This is the 9th installment of the Small Business Growth Strategies series presented by Acuity Scheduling, an online scheduling platform that helps thousands of small businesses save time and money.

1. Design Basics
From the Small Business
Growth Strategies Series
Presented by

2. “Everything is design.
Everything!”
- Paul Rand

3. Design can be the difference
between a thriving and
failing business.

4. Questions to Ask

5. Who are we speaking to?

6. What are we trying to
communicate?

7. How do we want our audience
to experience what we’re
presenting?

8. Elements of Design

9. Balance
In design, balance refers to the equal
distribution of visual weight. Proper balance
results in an aesthetically pleasing design.

10. Symmetrical Balance
!

11. Asymmetrical Balance
!

12. Rule of Thirds
With two pairs of imaginary lines, the rule of
thirds divides pages into thirds vertically
and horizontally, resulting in three rows,
three columns, nine sections and four
intersections.

13. Rule of Thirds
The most important elements of a
photograph or image should placed near
one or more of the four intersections
highlighted below.

14. Rule of Thirds
!

15. Visual Center of a Page
The center of a page and the visual center of a
page are not the same thing. The visual center of
a page happens to be slightly above and to the
right of the actual center of the page.

16. Visual Center of a Page
!

17. White Space
Also referred to as negative space, white
space is the portion of a page that is left
unmarked. White space is actually a bit of a
misnomer since the space does not
necessarily need to be white.

18. White Space
White space can be used for a variety of
reasons. It can be used to create a more
elegant design, remove clutter or focus
attention on a specific spot.

19. Google Uses White Space
!

20. Contrast
Contrast is the use of different colors, sizes,
fonts and other visual elements to demand and
keep attention. Contrast allows designers to
create a visual hierarchy of importance.

21. Color Contrast
Color is not only the most popular way to
demonstrate contrast, but arguably the most
powerful. The three most common ways to
use colors together are in a complementary,
analogous or triad fashion.

22. Complementary Colors
Opposite each other on the color wheel and
create the strongest contrast. When mixed
together in the right proportions, they produce
either black or white. Blue and yellow, for
example, are complementary colors

23. Analogous Colors
Adjacent each other on the color wheel. Warm
colors could be used next to other warm
colors, or cool colors next to other cool colors.
For example, red, orange and yellow are
analogous colors.

24. Triad Colors
Equally spaced apart on the color wheel and
can be used together to create a theme.
!

25. Designers for Hire

26. 99 Designs
List what you need and how much you’re
willing to pay and let designers compete for
your business.

27. Fiverr
Find a broad range of services, including
design services, starting at $5 and pay a
freelancer for what you need.

28. Design Software

29. Photoshop
The most popular image editing software in
existence. Manipulate images in a variety of
ways, from simple formatting options to
balancing colors and tones.
Biggest downside: it’s expensive

30. GIMP
Open-source piece of image editing software.
Stands for the GNU Image Manipulation
Program. In recent years many experts have said
there’s no longer much of a downside to the
Photoshop alternative.
Biggest upside: it’s free

31. Design-Friendly
Website Builders

34.
Like Paul Rand said, design is everything, and
it’s everywhere. We encourage you to look for
the design elements we covered in everyday life,
use what works best for your business and play
around with some of the tools we mentioned.
Conclusion

35. “We
hope
you
found
this
informa2on
useful.
If
there
are
any
other
topics
you’d
like
to
see
us
cover,
please
let
us
know.
And
if
taking
this
approach
helps
your
small
business
succeed,
we’d
love
to
hear
about
it.
You
can
reach
us
at
support@acuityscheduling.com!” Acuity Scheduling
@AcuitySchedulin

36. Acuity Scheduling is an online scheduling platform that
saves thousands of small businesses time by allowing their
customers to book appointments online, on their own time,
at any time, from anywhere in the world. For more
information about services and pricing, visit
AcuityScheduling.com.
About Acuity Scheduling