Five Key Considerations When Using Creative Design In Fund Marketing

Every fund in the world is in competition with other funds.

That’s a simple truth. And it’s why fund marketing is so important.

But what are the most important factors in differentiating your fund marketing from that of others in the sector, especially when it comes to the eternal battle of big vs small?

You’re certainly not going to do that by spending more money – as Blackrock et al have bottomless pockets.

But one way you can do it is through your creative design.

This is particularly true for smaller funds, who can use design as a way to distinguish themselves form the behemoths of the industry.

So, here are the five most vital things to consider when planning and executing the creative design on your marketing campaigns:

Make sure your design conveys your message effectively

‘Make it look pretty’ is often as much of a brief as a designer gets.

But the first priority of creative design is not to look good (important as that it is). It is to convey the message within effectively.

There is absolutely no point in sending an email, for example, that looks amazing but swamps the information that needs to get to the reader. Good creative design must complement the message – not overwhelm it.

Think about the context of your design

One big mistake people make when it comes to design is to think that it always has to be polished.

It doesn’t.

Sometimes, it’s important to look ultra-professional and slick. Other times not.

That’s because design must fit with the context of the message, how it will be viewed and who you are sending it too. For instance, if you are reaching a younger demographic through mobile, then your design would be different to that used for an older demographic largely viewing things through desktop.

Quality design needs quality content

You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, as the saying goes, and exactly the same thing applies to creative design. Whatever the format and channel you’re using, the actual content of the message has to be useful and helpful. Otherwise, all your design efforts are wasted. In fact, it’s just annoying for anyone to be drawn into a poor quality communication on the back of a great design – as they simply feel cheated.

But when you package great content and great design together – then that message becomes a formidable force.

Know your brand

Brand is identity. And in design terms branding gives you a lot to work with, as it’s the language you use in the creative process.

So, it’s vital to know everything you can about the brand you’re working with and to adhere to brand guidelines. This ranges from big stuff like tone of voice and brand colours, down to smaller details such as fonts and capitalisation of titles. Of course, brand guidelines won’t cover everything, but try and follow them whenever you can.

Have some fun

It’s obvious when a piece of design has energy and enthusiasm behind it, as the end result is more appealing.

So, enjoy the process – have some fun and try some new and different stuff. It’s fine to throw lots of different things into the mix. You won’t end up keeping it all, but you will enjoy the process more – and that will come through in the finished product.