3 min read

Graphic Design. Sounds daunting. Sounds technical. Sounds like a job for later.

On the contrary, sounds like a job that when done right, can enhance any submission from drab and monochrome, to vibrant and enthusiastic. Good design is vital to the success of a business, and design plays a critical role in brand-building.

You get only one opportunity to make a strong first impression on your client, so why not infuse your technical knowledge with great design. Incorporating design, even in the smallest elements, doesn’t have to be a mammoth task looming at the end of a submission. When set up correctly for your team, it can save time and deliver your message succinctly and evocatively.

Like colour.

Using colour is one of the simplest things you can do to elevate a tender and it can be done on the smallest of budgets.

The human eye can see up to 7 million colours and the possibility of nearly 17 million combinations of Red/Green/Blue can be shown on a generic computer monitor. 

The emotions evoked by a certain colour can reflect your tender strategy. Green can signify nature and prosperity. Blue is generally associated with trustworthiness and reliability. Dark greys or deep reds may evoke strength and power.

Bear in mind colour is also in the eye of the perceiver. Chinese culture views red as luck, joy and happiness, but others perceive red as an intense colour, historically symbolic of fire and blood. Love and war in one colour! So, remember, one set of colours that is used for the security sector may not work for a not for profit organisation.

By deciding key colours from the start, you can guide the production of returnables. You can ensure your documents present well for any reader, print well or display well on a screen, and you can optimise the chance of your tender being reviewed fully. Colour headings of different sizes can guide the reader through the narrative. Coloured pull-out quotes and icons can be used to highlight key messaging and technical elements boldly contrasting with the text.

Colour. So simple yet so effective. And one of the small points which assists to deliver your brand and message to the client.