It takes a tenth of a second to form an impression.  The way you present something is important across most industries, and many parts of life.  Plating a dinner, wrapping a gift, sending a proposal to a potential customer, packaging a product, or simply presenting yourself.  Presentation encompasses first impressions, professionalism and perception of what you are bringing to the table.

Presentation folders help to create a good first impression, and reinforce the brand.

Occasionally, we may need a reminder to have a consistent presentation for our brand – even if it requires extra work.  We put the work into building a brand so let’s keep it rolling across all media and platforms.  Change out that old logo, update those images on your website, format that proposal, use that signature. 

You have a great product, but if it isn’t presented in a way that showcases it, the message is not as effective.  How your project looks is a reflection of the product you offer. While some of this may seem obvious, we have all seen projects that could use improvement.  Here are a few guidelines to be reminded of when creating your next project:

1.    Stick to your brand guidelines, use the fonts, colors and logos for a consistent look and message.  Incorporate your brand’s personality.  This will help to leave a lasting impression on the customer and perpetuate your brand

2.    Get creative with your delivery.  It could be unique custom packaging for your product, a logo pocket folder for your proposal, or throwing in a memorable branded item with an invoice or hand-written thank you note.  The possibilities are endless, just remember to stay within your brand standards.

Infographics are a great way to break down complex information, while reinforcing your brand messaging.

3.    Don’t forget who your audience is.  Include enough information, but nothing that the particular group doesn’t need.

4.    Spend that extra time to format a proposal or presentation – don’t send a word document or stock power point file.  A formatted PDF or custom deck will have a greater impact.

5.    Include statistics graphs, images, or infographics when appropriate – visuals can be great tools to increase understanding and elevate the level of professionalism.  When people hear information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later. (Source: Brain Rules, John Medina)

6.    Triple-check your spelling and grammar.  Have someone else read over it before publishing to ensure it makes sense and conveys the desired message or correct information.  

All of this varies depending on the product/service and specific project, but your company or organization will see an ROI in the long run from the relatively small amount of extra time or money spent to make it special and memorable.

Katie O'Hara leaning against an Adirondack chairKatie O’Hara, Project Manager

Katie loves the challenge of finding ways to help clients stand out in a crowded world. She believes that finding inspiration in unlikely places is the key to great ideas.