6 Steps To Aligning Your Office Design With Your Brand

Whether you’re a start up agency or an established corporate giant, how you utilise your office space can be incredibly telling. Office design can speak volumes about your company culture, goals and intentions and have a significant impact on the way in which potential customers, clients and employees view your business. It’s not just about creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing space - everything from the layout, colour scheme and choice of furniture can play an important role in promoting your image. If you want to make your office a seamless extension of your brand, here are six simple steps to follow.

Have a clear message

First things first, it’s important to make sure that the message you want to convey is clear and consistent. Take a few minutes to think about the values, aspirations and story behind your company. In other words, what do you want your office to say about you? This will help you to set the tone of your space and establish a solid image that people will associate with your brand. For example, if you want to be seen as a cutting edge innovator, your interior should reflect this. Even if you are already an established leader in your industry, an office design that does not present a clear image of who you are could be damaging to your reputation. Remember, your workplace is a platform for putting your company culture on display, so it’s essential to make sure you are sending out the right message.

Make a good first impression

When it comes to office design, first impressions matter. When someone walks through your front door, a disorganised, bland space with poor quality furniture and out of date equipment will only reflect badly on your business. Reception areas and boardrooms are particularly important, as this is where clients and customers will spend most time and begin to form an impression of the inner workings of your organisation. With that in mind, you’ll no doubt want to put these rooms to their best possible use. Your reception area should be as comfortable and inviting and possible and should set the tone for the rest of the office. As the place where ideas are born, pitches are won and important deals are secured, the boardroom is your chance to demonstrate the accomplishments and professionalism of your company. Everything within this space needs to project a sense of success.

Ask your employees for help

Branding your office is about much more than simply adding a company logo - your employees play an important role too. As well as clients and customers, the design of your workplace can have a significant impact on the people who spend the most time there. By taking the time to understand how your workforce sees your business, you should be able to get a better grasp of your brand, which can then help to inform the designing process. As the lifeblood of your business, your staff members need to feel proud of the company’s achievements and values. Start by asking them what it is about their jobs they enjoy and what inspires them. Surrounding your personnel with your marketing message can go along way towards engaging your workforce and helping them to feel more connected to their jobs. As a result, overall morale, productivity and performance are likely to benefit too.

Consider your target audience

It’s impossible to align your office design with your brand without considering your target audience. You will probably already have a clear idea of the type of customer your business attracts. However, it might be worthwhile doing some extra market research to gain a deeper understanding of what your customers want to help you establish a suitable design for your office. For example, if you are aiming your business at a younger audience, a modern, creative vibe could be fitting, while a more traditional setting might be suitable for more mature clientele. You should also make sure that your office is a reflection of the style of customer service you provide, whether it’s fun and energetic or more formal. Branding your office to match your marketing message in this way can help your company to connect on a deeper level with your customer base.

Choose your colour scheme carefully

Using colour offers an effortless yet powerful way to communicate your brand and create an image that people will immediately identify with your business. With that in mind, the colour scheme of your office will need some careful consideration. Bright hues such as reds, oranges and yellows can convey a sense of high energy and creativity, while blues can conjure up a feeling of loyalty and trust. It is also a good idea to use colours from your logo to decorate your workspace. As well as the walls, you may also want to consider using brand colours for your office furniture and soft furnishings to help amplify the message.

Make your space unique

Finally, make sure your workplace design is unique. Any company can have a branded colour scheme, but what makes your offering different from your competition? Your workspace forms an integral part of your brand package, meaning that everything from desks to decoration need to show a purpose and provide a tangible sense of what makes you stand out from the rest. When decorating, make specific choices and fill your space with reminders of the products and services you offer. For example, if you provide a creative service to customers and clients, try to think outside the box with an imaginative layout and innovative decor that boosts your brand’s image. If you are providing customers with your expertise in a specific area, displaying your qualifications, certificates and awards can help you project a professional image, reassure your customers and give you a competitive edge. By utilising your office space as an opportunity to reinforce your corporate brand, you shouldn’t struggle to stand out from your competition, increase your success and boost your bottom line.

February 2, 2016 | View: 505 | Categories: ROOT