Something I have personally came to realize is that I am missing out on a lot of money over the long run when I have a site sitting on a very ugly template or design.  A lot of visitors probably look at some of my sites out there and leave almost immediately because of the unprofessional look to the site.

Although the actual content on the site is most important, giving the visitor a good first impression can gain trust, and in the end convert more visitors for an increase in money in your pockets.

Here is a guest post from Eduardo or Eyenod from the PAL forums about how having a quality design can lead to more money in your pockets. He recently just completed another beautiful design for my March Madness Predictions site that I am blogging about over at CAL.

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Quality graphic design comes hand-in-hand with a solid backbone of intentions and perceptions designed to affect viewers psychologically.  First off we deal with an impression. Imagine that a famous celebrity arrived at a luxurious award gala wearing torn jeans, flip flops and a dirty shirt, and didn’t show any signs of combing their hair whatsoever.

Not so good right?

They may be thinking, “But I wanted to be cool” or “I thought it would be my style.” However, it is too late for that, as the audience has already formed its first impression.

The idea behind quality graphic design is to give viewers not only a fantastic first impression, but also to capture their curiosity to learn more about you and your brand.

Color selection, shapes, and styles are just some of the ingredients involved in a design. A good graphic designer will take these elements and combine them into a proven formula that is guaranteed to work. This formula can mean the difference between a profitable website and an instant disaster.

What about templates? Those are pretty right?

Yes, they are. Templates are pretty but they are limited to a target market.  Also, they weren’t designed specifically for your name and your brand. Some people with a good eye can get away with a premade template that seems to flatter their logo or image, but a well developed website will always deliver much more. Why? Very simply, the fully customized website is made to order. It fits your needs and most importantly it fits exactly what your viewers are after. Your image and your brand have left a template behind and are now connecting with potential clients.

Pre-made templates can make an impression, but the design never really sparks the visitor’s interest. Good design creates a memory. It sticks to your brain like gum to your hair. It will never leave, and each time you associate something with it, it will stick even more.

Affiliate marketing is the industry that benefits the most from high quality design. All the support from an experienced designer takes a huge load off your back. A seasoned designer will understand which layouts, table designs, promotional material, and color selection will increase your sales, your traffic, and your leads.

Of course, you can always try and save money by doing it yourself. You could consult a tutorial or instructional video to learn the basics of graphic design. When you are done, your site will look fantastic to your eyes, but remember that our famous celebrity going to the gala event also thought he was appropriately dressed.

Trust your designer. He will lead you to success. Guide your designer. Share your opinions and preferences and let him interpret them for you. Feedback is the best thing you can give your graphic artist. It not only feeds his hunger for improvement, but it also develops your project.

How do you know if the design is good?

Deciding is rather subjective, but your best guide is your own instincts. Ask yourself these key questions:

Is the concept visually appealing? Is everything clean and properly organized? Does the content flow? Is it easy to read? Do you want to stay on the site and keep reading?

At the end of the day you have choices. You can be the ratty dressed celeb, you can wear a consignment store outfit that kind of fits, or you can don a tuxedo tailored to your needs and become the sensation of the event.

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Thanks for the post Eduardo.