The Very Basics Of Design


© 2005, Marsha Maung
Email : marshamaung@yahoo.com [mailto:marshamaung@yahoo.com]
Site : [http://www.marshamaung.com]
Feel free to reprint or publish this article on your website, ezine, magazine, newsletter…etc. Please include the bio, links and credit intact.

Design is a very subjective thing, therefore, if you ask me how to come up with a first class design for your marketing collateral or publishing mediums, it would be very unfair for me or anyone else to tell you what is a good design and what is a bad design. But there are certain elements and principles that we should look for in a design to determine whether the design and layout of the material will be able to carry the message across effectively to the readers and your potential market. The main aim of every design material related to advertising or promotion is either to sell something, promote something or brand a company.

Keep the design and layout simple and clean
The more cluttered or messy the layout and design is for your marketing collateral, the harder it would be for your customers to find the important stuff. So, don't overcrowd the design of your marketing materials. First and foremost, it should be kept clean and very simple. Yes, we all want to fit as much information as we can into the design but hey, keep the purpose of the design of the marketing stuff in mind. You want to design a novel or design something that sells.

Design Colors
If you have a set of corporate colors (like the colors that you use on your logo, letterhead, envelopes…etc), keep to the same colors in your design. You should present a very simplistic, unique, corporate, professional, consistent image, not a haphazard one. How can anyone rely on you when you have that kind of image, right? It's best that you not use too many colors for your design. And another important point about designing marketing materials is this; avoid using all the colors of the rainbow in one design! You're not trying to confuse your customers, you're trying to make it easy for them to find information, attract them and urge them to buy something from you! I would say using 2 or 3 main colors from your corporate color for the design is good enough.

Fonts
There are tons of free fonts (quite incredibly attractive ones at that) that you can find off the Internet for the design of your marketing stuff - but the sad news is that it's not always possible to use all of them. Keep to one single font for the content in your design, and if you wish to, you can use a different (a bolder and louder font) for the headings and titles in your design.

Images in your design
Unlike web publishing, using images in the design of your brochures, flyers, menus, company profiles is always a good idea. Enticing your customers with useful pictures or diagrams that illustrates your point or including pictures of your products in the design of your marketing stuff is encouraged. Be careful and weary of using stock photos from the web for your marketing material. One, the resolution of such images (those that you can get off the Internet) is never good enough for printing purposes. Two, you'll get in trouble with the people who actually owns the rights to those images. So, if possible, if you want to use pictures or illustrative images in your design, it's best to either get the pictures for the design yourself (with your digital camera) or you should just purchase it.

Marsha Maung is a freelance graphic designer and copy writer who works from her home in Selangor, Malaysia. She loves nothing more than blowing bubbles in the park with her 2 kids, Joshua and Jared. She designs apparel and premium items at http://www.creativejooz.com and is the author of "Raising little magicians", and the popular "The Lance in freelancing". More information can be found at http://www.marshamaung.com.


More Resources

2005 Super Bowl Ads... Winners and Losers
Well, Super Bowl XXXIX is history. Too bad for the folks who consider themselves the always-pullin'-for-the-underdog type.
The Skinny on Billboards
Several years back the billboard people put a bigpicture of "Sharlene Wells, Miss America" onbillboards all over town. She was everywhere.
Commercial: Consumer - Discounts - Misleading Advertising
Marketing is an important tool for attracting customers. It is commonplace to see banners announcing bargains of "70% off the retail price.
Creativity and Getting Outside of the Box
Sitting in front of a blank piece of paper? Wondering where in the world to start? I have a suggestion. Turn the page upside down.
Cable TV Advertising; Mobile Detailing Customers
If you own a mobile detailing business or mobile car wash company you should have the local cable company as one of your clients. You may even find your self with some free publicity.
Radio Interview 101
Different Types of Station ContactReaching radio hosts (for the purpose of trying to get booked foran interview) can take on various forms, depending on the typeof station the show is done at. What's best? All of them at thesame time, of course.
Not Another Calendar! - Choose Advertising Specialties That Sell
As I was searching through a kitchen drawer the other day, I found dozens of pens, pencils, letter openers, sticky-note pads, oversized paper clips, rulers, dental floss, calendars, magnets, whatsits and thing-a-ma-bobs, each with the name of a business on the front. In looking through my "collection" I discovered some things I love and use and others that I can't imagine why I picked them up.
Direct Mail Rules of Thumb
First and foremost - You should identify your target market. Target your direct marketing lists.
How You Measure Yourself Is How You Motivate Yourself
One of the keys to strong positive mental attitude is what you compare your personal performance to. Do you compare your sales results to the top producer in your industry? Do you compare your basketball playing ability to Michael Jordan? Do you compare your last presentation to a speech delivered by Ronald Reagan or JFK? Or do you compare your results today, to those you had yesterday? Sports, sales, and the media teach us to compare our success against that of others, living or dead.
Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 1
In this lesson, we will create a business card, using Microsoft Word. I created a new template for my business card.
How to Write Great Headlines
According to experts, just changing the headline of an ad or sales letter has been known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent! Yes, headlines are that powerful--and that important!An effective headline will do many things at once. It will attract the readers attention, convey benefits by appealing to the readers self-interest and it will set the stage for what is to come.
Online Classifieds
Choosing a Classified Website and creating your advertisements.The internet has opened a vast number of doors for people to market their products and services.
LED Score Boards
LED scoreboards can be utilized in most of the sporting event for eye-catching effects replace traditional scoreboards. This high- tech lighting system is both energy - efficient and able to produce a very bright light.
Increase Business By Being Nice
I have been reading articles on increasing sales using search engine optimisation as well as writing them for a very long time and I have not seen many which point out the best way to increase sales.The answer is obvious yet often overlooked; you just have to be as good to your customers as you would expect any other site owner to treat you.
Advertise Where Its Forbidden To
The most common way to drive people to your business site is advertising. You cannot succeed without advertising, this is a fact.
The Benefits of Specific Advertising
The great Claude Hopkins (Author of Scientific Advertising) once said, "Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck. They leave no impression whatever.
How to Make a Fortune from Unique Resistance-free Advertising
One of the most powerful offers you can use in your advertising is the word Free.But, you may well ask? how can I make a profit giving my products and services away without charging for them?Which is the exact reason why you need to understand the 'LVC Formula' which stands for the Lifetime Value of a Client!Here's how it works.
Top 9 Reasons To Advertise
Advertising is not for every company. But some require it because their market is big and constantly changing and evolving.
Advertising Basics for Beginners
So many of us who have decided to do business online have no background in marketing or advertising. It can be so frustrating without any kind of guide.
Make the Right Advertising Decisions
Advertising is a powerful and somewhat frustrating marketing tool. It enables us to launch new products and services, increase sales, and increase awareness.

More Advertising Information:

Related Articles

Digital Signage Concepts and Terms
Over the past two years, digital signage has really taken off as a new way to reach consumers when they are out of their homes. We are seeing the digital signs pop up in retail, government, health care, and education. While the larger institutions can outsource the task implementing a digital signage solution, some smaller firms may not have the bandwidth financially to hop on the dynamic signage bandwagon.
Get Free Radio Advertisement
Here's a neat trick to get lots of radio advertisement time, TOTALLY FREE! Imagine..
Create Your Dynamic Elevator Speech
So, what's an elevator speech, and how do you get one?What Is It?An elevator speech is a short (15-30 second, 150 word) sound bite that succinctly and memorably introduces you. It spotlights your uniqueness.
6 Must-Have Elements of a Powerful Brochure
Most brochures that businesses put out today end up doing little to impact the sales of that business. By applying the 6 must-have elements listed below you will transform you brochure from trash can lining into a powerful sales tool.
Should Your Small Business Hire an Advertising Agency?
So, you own a small business, sales are down and you've come to the conclusion you need to start advertising. Questions: Where do I advertise, how much do I spend and do I need the help of an advertising agency?The answer to this question is really very simple.
Promotional Vehicles
It is difficult to miss a Hummer, but how many companies could afford to run one to promote their business? The answer is, of course, very few and it is doubtful whether GM's overgrown offspring would be the most suitable promotional vehicle for many of them. What then are the alternatives and how could businesses benefit from using a vehicle as an advertising medium?What is a promotional vehicle?A promotional vehicle is a car, truck or SUV with purpose-designed adhesive vinyl graphics applied to its exterior, promoting a business or one of its products or services.
Marketing Messages with Add Zest & Appeal
Boring is one thing you can't afford to be when it comes to marketing your business. With more than 3000+ marketing messages pummeling consumers on a daily basis, you need to be more, and do more, if you want to be heard above the racket.
Using Flyers to Advertise Your Online Business
Using flyers is one commonly overlooked method of advertising offline. Flyers are extremely easy to create.
Media Savvy - How To Manage Your Time To Gain The Best Media Coverage
Did you know generating positive media coverage is four times more effective than advertising? Getting exposure in the media is far-reaching, utterly credible and free. As an added bonus you may well attract an audience that you never anticipated.
Magnetic Business Cards: Make Your Marketing Message Stick
What is it about magnets that draw people to leave them on fridges and file cabinets for years at a time?Many people like to have the contact information handy for common service providers without flipping through a bulky phone book. Magnets are the perfect solution for being seen in this situation.
The Future of Voiceovers: Hold Your Tongue...Possibly Forever
"Do we need to cast a voice-over talent for this project?"That's a valid question any producer might ask when creating an advertisement, corporate audio-video presentation, video game, etc. Of course, the answer depends on what elements the producer and client feel will best communicate with the audience.
10 Tips to Use Giveaways Effectively
Walk around any trade or consumer show and you will be able to collect a bag full of advertising specialties, or giveaway items all designed to promote. But look a little more closely.
Pros and Cons of Establishing an In-House Ad Agency
There have been several ads promoting books and reports on thissubject, or included as part of the contents in several mailorder books stating: "SAVE UP TO 17% ON ALL YOUR ADVERTISING" It's legitimate, practical and effective, but like so many otherpromises, there are pros and cons involved. The pros are fairlyobvious.
Secrets And Top-Tips Of Mail Order Advertising
Good Advertising creates more production, thus greater consumption, faster turnover and lower sales price per unit. To a great extent it determines the success or failure of the mail order operator! When working up an advertising program remember that what is genuinely desirable to you may or may not appeal to the majority of your prospects! Different types of merchandise or services demand completely different advertising media.
16 Methods for Getting Free Advertising
1. Place copies of your circular on bulletin boards throughout your community, such as in coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, barber shops, etc.
Never Be Caught Cardless Again: Five Tips to Help You Remember Business Cards
Sorry, I Don't Seem to Have a Business Card With Me..
Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 1
In this lesson, we will create a business card, using Microsoft Word. I created a new template for my business card.
How To Get Big Sponsorship Money for Your Band, Tour, Event or Production
Touring is a bands greatest opportunity for success. But, touring can be very expensive.
Advertising: 10 Powerful Secrets To Help You Sell Your Ad Space Like Crazy
If you want to sell more ad spaces, you must read and use the secrets I am revealing here:1. Give your customers a discount when they spendover a certain dollar amount for ad space.
Books, Bibles and Fast-Talkers
Every community has 'em. Fast talkers who rollinto town with a clever idea to sell to people inbusiness.