Lesson Twenty-Three: Beautiful, Like Me?

Are beautiful people better than the rest of us? Do they deserve to make more money? Be hired for better jobs? Get more recognition at work?

Of course not, but that doesn’t stop them from getting all these things.

One study even found that attractive CEOs get a measurable increase in productivity from their work force. (This was a study of large companies and the increase was actually measurable.)

The power of ‘looks’ is that strong. It’s an unfair world and being attractive is a competitive advantage. Damn those beautiful people for getting more than their fair share,
right?

You can’t control how you look, but there is a way you can get the same advantages those damn beautiful people get and apply it to your business.

You see, a brand isn’t much different than a person. It’s judged on first impressions, and impressions are formed by appearance. Unlike the large nose, weak chin, or crooked teeth you are born with, a brand can be shaped and molded and formed into whatever you dream of. It’s yours to control.

You do it through graphic design. Design is the great equalizer.

I’ve always had trouble explaining design to people who aren’t familiar with it. Graphics sounds trite and is misleading. Communications sounds pretentious and vaguely like ‘consultant’. Marketing sounds suspiciously like it will cost a lot, and not net any visible return.

Really it’s none of those things. Graphic design is how you control the impression your business makes, how you set expectations, and how you empathize with your prospective customers. It’s the strong chin, smooth skin, white teeth, and broad smile of a company.

It’s how you leverage the power those damn beautiful people unfairly have and unleash it in your business.

What’s the impression your business is giving, wallflower or knock-out?



Principles of Persuassion by Shane Spark