How design templates can help improve your workflow and efficiency
There are many reasons to create and implement custom templates for your company. Based on our professional experience of creating custom templates for both our internal and client use, we are firm believers that templates will help improve the efficiency of preparing communication materials such as reports, proposal documents, and presentations while maintaining the consistency of all company visual standards.
Are custom templates right for you?
Custom-designed templates may be beneficial if any of the following factors apply to your business:
- You have multiple team members who create and prepare outgoing materials for proposal and presentation purposes
- You have standard content that is integrated into every proposal or report document
- You value and require consistency across all materials
- You strive to look professional
- You aim to be timely and efficient by streamlining your process
Aside from proposals, reports, and presentations, templates can be very useful and practical for any of the following communication materials:
- Internal communications
- Newsletters
- Ads and posters
- Marketing materials such as brochures, postcards, product sell sheets, or business cards
- Social media graphics such as banners and ads
- Team Resumes
What are the key benefits of custom templates?
1. Efficiency
Working with a template can help you save time and meet tight deadlines. Templates should:
Reflect your business’s visual identity, including colours, fonts, proper logo implementation, and contact information
- Be easily updated with all of the preliminary legwork such as page numbers, company name, contact information, chapters, and sections already in place.
2. Consistency
All outgoing materials should be standardized to ensure that your brand is consistent and reinforced across all materials.When it comes to multiple employees and contributors, templates will help guide the process of preparing your documents.
3. Functionality
Templates will often include various pre-designed layout options including:
- Cover page and cover letter
- Table of Contents
- Layout options: text page, 2 column, text and image
- Divider pages
- Appendix
- Hierarchy and structure of text (headings, body text, quotations)
Preset pages will help users easily populate the document with the custom content without having to worry about how the layout should be structured.
Do you think that custom-designed templates would benefit the efficiency and process of your business? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us with your questions and ideas [design@avenircreative.ca]