So much of the time when planning design projects, I hear an unfortunate trend come out that I need to speak about today. That trend is the “I like/don’t like” syndrome. This typically occurs with us when we are working with our customers to plan and design their web sites. We will be planning out stock photo choices, for example, and someone from the company will say “but I don’t like that photo” or “I don’t like pictures of kittens” or whatever it may be. Never mind that the photo is perfectly appropriate for the context and will evoke the desired response in the viewer. All that person can think of in the meeting is “I like/don’t like XYZ”.

Here’s an important concept that everyone needs to think about: your customers don’t care what you like. They care about how your company makes them feel and what your company can do for them. Whether you like the color blue or not, sometimes blue is the right choice. At SpinWeb, we are constantly mindful of making choices based on our experiences with site viewers and how they will react to certain imagery. Countless studies and books illustrate common rules of engagement for branding and image and none of them center around what you (the site owner or director of XYZ) like or dislike. To connect with your customers, you need to understand what they are looking for and how your brand will make them feel.

So keep this in mind when you are planning out your next design project. Step out of your box of what you like or dislike. Instead, think in terms of what is effective when connecting with your customers.