Don’t prioritize design over messaging

If you’re building a brand, articulate first your answers to the following questions:

1. What unique value do you (aim to) bring to the market?
--> Don't play it safe. Differentiate.

2. For whom?
--> Be specific—you can't sell to everyone.

3. How do you create that value?
--> Make this point clear; otherwise, you're just bluffing.

Once you've clarified your positioning, work on your messaging strategy. After that, write copy to express it written words. Finally, create design that helps your audience visualize your message and feel the right emotions.

In other words, this is the right order to follow:

1. Positioning = How you want to be perceived in the market
2. Messaging = How you communicate your positioning
3. Copywriting = How you turn your messaging into persuasive content
4. Design = How you visually evoke the right emotions, amplifying the message

(☝Take a look at the logo of Eclosia, the bilingual Montessori school whose brand we at Making You Smile helped reimagine from scratch. Without the tagline "Where Children Shine," the design wouldn't have come together as it did. The copy gave us clear direction for the logo, and that copy was born from well-defined messaging and positioning.)

We see lots of, lots of companies prioritize design over messaging. It's a terrible mistake.

If you skip messaging and proper copywriting (or call it content writing if this advertising jargon doesn't sound familiar to you), you risk conveying only a tiny "fraction" of what makes your offer unique and why people should care.

Never start with design. Way too many people have been fooled by the common misconception that branding equals design.

Get the brand creation process right. You'll have a much better chance to stand out from the crowd.

Reach out to us to discuss how we can help.