes and establishes the voice, visuals, and overall experience you will give them.
In Closing
The fact is, the majority of people judge a book by its cover. Their first impression of a business or product may be their one and only impression if they do not think much about it.
That is why you need to think seriously about how you develop your business’ aesthetics. Your end goal should be to provide new and existing customers alike with a delightful experience—from the homepage of your website down to your product’s packaging and design.
If you need help establishing a look and feel for your business, consult Ande Aditya, a marketing consultant and brand development specialist in Thailand. Here’s how he can help you improve your brand’s aesthetics. Schedule a consultation with him by visiting Startup in Thailand.
Please read more about Ande’s thought leadership on Future Businesses and the top 10 technologies that would prevail in our future times.
