1. Do some digging

Spend a bit of time checking out potential agencies online. Study their websites to find out about the people and philosophy behind the business as well as familiarise yourself with their portfolios. Reading blogs, news and social media channels from the agency will give you a deeper understanding of their approach, tone and the personality of their business.

2. Get the chemistry right

Design is a creative process that benefits from chemistry. So you’ll need to be comfortable working with the designers and project managers allocated to your account. If you get this relationship right not only will creativity flourish but your team will enjoy better collaboration. That way, should unexpected issues take you off schedule, your design team will be able to be flexible so that deadlines can be met. 

3. Talk about money

When you meet with a potential new design agency, don’t be afraid to talk about a clear pricing structure and if you have a budget, share it. If your budgets are tight – and in the current climate we know that’s likely – be clear and ask your design partners to work with you to make the most of what you have. And if there is any change in direction once the project progresses, make sure your agency is transparent about additional costs.

4. Re-use and recycle

With so many ways to communicate, from print to digital, establish early on how you can make the most out of your budget. If your agency is working on a printed brochure, consider if there are any elements that can be taken and shared on digital platforms including your website and social media, for example, infographics or new photography.

5. Review and re-evaluate

Like any relationship, your partnership with a designer will need regular reviews. It’s a good idea to get everyone together at the end of a project to have an honest discussion about what worked well – and what didn’t. If you can iron out any issues there are huge advantages to developing a long-term relationship with a design agency.

The post Invest wisely in design first appeared on nim design.

Digitalisation is changing the way people receive and read information. As a printed publication, your Annual Report will only reach individuals on your database, but with the emergence of new technology, this pivotal publication could be working much harder for your organisation. The marketing mantra “you need to be where your clients are” has never been more important and a digital approach also offers excellent solutions for people who are visually impaired or have a learning difficulty.

Print is not dead, and we’re not suggesting you replace your printed publication, but we do believe that an additional digital version could significantly increase your readership and help you connect more closely with audiences. In most cases, digital versions will allow you to measure exactly how people are interacting with your content so you can further refine marketing and communications to make them more personal.

Annual Reports are rarely read cover to cover and people increasingly demand their information in bitesized chunks. A digital version which can be accessed from your website, flagged up on social media and linked to pitches and presentations is a more interactive experience. It moves your readers from passive recipients to empowered participants.

They can take control of where and how they read your document and they might even choose to increase the font size, vary the contrast and or listen to audio clips.

With so much executive time and energy invested in it, your Annual Report or Review is so much more than a statutory document; it’s a key marketing tool. Now with a variety of digital options available – with a choice of price tags – you can really make the most of it.

The post Going Digital with your Annual Report first appeared on nim design.

Here are our 21 tips for producing a perfect annual report.

1. Define your objectives

Understand what the Board and other stakeholders want and expect

2. Make someone in charge of organising and managing the project

This will ensure clear lines of communications

3. Plan well ahead of time

Set out a clear and realistic timeline

4. Know your target audience

Consider who they are and how they like to receive information

5. Make it accessible

Use the right font and give people the option to choose how they view it on-line

6. Have a clear structure

This will help you organise your content and messaging

7. Engage the right agency

Write a clear design brief

8. Share your budget

This will help your designers understand the scope of the project and what can be achieved

9. Tell a good story

Give your report a theme to help people follow your thinking

10. Hire professional copywriters

Ensure your editorial is consistent, has the right tone of voice and is engaging

11. Use impactful photographs

Bring your stories to life and show your impact

12. Highlight the highlights

Make the key points stand out. It will make the rest readable

13. New format and finishing

Same old design will convey the same old messages. Think about alternative formats – print, digital or mobile – change is good

14. Make your data sexier

Numbers don’t have to be boring

15. Less is more

This is key if you want your content to shine

16. Use direct quotes

People are far more likely to connect with first-hand stories

17. Look back and forward

Celebrate your achievements and outline what lies ahead

18. Use infographics

Tell your story and explain complex issues

19. Keep to your brand

Brand consistency is key for your Annual Report

20. Disclose the risks, issues and challenges

Don’t put a gloss over everything, if things are challenging, be honest and acknowledge this

21. Promote it

Post highlights on social media, have a link on your website, create an animation – make sure people know about it and talk about it.

The post Aiming for a perfect annual report? first appeared on nim design.

Your annual report or review is probably the most important (and expensive) piece of marketing material you will produce this year. But is it really achieving its objectives?

Too often, the arduous process of collating copy, seeking approval from various departments and implementing “design by committee” can result in a document that lacks focus and fails to excite. I have worked with many third sector organisations on their annual reports, so here is my advice on how to keep your project on track.

Decide what you want to say – and how you want to say it

Know from the outset the main messages you want to get across about your organisation, and agree these with senior managers. Try to identify a key point that can be threaded throughout the publication, such as the fact that you have a new strategic direction. Keep your target audiences in mind and consider how you can make these issues relevant and interesting to them.

Once you know what you want to say, and who you are saying it to, it’s time to think about the kind of language you want to use. Tone of voice can speak volumes about your organisation, so try to be consistent.

Brief your suppliers

Now you have established your key messages, tone of voice, target audiences, budget and timeline, you are ready to share this information with your copy contributors, designers and printers.

Before you start, be clear in your own mind about your budget and deadlines. Knowing your timeline and how much you are prepared to spend will put you firmly in the driving seat at meetings.

A good copy brief should ensure that all the content supports your overall themes and addresses your target audience. Sharing information about your organisation and your key messages with your designers should also inspire them to develop a unique concept that reaches out to your audience and visually represents the theme of the report. This is also a good time to discuss and commission any new photography, illustrations or graphics.

If you are briefing your printers directly, get some advice now about how various size, folding, binding, colour and varnishing options can support your theme, and how these will affect your costs.

Stay in control

Make sure you schedule in enough of your own time to fully consider the copy, design visuals and print quotes that will come flooding across your desk at this next stage. If you don’t keep a firm hand and a cool head now, the whole project can run away with itself.

Hopefully, your clear and comprehensive brief will have resulted in wonderfully written copy and sensational designs. However, even with the best will in the world, the designs will need tweaking and the words will need editing. You can edit these yourself or enlist the services of a copy editor who will have the advantage of a little distance from the project. Don’t be tempted to skip this stage because, once the copy is in the design stage, it is much more expensive to make changes.

Enjoy your success

Now you are ready to send your edited copy and visuals to your designer for layout. You’ll still need to edit for space and write picture captions and headings, but you are on the home straight, so enjoy the process. Once the design proofs are finalised you can send the document to print, and within weeks you should be in possession of an annual review or report which is a positive reflection of your organisation and a useful marketing tool for myriad situations.

The post Four steps to a successful annual report first appeared on nim design.

Here, he offers his opinion on fostering confidence for the future:

1. Be transparent

It’s more important than ever to show sponsors and funders that you are totally transparent and accountable for what you do. Talk honestly and openly about how your organisation operates and how you treat your staff. Acknowledging challenges will demonstrate your confidence and reassure stakeholders that you are a trustworthy organisation worth supporting.

2. Focus on the positive…

Your organisation helps the most vulnerable in society, so shout about your good work and describe how it has positively impacted on individual lives. Letting people speak for themselves through case studies and personal stories increases authenticity. Support the text with engaging photography and illustrations.

3. …but be honest about the challenges

It’s unrealistic to talk only about positive outcomes and people understand that charities can’t get everything right. Talk openly about the issues you face and describe the risk management policies you have introduced to tackle them.

4. Thank your partners

Donors and partners are great ambassadors for your brand so collect their stories and tell them in the review. While it’s advantageous to showcase prestigious donors and partners, it’s equally important to explain the valuable contribution made by smaller or less high-profile benefactors.

5. Show the problem, not just the solution

Many charities only show the positive outcomes but it can help to remind people what it was like before the charity’s involvement. Showing the ‘before’ as well as the ‘after’ situations will reassure funders that their donations are making a big difference.

6. Keep your audience in mind

An annual publication can have many uses, so keep reminding yourself of the most important audiences and the most likely uses for your publication. This will help you establish relevant themes and ensure your copy and images support your messaging as you work through the production process.

7. Tell a coherent story

Quite often we find that our clients will commission different departments to write contributions for a publication. This is a good starting point but will result in different copy styles and a variable tone of voice. To keep your message coherent, engage a good copywriter to manage, collate, edit and articulate all the different strands into a strong, clear narrative.

8. Show them the money

Donors and partners like to see how their money is being spent so make sure the financial section of your publication is well laid out and described in simple terms. Most people find it hard to decipher company audited accounts but a good designer can help you highlight key elements with infographics, diagrams, charts and colours.

9. Look to the future

Communicating your plans for the future will reassure audiences that your organisation is forward-thinking and set up for the long-term. It’s also a great way to flag up exciting new developments and proposals. Presenting this on a graphic timeline with dates, achievements and goals is more engaging than a block of text.

10. Engage a specialist design agency

Designs play an important role in strengthening your brand and reaching your target audience so collaborate with an agency which understands your organisation. They can advise on the most suitable format – print, digital, both – and will use a range of design tools to underline key content whether it’s fundraising figures or personal testimonials.

The post Own your challenges first appeared on nim design.

From the start – when we worked out of a suburban living room 21 years ago – to our current studio in an old banking hall in Harrow on the Hill, an ethical approach has been the backbone of nim design. We began working with charities because we could see that more effective design would make a positive impact on their organisation and to the people they support. This feels like design that makes a difference – in a good way. A difference to how your brand looks and feels, how you communicate complex messages clearly and how you engage with your stakeholders. And ultimately, a difference to the impact you can have as an organisation.

Our clients come from all walks of life but they share a common aim – to do the right thing. This makes it easy for us to care as much about their brands as they do, which in turn, helps us deliver outstanding results. We love working with them all; from global charities to small social enterprises, housing developers to furniture makers – our clients are a diverse bunch and they all have something important to say.

To us good ethics also means being honest. We start by listening carefully to our clients and responding with integrity. We’re transparent in our approach, both in terms of providing clear professional advice and in our quotes and billing. Our ethos is to give a straight answer to a straight question and as a result, we’ve developed very close relationships with our clients, which may be the reason we work with so many of them time and again.

Now that social and digital media has made communication with your audience a two-way street, meaningful interaction is more important than ever. Having a design team on your side which not only believes in what you are saying, but also has the creativity and expertise to amplify your brand voice, should help you engage effectively and deliver positive, tangible results.

Ethical is a term that is overused and hard to pin down. Perhaps it’s more a statement of intent than an exact definition, but if it’s about trying to do the right thing – for clients, for employees, for communities and for the environment – count us in.

The post Is there such a thing as ethical design? first appeared on nim design.

I hope you like our new website. In all honesty it felt challenging to be our own client, to apply our own creative process to a project so close to our hearts. But I also know how important it is to keep digital platforms fresh so we bit the bullet and got on with it. The experience was a good reminder of what our clients go through every time they embark on a major design project.

A website is your organisation’s shop window, a statement about your approach and a visual representation of your brand. As such, creating one can feel like a series of almost impossible decisions; content, copy style, imagery, structure, what should and shouldn’t go on the home page? All have to be thought through. In the end, you just have to take a view and go for it.

Our old website had become dated and felt over complicated so the first job was to make it easier to navigate by simplifying the architecture and restructuring the content. Next we looked at the copy – both tone and content – and decided to give our commitment to working with ethically-minded organisations more emphasis. This has been reinforced with additional examples of our work and some detailed case studies.

Regular blogs and our blog archive are designed to give our contacts an insight into the way we think, a little peak behind the scenes at Nim HQ. This digital content also provides us with up to date material for our social media platforms as well as a search boost on Google.

This new website is now an honest reflection of our approach, our work and our people; have a good look around and let me know what you think.

The post Designs on us first appeared on nim design.

Brand consistency is about having a visual identity that works offline and online.

With 180,000 charities on the Charity Commission register, all vying for public attention and support, charities today are facing more communications challenges than ever before. When you factor in the uphill battle to restore public trust in the sector due to negative media stories in the last few years, it’s clearly time for a new approach.

Charities need a new narrative if they are to win back the hearts and minds of the public. They need to behave more like commercial brands and build engagement with audiences to restore faith. But how do you build a strong brand in our digital age? How do you ensure consistency, clear messaging and engagement across multiple platforms? In short, how do you ensure your charity’s brand is optimised for digital?

Getting your story straight

Before a charity can begin to communicate its brand effectively it needs to start with a core story and a clear vision. This story and vision should focus on the WHY of the organisation more than the WHAT. Clarifying why the charity does what it does tells your audiences a great deal more about you as a brand, than simply describing what you do.

There are so many charities out there all delivering worthwhile services, why should someone choose to engage with your charity specifically? Why do people choose Coke over Pepsi, or Nike over Reebok? It’s about brand engagement.

Be part of the conversation

As charities you are in a privileged position of having very personal relationships with your supporters, donors and beneficiaries that go way beyond the transactional. Build on this; don’t make them feel taken for granted; make them feel part of your story. Branding is no longer a one-way communication – the impact of consumer behaviour on the internet, social media and mobile has been radical. Charities can no longer rely on communicating their messages out to a passive audience; they have to engage.

And now it’s a two-way street, people have control over how they interact with your brand and what they say about your charity to huge online audiences. While this generates an element of risk, it is also an enormous opportunity. But you need to be prepared for this level of engagement and the first “must-have” is a strong, consistent and empathetic brand identity that runs through your entire organisation.

Make it personal

Knowing the views and behaviours of your audience has never been more important. Data and research will help you understand your audiences, what’s important to them, what motivates them. Use donor personas to create a picture of each of your audiences. Once you understand your different audiences, it will be far easier for you to create more personalised, appropriate and engaging content.

Most importantly, really think about what your audience wants to hear not just what you want to tell them. If you can keep people engaged by sharing genuinely useful and interesting information which supports your brand, you are more likely to generate a loyalty and trust which will pay dividends over time.

For example, your supporters may become brand advocates – people who will contribute to your blogs, share your stories and become your ambassadors. Individuals like this who have really bought into your story can help raise awareness by getting your message out to the wider community and even prompting action.

Mind your language

Identifying a relevant tone of voice will also help you identify with your audiences. So find a style of language and a range of vocabulary which resonates with the people you’re talking to and which reinforces your brand values and story. Then make sure that this is rolled out consistently across all your print and digital platforms.

Make your identity clear

Digital or no digital your brand should communicate what is unique about your charity. Your visual identity is the embodiment of your brand identity and as such should reflect your vision, mission and values. Consumers should have a seamless experience of your brand whether they are on your website, skimming your Twitter profile, reading a printed newsletter or on your premises.

Brand consistency today is not just about making sure your logo is in the right position, using the correct font and colours. It’s about having a visual identity that works offline and online. It’s worth remembering that what might look beautiful on a printed page might not work so well on a scrolling mobile phone screen. So choose a font which is not only distinctive and appropriate but which is also readable across all digital formats.

Talking of which, it’s no longer an option to ignore mobile and tablet formats. The percentage rise in people accessing the web through mobile is fast and exponential. People don’t just engage with your brand from their desktop; they are on their mobiles on the commute home and playing with their iPads while they watch TV. So make sure your digital branding is good for all formats and devices.

Last but not least, make sure that your logo is optimised so that it’s easily recognisable across all of your platforms. From social media thumbnails to mobile typography you will need to consider size, shape and legibility.

Be consistent and relevant

Here is an example of how a logo can act really powerfully, The Egypt Exploration Society (EES) which had been using the same visual identity since 1892. It wanted to update what was essentially a Victorian seal partly to appear more relevant but mainly so that it had a design which worked well across all its digital and social media platforms as well as in print.

After some initial research, a choice of options was developed with the EES staff and board members making the decision as to which option to go forward with. The resulting new logo is bold and contemporary but instantly recognisable. It enhances the strengths of the previous logo – such as the Egyptian imagery – and addresses the problems found during our research – such as legibility.

The distinct design replaces black ink with blue and features an iconic Horus child sitting on top of an open lotus flower. This unmistakably Egyptian imagery appropriately symbolises rebirth and regeneration and the new look is currently being used across all EES print and digital publications including the EES e-newsletter, the Annual Report and Egyptian Archeology magazine. Audiences have responded positively.

Be comprehensive

The point of the example is to underline the fact that branding has to operate across all a charity’s communication channels and that any rebranding exercise should be comprehensive.

The post Building a charity brand which embraces digital first appeared on nim design.

Why won’t you share?

Maybe you feel anxious that if you disclose your budget you might be taken advantage of. But is that a good way to begin a relationship with your designer?

As designers we have worked and crafted our skills and expertise over a number of years and what we’re looking for are relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

Our existing long-lasting relationships and strong portfolios have been built up over years and this could not have been achieved if our only motivation was profit.

So here’s why we think it’s time to be honest about your budgets.

1. It saves TIME

Being honest about your budget will allow your designers to have a better sense of the scope of the project and what is possible within your budget.

2. It will ensure you work with the RIGHT agency

Being upfront about your budget will ensure you work with the designer that is the right fit for you and your organisation.

3. It allows for FLEXIBILITY

If you are not able to provide a set budget, then providing your designer with a budget range will allow for more flexibility. Designers will be able to adapt their approach to meet your needs and still stay within your budget.

4. It encourages TRUST and COLLABORATION

Most designers do not provide template designs and so do not have template costs and proposals. Every client is different and every client has their own requirements for a given project and design requirements and timescales can vary enormously, even for the same type of project.

So, if you really want to work collaboratively with the right design agency for you, be HONEST about your budget.

The post Sharing your budget, building trust first appeared on nim design.

We’re in the midst of a digital revolution and these days the consumer really is king.
Branding is no longer a one-way communication – the impact of consumer behaviour on the internet, social media and mobile has been radical. Brands can no longer push their messages to a passive audience, they have to engage.

So now it’s a two-way street; people have control over how they interact with your brand and what they say about it to huge online audiences. Assuming you have a good product, this a great opportunity – the chance to interact with your audience, get fast feedback, adapt and succeed. But you need to be prepared for this level of engagement and the first ‘must-have’ is a strong, consistent and empathetic brand identity.

How can you ensure your brand stays relevant in our digital world?

A consistent approach

Digital or no digital your brand identity should communicate what is unique about your organisation. Your visual identity is the embodiment of your brand identity and as such should reflect your vision, mission and values. Use a consistent tone of voice and messaging to explain to your audience why you exist, not just that you exist. The difference is that now this needs to be rolled out consistently across all your print and digital platforms.

Consumers should have a seamless experience of your brand whether they are on your website, skimming your Twitter profile, reading a printed newsletter or on your premises. A good example of this is Premier Inn – whether you’re on their website, on their mobile site, on their app or in a hotel – the experience is unbroken and consistent.

Understand your audience and make it personal

Knowing the views and behaviours of your audience has never been more important. What motivates them? What keeps them awake at night? How do they like to get information about your organisation – twitter, email, post?

You may find that your audience segments by age or socio-economic backgrounds across different digital media and this could help you personalise and adapt your brand across different platforms, while maintaining an overall consistency.

And be considerate; think about what your audience wants to hear not just what you want to tell them. If you can keep your audience engaged with genuinely useful and interesting information which supports your brand, you are more likely to generate a loyalty and trust in your audience which will pay dividends over time.

Be practical

Brand consistency today is not just about making sure your logo is in the right position, using the correct font and colours. It’s about having a visual identity that works off-line and on-line. Here are three practical things to consider when you embark on a new brand identity.

1. Select the right font

What might look beautiful on a printed page might not work so well on a scrolling mobile phone screen. Choose a font that is not only distinctive and appropriate but which is also readable across all digital formats.

2. Ensure your visual identity works on multiple devices

Because people engage with online content in so many different ways – smart phone, tablets, desktops and more – your digital brand must work across all devices.

3. Optimise your logo

Your logo needs to be optimised so it is easily recognisable across all of your platforms. From social media thumbnails to mobile typography you will need to consider size, shape and legibility.

Examples of brands that have optimised their logos for digital:

1. Google sharpens its act

The new sans serif google logotype is scalable and works well no matter how small your screen. It retains the distinct multi-coloured sequence already well-established and combined with the slightly rotated ‘e’, the new logo is simple and friendly while retaining its quirkiness.

2. Instagram makes it clear

Last year Instagram introduced a much simpler camera icon and new app icons to make it easier for people to navigate and to shift focus on the images and videos. They maintained their rainbow effect but in a simpler gradient form.

3. Mastercard keeps it simple

The new Mastercard logo reflects the organisation’s readiness to embrace the seamless payment choices consumers now have. The new logo is clean, modern and optimized for the digital world.

The post Optimising your brand for digital first appeared on nim design.