Rule #89 of running a solo business:

Let the fat cats do the research you could never afford on your own.

If I had to choose one company that could credibly make the case about the importance of visuals to a business, it would probably be Canva.

If you’re not aware, Canva is a DIY design tool with which you can create pretty stunning visuals.

In our world, I see consultants using Canva mainly for LinkedIn graphics, but you can do everything from flyers to slides to business cards.

And as luck would have it, last week they released their 2025 “State of Visual Communication” report that provides some in-depth research on why visuals are so effective in business communication.

For me, the most resonant stats came from their neurological study. The report shares:

More specifically:

• Documents with visuals boost emotional intensity by 26%
• Visual content encodes in your memory 74% faster than text
• And my favorite: visual content increases likability by up to 16%

Likability!

Yes, as consultants we’re of course selling expertise here. Expertise that should stand on its own merit.

But the reality is often times we’re up against other alternatives (other consultants, internal resources, AI, no action at all).

If you could bank an extra boost in your buyer’s perception of you simply by adjusting the type of content you share with them, wouldn’t you want to claim that edge?

I’ll let you peruse the rest of the report for yourself.

It’s…you guessed it…very visual.

💡

-Wes