Small Business Toolkit
Creating a toolkit for small businesses and startups that need marketing and business tools all in one, powerful platform: Figma.
Background
My team came together to create a solution for small business owners within Figma. Familiar with the startup mindset that focuses on quality at a low price, we set out to create a platform that gave businesses what they needed without breaking the bank.
Design Process
Our team prioritizes a thorough design process with a focus on the users. A design process is rarely linear, and this was no exception. Creating resources for business required repeated research and empathetic listening to ensure that we met our users where they were.
Persona Exploration
In order to better understand our users, we created two personas that encapsulated the type of users we wanted to target with our product. This gave us an idea of who to reach out to for research.
Market Research
Knowing that startups are going to be on the lookout for the best deals, we explored what options are currently available in this area. Companies such as Canva and Looka are catering to the startup space, so we set out to discover if the needs of small businesses and startups were being met.
Design Agencies
Agencies that house professional designers create branding and marketing tools, for prices of $1,000+/month.
Canva Branding Kit
Canva offers a business brand and marketing asset kit for $120/year for one account or options for teams.
Looka Branding Kit
Looka offers a Logo Creation tool and a branding kit to match for $96/year for one account.
User Research
I wanted to hear from small business owners to ensure that our product fit their needs, and to see what tools they'd chosen to use. I got in contact with small businesses from the wellness, marketing, and service space.
"To keep costs low I don’t want to sign up for a subscription model. I want to be able to access personally branded marketing as needed"
Takeaway
Users want a product that can be used with a one time fee, so that they can adapt as their business needs change. They shy away from long term investments.
"I'm open to learning a new platform as long as there are instructional videos so it doesn’t require a lot of time to integrate into my process."
Takeaway
Users need to assurance that they can learn a platform without a steep learning curve. This can be aided by having access to learning materials.
"The most important aspect of a branding kit is that my logo and style is automatically applied across all of the resources."
Takeaway
The market standard is automatic application across all the materials provided. This will be a necessary element of the kit.
Ideation
We zeroed in on the needs of our clientele, focusing on what could bring them the most value with a lower entry cost.
"How can we…"
To ensure that we stood out from the competition and showcased Figma's abilities for small businesses, we decided on imperatives for our product that increased usability, automatic application, and new user introduction.
Pagination
Styles
Components
Social Templates
Business Material Templates
Learning Guides
Utilizing the Figma Platform
Harnessing the power of Figma, we began to put together what was needed to create a product that met the user goals of consistent branding and time efficiency.
Sneak Peek
A product is only as successful as its user's satisfaction. We gave interviewees a peek at the product to hear their thoughts on the materials and features included within the product.
Universally, users were willing to learn Figma for the value provided.
All of the interviewees stated that they would learn a new tool in order to utilize marketing resources.
All of the interviewees stated that this product is 'valuable' or 'very valuable' after viewing.
Marketing tools and learning resources were the top draw to the product for all of the interviewees.
"I would love more educational materials, otherwise I'll spend a lot of time searching the internet."
Iteration Needed
To ensure that users feel no doubt when accessing the product, having learning materials on every page will allow for a holistic understanding, not just of Figma features, but of creating a business holistically.
I love how this can apply across my business, but I'd really like a way to manage my various clients and teams.
Iteration Needed
Businesses are juggling a lot of clients that require branded contracts and pitch decks, We can go a step further by providing a method of client memory, keeping their individual goals documented for everyone in the team to see.
Iterative Solutions
Using feedback from our users, we ensured that each page was rich with resources. We also integrated a way for them to manage different client profiles in a visual and customizable fashion. These integrations made our platform not only a marketing tool, but usable across a business.
Filling in the Gaps
By providing educational materials on each page, we filled in the gaps for users to ensure that they weren't alone on their business journey.
Client Management
Businesses manage communication with clients on a daily basis, so I added resources to assist with meetings and connections, bringing everything into one platform.
