GOOD DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS
Designing a piece of marketing material is a bit like creating art. It’s subjective. Not everyone is going to agree with your design choices; however there are some design fundamentals that you can use to increase your chances of creating something that resonates with your customer.
Keep it simple
If your design is overly complicated or too busy it’s hard for the viewer to understand the message you are trying to convey. If you have a lot of information to share, get creative. Use visuals rather than text along with smart use of colour and font. Think minimalist, keep to just 1-2 easy to read fonts and a small colour palette that works cohesively. Think about it from the point of view of the consumer and make sure you’re not presenting something that is going to be visual or information overload.
Create a clear message
Be clear with the purpose of your design. Is your intended message clear and easy to understand? Will the viewer know what you’re trying to say within the first 2-3 seconds? Are you using terminology they will understand? Think about your target audience and if you’re unsure, show your design to someone from your intended audience and see if they got your message clearly.
Solve a problem
If you want the viewer to pay attention to your promotion you need to ensure your showcasing your product or service as useful for your customer. Why do they want or need what you’re offering? How is it going to make their life better? What’s in it for them? Step into their shoes and tell them what they want to hear not just what you think they might want to know.
Honesty is the best policy
Marketing should be based on honest and factual information. Consumers are savvy and if they catch you out in a lie your reputation won’t last long. Bad publicity spreads quickly. Stick to the facts, only use real-life validated reviews and treat your customer with respect.
Be Creative and Innovative
Whilst it’s true that it can take a consumer a number of views before they really engage with your advertising that doesn’t mean you need to be repetitive or boring. Keep your branding and visual identity strong but change up the details. Think creatively and look for ways to share your message that keep the consumer engaging with your brand. If you’re not changing things up you’re going to get lost in the visual clutter.
Following these simple design fundamentals can be the difference betweeen something that gets attention and a design that just gets lost. Want to learn more about creating great presentations? Read our blog.