The design department at Taradel works with thousands of clients spanning virtually every industry. As a professional designer, I have direct insight into what makes a design succeed — or fail. With this in mind, I have put together three design tips that apply to every project and can help grab the attention of your target audience.
1) Your design is not a buffet line
Often times, when I am working with clients on flyers or Every Door Direct Mail collateral, I receive requests to "fill up all of the space," instead of leaving room for important neutral areas. While I understand that clients want to share all of the great products and promotions they offer, remember that design is not an 'All you can Eat Buffet Line'.
When it comes to getting a great response, don't over fill your plate! What I mean is to get the most response possible, and ultimately, the best results, it is important to focus on one promotion at a time. I know it can seem strange to invest, sometimes a large amount, for what may seem like a simple message. However, this will grab the attention of a viewer who may look at a flyer for as little as 5 seconds. Most great offers are short and to the point. If you find that you need more information on the piece than you can fit, look into upgrading your piece to a larger size. Having more space allows for more organization and maintains the all-important balance which is an integral part of great design work.
2) Choose a theme, stick with it
Consistency is a very powerful marketing and design tool. Having a unified "look" to your marketing collateral, and place of business, helps make your message memorable. Whether you are using graphic design services or designing the interior of your business, it is important that it all makes sense as a bigger picture. When I work with a restaurant and develop a new menu design, I often ask to see pictures of the inside of their business. This helps me to get an idea of their style and gives me a starting point for the creative process. I've even had clients ask me "re-create" another company's marketing material, because they like the look. It's important to ask yourself, "does this look work with my company?"
3) Use photos that support your goal
I regularly encounter designs that look professional and modern, but there is one photo that is pixelated and blurry. That one photo can really hurt the overall look of the design. If we think about it, what does a poor quality image say about the business it represents? To me, it says, "we are not professional".
If you have the ability to take your own photos, I think that's great! Most consumers like to see real images of products or food items. And if they are your very own product shots, as opposed to stock photos, it can help differentiate your business. If you can supply these photos check that they are at least 300 dpi, so they will look good in print. Additionally, the lighting of these pictures is important. Try taking the photos with and without flash to see what gives you the best results. Designers can edit the photo to help the colors look vivid or help with brightness or contrast. However, if having that real images means poor image quality, my opinion would be to not use them. At this point you have the opportunity to use stock images that will be of the best quality taken from professional-grade cameras.
Here's an example of a web quality photo versus a print quality photo:
So what are you waiting for? Give us a call or start your Every Door Direct Mail project today.
Our top-rated design team (including myself!) looks forward to hearing from you soon.