Good Design Makes Good Sense

Organized your pencils and pens lately? Sorted your clothes into a logical system in your drawers? Then you already understand the basic elements of good design: it's practical, it's systematic, and it makes life easier.

In the same way, marketing materials that use good design make business easier for your customers. Layout and presentation make the difference as to whether people will understand your products and services. This is why a well-designed ad outperforms one that's thrown together using intuition alone.

Well-designed materials become even more important as their complexity grows. For instance, an ad typically gets someone's attention for five seconds. In contrast, a brochure has the potential to claim much more of your prospect's time and commitment. Hand a customer a poorly-formatted, hard-to-read piece and you may lose them forever.

So is good design really as simple as organizing your tie collection? Well, not quite. But there are some hard and fast rules you can follow. Use this checklist for your next project. Structure and time your piece correctly, and then brace yourself for every businessperson's dream: informed customers who are ready to do business with your company.

Five Basics of Good Design

1. Never obscure your message. The KISS (Keep It Simple, Smarty) rule applies equally well to writing copy, creating graphics, and choosing a format.

2. Work backwards from your goal to your marketing piece. Listen to your customers' needs before you make a decision about how to fill them. A website may not initially appeal to you as a tool, but if your customer base is using the Internet, it may be a great way to deliver your message.

3. Present similar kinds of information in similar ways. People love to look for patterns. And we feel good when we find them, so let your customers in on that happy feeling. Chances are it will help them retain your information better and use it more effectively.

4. Save special effects for the 4th of July. Just because you can print in all caps in that cool new font, it doesn't mean you should. Readability wins out over gimmicks every time.

5. Be practical and be dedicated. Consider all the steps involved in a project, from the time you spend creating it all the way through to postage or follow-up calls. Commit to following through on every item or your project may not succeed.

Wendy Gray Maynard is the co-owner of Kinesis. Kinesis specializes in marketing, graphic design, and business writing. Visit http://www.kinesisinc.com for more articles and free marketing wisdom.

Want to harness the power of kinetic marketing? Sign up for Kinesis Quickies, a free bi-monthly marketing e-newsletter: http://www.news.kinesisinc.com

---

How To Create Instantly Compelling Ads Every Time

Use This Quick 3-Question Evaluation Process, So You Can Be... Read More

Power Headlines for Promotion Success

Do you send email to your Online audience to let... Read More

The SKINNY on Radio Advertising

From meager beginnings in 1920, radio has grown with us... Read More

Bad Seduction - Advertising Techniques That Dont Work

I just read some advertising suggestions on an Internet marketing... Read More

The Online Equivalent of an Effective Newspaper Advertisement is FREE

Ask anybody who has been in business for a long... Read More

God Bless The Refrigerator Magnet!

Ah, my very favorite promotional product of all, the refrigerator... Read More

Successful Print Advertising Designs

Do you often see print advertisements outdoors, as much as... Read More

How to Know if Direct Mail Will Work for Your Business

Here's a great lesson that applies to direct mail. Ready?... Read More

Promote yourself on radio for free

Unless you have become extremely popular in your personal or... Read More

A Quick And Easy Way Of Getting More Customers From Every Single Ad You Write... Guaranteed!

FACT: Most people don't spend anywhere near enough time on... Read More

Get Free Radio Advertisement

Here's a neat trick to get lots of radio advertisement... Read More

Direct Mail Rules of Thumb

First and foremost - You should identify your target market.... Read More

Push vs Pull Advertising

Push vs. Pull Advertising - Understand the Consequences for your... Read More

Improve Your Promotional Flyers And Improve Sales

Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again,... Read More

Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 1

In this lesson, we will create a business card, using... Read More

How to Save Money by Making Your Own Sign

In the sign industry we commonly refer to the material... Read More

Driving Customers to You - Your Car as a Marketing Vehicle

You can turn your vehicle into a rolling advertisement. Costs... Read More

Direct Response Advertising; Radio vs TV

Radio advertising vs. television advertisingMany new advertisers assume that they... Read More

10 Tips to Use Giveaways Effectively

Walk around any trade or consumer show and you will... Read More

3 Elements To A Deal-Sealing Classified Ad

Have you ever wondered why your perfectly fine classified ad... Read More

7 Tips for Better Ads

The content of advertising is basically the same no matter... Read More

Media Planning: Smart Choices for Your Success

Media Planning for SmartiesYou say you're ready to advertise. How... Read More

How To Make Your Yellow Page Ads Work

I hear it often, "advertising in the Yellow Pages directory... Read More

Why Hire an Advertising/Marketing Consultant?

As a business owner, you have the option of taking... Read More

Advertising Your Holistic Business

The most basic answer is the same answer as to... Read More

Adding Art to Business Spaces

Larger companies have learned that collecting art adds something special... Read More

Constructing Business Advertisements

What many may consider the most important part of advertising... Read More

The Inside Secrets Of Free Publicity For Your Business

Product publicity is the "secret pathway" to business success... Read More

Internet Advertising: How To Use The Golden Rule To Enrich Yourself.

What is the golden rule of internet advertising?Give, so you... Read More

3 Inside Secrets To Making You Richer Using Direct Mail!

Making money using direct mail isn't easy. And anyone who... Read More

Moving Message Board

Moving message boards are used in the areas where continuous... Read More

How To Write Eye-Grabbing Headlines That Catapult Your Prospects Into Your Ads

If you're interested in improving the selling results of your... Read More

3 Things Every Yellow Pages Advertiser Needs to Know

Too many business owners and marketers know that Yellow Pages... Read More