Design should be considered in every aspect of the way you present your business to the public, design studio founder Jan Habraken explains in the Entrepreneur.com article “Why You Should Care About Design.” Product packaging, retail design, advertising, and others communications pieces should always be constructed with beauty and function in mind, as design can have an immediate impact on purchasing decisions and will also affect the way consumers view your company. Consider these three aspects:

The way you present your product tells customers who you are. Your logo, retail decoration, marketing pieces, and any product packaging you might do all communicate a message about who your company is. Think about Apple. “Take a look at a MacBook or an iPod,” Habraken says. “Everything is neatly arranged and designed. It leaves the impression that Apple is a company of efficiency and quality.”

Aesthetic appeal can improve sales. Research has proven that retail environment and product packaging can be deciding factors for purchasing decisions. For instance, researchers at the University of Missouri found that a restaurant’s waiting area influenced diners’ willingness to wait for a table. Think about your own retail space, as well as your products and marketing pieces. It may even be worth it to invest in assistance from outside professionals.

Effective design eliminates customer confusion. According to Habraken, “the things that irritate us in life are often those that are poorly designed.” Think about how you can make things simpler for your customers by improving design. Less confusion will most likely equal more sales.

Click here to read the article from Entrepreneur.com.