Sales & Marketing Foundations for Digital Print Design Businesses

Brand

The overall impression people have about a company, formed from experiences and messages.

Visible

Refers to how something can be seen; in branding, it relates to how the business presents itself visually.

Repeatable

The consistency of brand messaging and experience across different interactions.

Sales

The process of directly assisting a customer in choosing and purchasing a product or service.

Problem-solving

Sales in a healthy business context, focusing on guiding customers to solutions that meet their needs.

Advertising

Paid, controlled messaging intended to influence a target audience.

Public Relations (PR)

The practice of earning positive attention and building trust through relationships rather than paid ads.

Credibility

The quality of being trusted and believed in, often gained through PR.

Awareness

The state of being aware of a brand; created through advertising.

Trust

A key component built through PR, influencing customer perception positively.

Constraints

Limitations or restrictions (like budget and deadlines) that shape design choices.

Customer need

The underlying outcome a customer is trying to achieve, which may be functional, emotional, or social.

Goals

The intended outcome a customer seeks with a specific product or service.

Specifications

Detailed requirements that define how a product must be produced to meet customer needs.

Brand guidelines

Rules governing the use of a company's brand assets, including fonts, colors, and logos.

Solution

A combination of product, design decisions, and service steps that fulfills a customer's needs.

G-A-S-P

A mnemonic for needs discovery: Goals, Audience, Setting, Parameters.

Engagement

The measure of how customers interact and connect with a brand.

Market positioning

The strategy of defining how a brand is perceived in the context of competitors.

Visual proof

Evidence presented through images or videos that show the quality or effectiveness of a product.

Quality assurance

The process of ensuring that a product meets the desired standards before delivery.

Crisis management

The process of handling a critical situation that could harm a company's reputation.

Communication style

The manner in which a message is conveyed; can vary by sales, advertising, or PR.

Evaluation

The assessment process to determine the effectiveness of sales, advertising, and PR.

Feedback

Information given in response to a product or service that can guide improvements.

Customer journey

The complete experience a customer has with a brand, from awareness to post-purchase.