Why does working with a design agency in London make sense?

Design Agency London

Brand image is something that we focus on quite often here at Fabrik. If you’ve read some of our other blog posts, you’ll know that your company image is about more than a great company logo and website. It’s more than using a collection of symbols and colours to represent your business.

A brand is a mixture of all the associations that customers, clients, and investors make when identifying your product and interacting with your company. So, how do you take control of the image that your customers create for you? How do you transform your company into something that’s positive, familiar, and successful? The answer, is designers.

Design agencies in London are thriving in today’s changing economy. If you combine the recent collapse of the pound value, with the developing talent of UK design agencies, you find a mecca of creation and innovation centred right in the heart of London. When it comes to hiring a cost-effective, and value-design agency, London is simply the best place to be.

You might think we’re biased – after all, we’re at the heart of this creative hotspot – but here, we’re going to show you why working with design agencies in London makes sense, and how you can take steps to choose the best design agencies for your branding needs.

After all, as the marketplace grows more saturated, and customer preferences change, one thing remains true: Brand image matters.

Design Agency London

What is a design agency in London? Defining design

Before we begin discussing why hiring a design agency in London is such a good idea, let’s define what UK design agencies actually are. The term “design agency” is a very broad one. While some UK design agencies are generalists, focusing on everything from web design to logo design, others are more focused.

At Fabrik, our design agency in London specialises in campaign development, digital design, and company branding. It’s our focus on specific areas of company growth that we believe makes us special. We, and other UK design agencies like us, use a wide and intuitive range of techniques and strategies to develop solutions that suit our client’s needs.

For instance, we might help you to come up with a whole new voice to match your logo and visual appearance during a rebrand, or we might assist you with creating a new marketing message that corresponds with your existing personality. Ultimately, our focus is on establishing, maintaining, and improving your brand image.

So, why is brand image so important? Well, here are just a few reasons:

1. Brand images make an impression

As a growing company, you should know the value of making a good first impression. Customers decide how they feel about your brand and business based on a range of factors, including the way that your employees present themselves, the professionalism of your communications, and your unique characteristics as an organisation. These aspects of brand image come together to make a crucial impression. A design agency in London can help you to refine that image to suit your goals.

2. Brand image develops recognition

The chances are that you can spot a can of Coca-Cola, or an apple device from a mile away. That’s no coincidence, it’s all about design. Working with design agencies in London means that you get an opportunity to focus on building the familiarity of your brand. This sense of familiarity isn’t just connected to your logo either, but also your verbal identity, and the interactions that customers have with your company.

3. Brand image shows your professionalism

When you work with a design agency in London, you invest in creating a professional, consistent brand. Imagine walking into a store where every assistant wore what they liked. You wouldn’t be able to identify who you could turn to for help. Even if things seem to be running smoothly, a polished and refined design for your brand can help you to appear more put-together, and professional.

4. Brand image creates credibility

Finally, it sounds shallow, but your brand image, and the design that goes into developing your business, are paramount to building loyalty and trust in your customers. In other words, if you’re not at the very top of your game, and presenting your business in the best possible light, then your customers won’t think much of your company. However, if you invest in a design agency, London-based expertise, and creative innovation, then your customers will see the value of your brand.

Need a design agency? London is the place to be

The latest figures from the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport have valued the UK creative industries at £76.9 billion a year. That means design agencies in London, and across the UK, contribute around £8.8 million to the British economy on an hourly basis.

When it comes to design-based exports, the United Kingdom ranks as fourth in the world, exporting 50% more innovative design solutions than it imports. This is perhaps why around 90% of UK design agencies feel that their main competition comes from within the country itself.

Over the last year alone, UK design agencies, and other elements of the creative sector have seen a growth of 10%, evolving at three times the rate of the overall economy. It’s hard to argue with the statistics. When it comes to hiring a design agency, London is the place to be. At the heart of UK innovation, the capital city is thriving with intuitive designers ready to share their skills with the world.

According to official governmental data, the value for exported design services within the UK was estimated at around £190 million in 2012, showing a 45% increase from the year before. The Design Council’s report on the Design Economy believes that the total contribution of design to exported goods from the UK is around £34 billion as of 2013.

It’s not much of a surprise that design agencies in London are growing. The UK has the second-largest design sector in the world, as well as the largest design industry in Europe. When it comes to design agencies, UK professionals are recognised world-wide for their innovation and creativity. What’s more, the design sector was exclusively responsible for around £3.2 billion Gross Value added during 2014.

Over centuries, the United Kingdom has built its own brand, centred around a focus on creativity and evolution. UK design agencies, particularly design agencies in London, have been able to build a strong platform for themselves within the global marketplace, based on the trust that the country has already established amongst its peers.

For example, the UK has a globally-acclaimed infrastructure that includes strong cultural assets such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Design Council, and the Design Museum.

Design Agency London

Design agencies in London are thriving

If you take the time to stop and think about the value of design for a few minutes, it’s clear to see that it does a lot for your business.

From company naming to branding programmes and the latest web development solutions, design informs various aspects of your company, dictating the way that you present yourself to the world around you. With so many different elements of your brand identity and marketing strategies reliant on great design, it makes sense to work with someone you can trust to deliver perfection.

Design agencies in London are consistently building a reputation for reliability, and incredible results. When you work with a design agency in London, you get a simple, cost-effective solution for every aspect of your brand identity, from digital design, to marketing campaigns, and logo development.

Here are a few ways that accessing a design agency, London designers, and UK innovation can benefit your business:

1. We deliver consistency

Consistency is key to creating an incredible brand image. With London based design agencies, you can rest assured that you’re working with someone professional, dedicated, and ready to work around-the-clock to understand your needs and expand your brand. Since there’s no better way to ensure that your values are communicated than through consistency, we make sure that your identity is clear in everything we do.

2. Easier briefing

Whether you’re in Europe, and you want to work with someone close to home, or you’re across the seas and you’re looking for a design agency that makes development simple, a design agency in London can help.

The British have earned their reputation over the years for being dedicated, attentive, and reliable people. When it comes to briefing, we make the process easier by letting you know exactly what you need, so you can sit back, relax, and wait to see the results.

3. Cost-effective investments

Let’s face it, the pound has taken a thrashing lately, what with the development of Brexit and the uncertain political environment. That might not be a great thing for us designers in the UK, but it does mean that clients around the world can get more for their money. When you work with a design agency in London, you get access to some of the best, award-winning creatives in the world, for a lower price than you might expect. It’s basically a win-win.

4. Meeting deadlines

English people are punctual. It’s something that we pride ourselves on. When you’re working with a design agency in London, you can expect that same punctuality. Many UK design agencies, like Fabrik, will ask their clients about their timelines and expectations during the briefing procedure. That way, we can craft a deadline that’s realistic, and works according to your schedule.

5. The UK quality standard

Let’s face it, UK, and London have some of the best design agencies in the world. When you use the services of a design agency in London, you get access to one of the most established markets around the globe – an industry that’s built on innovation dating all the way back to the mid-18th century and the Royal Society of Arts. We developed the first industrial revolution, and since then, design in the UK has been growing, thriving, and innovating, not just in this country, but around the world too.

Design Agency London

The benefits of UK design agencies

Perhaps one of the elements that makes design agencies in London so effective, is the fact that we’re completely devoted to the concept and development of design as a practice. For instance, in the UK alone, businesses spend around £33.5 billion on design investments.

As various aspects of our country, and the markets around us have shifted and evolved, the best design agencies in London have remained competitive, despite uncertain circumstances. For instance, research conducted by the Design Council found that the UK industry grew by 29% during 2005, and 2010, regardless of the recession.

Perhaps the biggest benefits of working with a Design agency in London, is that our results are linked exclusively to profit. That’s not just bragging either, the statistics show that when working with UK design agencies, businesses can expect £20 of increased revenues for every £1 invested in design. For those of you who aren’t mathematical experts, that’s a 2000% return on investment.

On top of that, better design from an expert design agency in London can make your overall company more profitable. For instance, for every £1 invested in design, businesses can see an increase of over £4 in net operating profit. Additionally, for each £1 invested in design, companies see a return of over £5 in increased amounts of exports.

In the UK, our culture thrives on a love of design. We use design extensively, and we support it in everything that we do. That’s why people come to design agencies in London when they’re looking for passion and great results. You just have to look at our internal businesses to see the value of design. For instance, companies with design as an integral part of their operations are twice as likely to innovate new products and services.

UK design agencies are intuitive, constantly growing and evolving to meet the needs of an expanding and evolving market. We expand with the market, and force the market to expand with us. That means if you want to be on the cutting edge of brand image and design, then you need to come to the UK.

Design Agency London

How can you choose the best design agencies?

Because the design market in the UK is so huge, deciding to work with a design agency in London leaves you with yet another choice to make: which design agency to hire. Obviously, we’d recommend that if you want a design agency, London experts, and branding specialists, then you should come to Fabrik. However, if you’d prefer to make that decision for yourself, we understand.

Selecting the best design agencies to help your company reach its short and long-term goals can be a difficult decision for many businesses. There are countless UK design agencies to choose from, and choosing the wrong partner could be a costly mistake in the long-run.

That being said, here’s our guide to choosing the best design agencies, whether you’re searching for a design agency in London, or looking anywhere else in the world:

1. Look for digital expertise

At Fabrik, we don’t focus exclusively on digital design, but that doesn’t mean that our employees aren’t experts in all things online. A great London based design agency will always have expertise across a range of digital marketing and web development channels, because modern users are spending more time online than ever before.

When you’re looking for the best design agencies to suit your needs, try to search for someone who can help with more than just building your website. Look for UK design agencies that build marketing campaigns, boost your branding with visual and verbal campaigns, and develop your company both offline, and offline.

2. Get your money’s worth

In the world of business, we all want to make sure that we’re getting value for our money. Unfortunately, when it comes to design, if you opt for a cheap freelancer, rather than a professional UK design agency, you could end up getting what you pay for. If you want to make the most out of your brand image, and ensure that you’re having the right impression on your customers, then look for a company that isn’t just affordable, but valuable too.

Usually, when you visit the websites of UK design agencies, you’ll be able to see examples of work they’ve done in the past, and testimonials from clients. Use that insight to decide whether a designer is right for you.

3. Find someone that combines visual, with messaging

One thing that you’ll come to learn about branding as your business grows, is that it’s not all about how your company looks. Developing the right brand also means sending out the right message, and that focuses on developing a brand manifesto and story that your design agencies in London can help you tell.

A great story will help you to attract, convert, and retain customers over time, but you need to focus on design elements that appeal to your market and show off your unique elements. The right design agency in London can help you find your visual, and verbal brand identity.

4. Look for a combination of beauty and practicality

Having a beautiful design is great, but it’s nothing without functionality and practicality. A great design agency in London will be able to look at your brief and determine which aspects need to be changed to make the experience better for your customer. For instance, they might suggest simplifying the navigation on your website so that it’s easier to find your product and contact pages.

Alternatively, your preferred UK design agency might suggest ways to completely reinvent your marketing and communications programmes, so they’re more inspiring and memorable.

5. Choose someone who understands your customer

The best design agencies in London won’t even start looking at your project until they understand everything they need to know about your business, and your customers. When you speak to a design agency in London, they’ll ask you to describe your goals, and who you’re trying to reach out to with your design. That way, they’ll be able to offer suggestions that could bring you towards new ideas that you might never have considered before.

UK design agencies know the value of putting the customer first. That’s why they focus their design strategies around building the best experience for everyone involved. And London-based agencies understand brand strategy, helping you to position and differentiate your business.

6. Seek passion and enthusiasm

Simply approaching a design agency in London should guarantee that you get experts with passion and enthusiasm for their field. However, it’s a good idea to set up a meeting and make sure that you can sense that drive in the person you’re working with.

The best design agencies in London are completely devoted to their craft. They’re constantly seeking out new ways to learn and evolve, staying ahead of the latest trends in the market, and introducing new, innovative ideas. It’s this inherent passion that makes UK design agencies some of the best in the world.

Design agencies UK: It’s time to invest

At the end of the day, all companies should know that design is about more than just aesthetics. It’s more than a creative logo and a selection of colours. It’s more than just the way that your website works, or how attractive your banners look: It’s about how your business works.

As the business world continues to evolve, companies are beginning to understand the intricacies and importance of design more and more, but you need to be willing to search for the best if you want to convert design concepts into real results. With the right design agency in London, you can turn design into a secret weapon for your company.

No matter what kind of business you run, and no matter how small or large that business might be, the chances are that you’ll eventually come to a point where you need the help of a design agency. When that moment comes, make sure that you’re accessing help from some of the most cost-effective, and inspirational experts in the world.

UK design agencies are thriving, it’s time for you to thrive with them.

If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy these too:

– Made in Britian: Flying the flag for British brands

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– A brief history of advertising agencies in London

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Stewart Hodgson
Co-founder
Stewart Hodgson
Co-founder
Our co-founder, Stewart, is responsible for content strategy and managing Fabrik’s publishing team. It’s up to Stewart to bring Fabrik to busy marketers’ attention. As a regular contributor to Brand Fabrik, Stewart creates articles relevant to anyone in branding, marketing and creative communication.

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