Hi there, I'm Greg Merrilees from Studio1 Design and welcome to this episode of the Real Magic Design Podcast. I'm excited to dive into a topic that's near and dear to my heart - the real cost of getting your design wrong.

As a designer who's worked with countless businesses over the years, I've seen firsthand the impact that poor design decisions can have. It's not just about aesthetics - it's about the bottom line, the customer experience, and the overall success of a brand.

In this episode, my co-host Alan and I will be sharing some real-life case studies that illustrate just how costly design mistakes can be. We'll explore examples of website redesigns that backfired, marketing campaigns that missed the mark, and product packaging that failed to resonate with the target audience.

The key, we've found, is to approach design with a strategic mindset. It's not enough to simply make something look pretty - we need to understand the underlying goals, the target audience, and the existing strengths of the brand. Only then can we make informed decisions that will drive real results.

Whether you're a business owner, a marketing professional, or a designer yourself, I'm confident that you'll walk away from this episode with a deeper appreciation for the power of design and a better understanding of how to avoid costly missteps.

So sit back, grab a pen and paper, and get ready to learn. Alan and I are about to take you on a journey through the world of design, where the stakes are high but the rewards can be truly transformative.

Let's dive in!

• The importance of balancing work and family, the high cost of poor design, and the need for collaboration between designers and clients for business success
• How to redesign effectively by keeping what works, analyzing user experience, and simplifying design with heat mapping
• Design mistakes in marketing, including using inappropriate imagery and confusing messaging.
• How clear messaging, targeted landing pages, and understanding your audience lead to more effective design and advertising‍
• How careful branding and logo redesigns can elevate a brand while managing the risks of rebranding and market confusion

The impact of rebranding on perceived value and sales, as well as the importance of testing design changes before implementing them

The Real Cost of Getting Your Design Wrong

As a designer who has worked with countless businesses over the years, I've seen firsthand the impact that poor design decisions can have. It's not just about aesthetics - it's about the bottom line, the customer experience, and the overall success of a brand.

In a recent episode of the Real Magic Design Podcast, my co-host Alan and I dove deep into this topic, sharing real-life case studies that illustrate just how costly design mistakes can be. From website redesigns that backfired to marketing campaigns that missed the mark, the examples we discussed highlight the importance of approaching design with a strategic mindset.

The first case study we explored was that of a business that spent three months redesigning their entire website, only to see their sales and inquiries plummet within 48 hours of launching the new site. As Alan pointed out, the likely culprit was a breakdown in the customer journey.

"I think they've changed the flow of how people interact with the site," he explained. "The new design was made to look pretty, but I don't think enough thought was put into how the customer actually uses the website."

This is a common pitfall that we see all too often. Businesses get so caught up in the visual appeal of a design that they forget to consider the user experience. They may overcomplicate forms, bury important information, or fail to properly redirect traffic from old pages to new ones.

The result? A beautiful website that fails to convert.

Another example we discussed was that of a community organization that was trying to attract a new type of member. In their efforts to appeal to this new audience, they ended up diluting their messaging and confusing their existing customer base.

"These are opposite ends of the spectrum," Alan noted. "Don't confuse the need to grow a new market with the need to sustain customer acquisition in your existing market and your core demographic."

The lesson here is that you can't be everything to everyone. If you're trying to reach a new target audience, you need to do so in a way that doesn't alienate your existing customers. This may mean creating separate marketing materials, landing pages, or even entire brand identities to cater to each group.

We also touched on the importance of understanding your target market and tailoring your design accordingly. One example that really resonated with me was the case of a gym website that was using images of young, fit models to attract customers.

"My wife, for instance, is not going to even look at those websites because they are not targeting her," I explained. "They've got the complete wrong image for her demographic."

This is a common mistake that we see in many industries - using imagery and messaging that simply doesn't resonate with the intended audience. It's a surefire way to turn potential customers away before they even engage with your brand.

The solution, as Alan pointed out, is to "meet the market where it's at." 

This means taking the time to understand your target audience, their pain points, and their preferences, and then designing with those insights in mind.

Of course, design mistakes can also have a significant financial impact, as we saw in the example of a packaging redesign that led to a drop in sales.

"If you don't quite get it right, it's not going to work," Alan said. "So, you know, being very, very careful. And you know, sometimes our customers come back to very good reasons why they're redesigning them."

In this case, the brand had a successful product that was selling well in retail, but they wanted to take it to the next level. They had a clear strategy in mind, which involved owning a specific keyword and bringing a popular design element to the forefront of the brand.

This is a great example of how a strategic approach to design can pay off. By understanding the strengths of the existing brand and the goals for the future, the team was able to make informed decisions that ultimately benefited the business.

At the end of the day, the real cost of getting your design wrong goes far beyond the initial investment in the design process. It can impact your sales, your customer loyalty, and even your brand reputation.

That's why it's so important to approach design with a strategic mindset. It's not enough to simply make something look pretty - you need to understand the underlying goals, the target audience, and the existing strengths of the brand.

Only then can you make informed decisions that will drive real results and ensure that your design investment pays off in the long run.