People make snap judgments in politics. Voters, donors, volunteers, even the people half-paying attention at a stoplight are sizing you up before they hear a single idea.

That instinct hits every corner of a campaign or initiative: How you show up; how strong your operation feels; how serious you look when someone lands on your website at midnight trying to decide if you’re worth their support.

Design is the first tell. If your graphics look intentional and steady, people assume the rest of your operation is too. If things look scattered or rushed, they start to wonder … what else is off?

Good design shapes the trust that makes everything else possible.