As a digital designer who specializes in publishing and marketing design, I have had the opportunity to help people worldwide to create or re-design their marketing 'look'. Through the years I have seen owners, both new and experienced, attempt the design of their marketing pieces. Some turn out well, but most fall far short of their intended purpose. So for those do-it-yourselfers, I offer the following tips and tricks to help you evolve your marketing pieces into effective and solidly designed marketing mediums. Let's dig right in. 
When designing your marketing pieces the first step is to identify who is your target market. Please don't say everybody! That would include all age groups and genders as well as those whose wants and needs may not-probably won't-include a need for your product or service. Begin by narrowing down and focusing on exactly the 'who and why' of your customer base. Once you know this information you will be better equipped to design around their preferences.
As you develop your basic design needs, from the discovery of your target market's preferences, you will discover what colors and styles to incorporate in your design. Consistently using this information across all your marketing pieces will create a solid brand presence.
Moving on, let's look at how to effectively pull it all together.
At this point you've written your copy or know what information needs to be included and you're staring at a blank sheet of paper. What next?
Create a grid to assist in proper alignment. The more columns you have to work with, the more flexibility you will have in your design placement. Somewhere between three and seven columns is a good place to start.
Cut out the pieces of text and begin arranging them on your grid until you have the placement that draws your eye to each item in the flow that is needed to ensure all the information is absorbed. This may require some elements to be resized or even replaced.
Another important design tip is to utilize 'white space'. Overly cramped marketing pieces abound. Adding breathing room between your elements will increase legibility. However, in your text area make sure that you use consistent spacing. For example, with headers or titles you will want to ensure the spacing allows the reader to easily identify which title goes with which paragraph. To do this, add just a bit of extra white space between your new header and the previous section.
Each marketing piece that you create will have different needs. For a business card you will want only the very basic information. However, the layout of a brochure or flyer will allow for more informative context. Nevertheless, keeping your design clean and open will ensure it will be easily read and understood.
Fonts and font size is the next subject to consider. While your type of business and who your target market is will help you identify what font to use. The size of type should vary solely depending upon the importance. Without size variation it is impossible for your reader to quickly scan for the information they seek. Increase font size or style to add this emphasis. However, keep in mind the fine line between 'screaming' text and relevant information. This is the overuse of all caps and or exclamation marks. Screaming text is avoided in two ways, each of which are quickly accomplished; eliminate or change. The use of all caps can be an exceptional design focal point, but overuse it and it becomes 'screaming' text.
Another oft seen faux pax is in the overuse! of exclamation marks!!!! (Another 'screaming text' version.) One exclamation point is always sufficient to get your point across. And, if you limit the number used in your marketing piece you will find that the emphasis you place is understood when and where you want it. For example, a flyer that ends every sentence with an exclamation mark offers no real emphasis at all.
Now let's talk briefly about ad design. Whether full page or not, the purpose of your ad is to draw the reader's eye. If the placement of your ad is within a group of ads or an article page this need is not diminished. Unlike a brochure where you already have a captive audience, your ad must command attention. If it looks like all the rest, how can it possibly stand out from the others?
In Looking Good in Print, Roger C Parker states, "Since you will have no say-so as to where your ad is placed, you should design ads that work reasonably well in any placement." He further suggests placing your ad over the top of an existing, similar, ad in the publication you are considering to see if it works. Does it draw attention or merely blend in?
Strong borders can help your design to stand out, but don't overdo them. Generally, the smaller the ad the thinner your top and bottom borders (or rule) should be. Ultimately, the borders should enhance, rather than eclipse your ad.
The use of my favorite design tool, 'white space', comes in quite handy to accomplish this feat. With the use of white space you can make your ad look larger. Simply break into your white space border in only one place with one of your elements to accomplish this secret enlargement design illusion.
One last hint; in all your marketing designs, no matter the form; letterhead, brochure, or advertisement, make sure your contact information is clearly visible. This will make it easy for your readers to respond or reply.
If you would rather receive replies by phone, give more emphasis to the phone number, but don't eliminate the other means of contact. Your reader may prefer to send an e-mail rather than pick up the phone, or visa verse. If you don't include both, you probably won't hear from both potential customers. To call attention to your preferred contact method you can either enlarge or embolden this text.
To recapitulate
- Identify your target audience and design around their preferences
- Create a grid as an alignment and placement guide
- Utilize white space
- Vary fonts and font sizes for emphasis
- Avoid 'screaming text'
- Superimpose your ad on similar sized ads in your target publication to evaluate its effectiveness
- Strong borders - the smaller the ad the thinner the rules
- Consider white space borders to increase visibility of a smaller ad
- Clearly visible contact information is a prerequisite
- Emphasize your preferred contact method but don't eliminate the others
Ginger Marks is the founder of the DocUmeant Family of Companies, We Make YOU Look GOOD! For more information, visit http://www.documeantdesigns.com/. Her 2012 annual edition of Holiday Marketing Guide, Your business-marketing calendar of ideas is now available at http://www.HolidayMarketingGuide.com.
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