Marketing materials, from print to digital, are some of the most powerful tools that help boost brand awareness, increase customer retention, and drive sales for a business. To create marketing materials that deliver better results, professionals follow certain guidelines to design materials that will stand out from the rest. Here are a few ways professionals achieve this:
There are many free templates out there – from flyer and brochure templates to social media and website templates. While templates can be quick and easy to use, the drawback is that it is available to everyone, so anyone, including your competitors, may use the exact same template you chose. If your graphics are in the same layout as everyone else's, it ultimately will not draw people in. The key is to design something unique and true to the brand. Show your audience something they haven't seen before. Show them you're different by using a new layout. Give them a reason to notice you.
Images, whether it it's graphics or actual photographs, can evoke strong emotions in any type of marketing material. Images can make someone stop, pay attention, and even remember what they saw after the image has gone away. Before choosing images, think about:
- The target audience – Are they old or young? Type A personalities or more relaxed and easy-going individuals? What would they most relate to?
- How you want the audience to feel – Happy? Inspired? Hopeful? Motivated?
- The message you want to deliver – Do you want the audience to learn something? Are you trying to sell something? Are you trying to make a statement? What's in it for the customer?
Considering these types of questions will help guide you in choosing what type of images work best for your marketing materials. Here are other tips to consider when choosing images:
- High-resolution images are best – pixelated images look unprofessional.
- Use professionally-shot photos or stock photos – these photos are more visually appealing and will look better than photos taken on a phone.
- The image should have a focal point – one part of the photo should draw the viewer in and encourage the viewer to look at the rest of the piece.
Visual hierarchy – or the arrangement of elements (photos, text, images, etc.) should be added so that the most important information is noticed first and less important information is noticed last. This is important because it helps the viewer process information quicker and easier. Designs where every single element is large, bold, and competing for attention causes viewer confusion since they do not know where to look first. Making every element pop may steer the viewer away because there is too much to process in such a short amount of time. In other words, it is good to have some elements pop and some that are subtle. Some basic ways to create effective visual hierarchy include:
- Making the title/headline large
- Making an image large
- Making dates/times/place medium-sized
- Making subtitles medium-sized
- Making blocks of text small
- Making disclaimers and other extra information small
Achieving strategic visual hierarchy will help make your marketing materials stand out and be memorable because the viewer is more likely to remember the focal point of the image.
Going along with focus, customers tend to spend less than ten seconds evaluating advertisements. At any point, a viewer may lose interest, so it's important to make each second count by doing the following to add focus to your message:
- Include only the most important information.
- Don't sound redundant.
- Cut out extra words such as "really" and "very."
After layout, images, and hierarchy are established, choosing the right font is imperative to tying everything together, as it may either make or break the design. Fonts are like the personality of your brand, so it is important to choose them with care. Fonts that are commonly chosen feel cliché, so instead try to find, and perhaps purchase, well-designed fonts that make you look different from everyone else.
It's also important to consider how, depending on the style, fonts can evoke certain emotions or moods. Simple or modern fonts can evoke seriousness, boldness, or sophistication, whereas whimsical fonts may feel playful and happy.
In general, it is best to choose up to two typefaces that work well together. Choosing more than this may start to look messy. A general rule of thumb is to pair a decorative font with a simple font, but this is not always the case, as simple can be paired with simple. Be sure to keep all the text uncluttered and clean so it is easy to read and understand. Great fonts that are composed well with all the other elements in a unique way will make your marketing materials stand out from the rest.
If you are not sure how or where to start when it comes to your sales and marketing materials, call Business Builders! 309-827-7977 Our design team can elevate your marketing materials into something excellent, unique, and professional that is designed to deliver results.