Command Attention with the Cover

• The first thing to do is to create a cover for the brochure that catches the eye of the reader. An eye catching cover has an uncluttered design and consists of 3 main elements:
  • the company’s logo
  • an image that stands out
  • a phrase that captivates the reader to want to learn more
• The phrases that are typically most effective usually are in a large font, fewer than ten words, and placed at the top or the bottom or the brochure as opposed to the middle.

Attract Attention With Compelling Text

• The design on the cover is going to get people to take a look, but the phrase on the cover is whats is going to convince the to pick up the brochure and read it. There are two techniques to arouse the reader’s curiosity…
  1. Ask a question on the cover and answer it on the inside.
  2. Start a phrase on the cover and continue it on the inside.

Set the Tone With Colour

• Using colour is a great way to set the mood of your message. Bright colours are a good choice for you if your business is fun and whimsical, if you want to portray a more serious business message then more neutral hues will be better suited for you.

Choose the Right Font and Size

• Another way to set the right mood of your message is to choose the right font. You want to make sure that the font you chose to use is easy to read. Using different sizes will also help highlight importance of different information. The more important information should be in the larger size with the subheadings in a smaller size. Different sizes also help provide visual interest for the reader.

Use white Space Strategically

• White space is another word for empty space. This white space is as important as images and text. Having white space keeps your brochure from looking cluttered. White space can also be used to draw attention to key images or information.

Organize with Boxes

• Boxes are another way to draw attention to key images or information. If you are using boxing be sure to use them sparingly or else it defeats the purpose of using them.

Choose an Appropriate Fold

• There are many different types of folds that can be used for a brochure. Some of the fold are better used for brochures with little information whereas some of the folds are better used for brochures with lots of information. A Z-Fold is used when a lot of information is being presented as only one panel at a time is being displayed which stops the reader from being bombarded with information. A basic Tri-Fold is used for brochures with less information and a large central image. The 6 different types of folds will be discussed later on in the chapter.

Bring the Brochure to Life with Photographs

• Pictures and images are a great way to communicate your company’s message without using text. Make sure not to rely too heavily on pictures, 2-4 pictures is sufficient to ensure that the reader is not too overwhelmed.

Good Title

• Having a good title will determine whether or not someone will read your newsletter. You should have a creative title that will catch the readers attention while informing them on what your newsletter is about. Your title should be professional. Having a good title can also prevent E-Newsletter from being automatically sent to junk mail.

Eye-Catching Picture

• One of the most appealing parts of a newsletter is the pictures you include. These pictures can help catch the readers attention. The pictures should convey what the newsletter is about. It is important to only include pictures that are related to your topic while making them appealing to the eye.

Quality Content

• Your newsletter should contain information only about your business, organization, or services. Your newsletter can be creative and funny but it should always bring back to it’s main purpose. Don’t include details that aren’t related to your topic.

Length

• Your Newsletter should be short and straight to the point. The length can sometimes determine whether or not someone will read your article. If readers see something that is lengthy they will often begin to lose interest fast.

Offer a Call to Action

• Give your readers a reason to either use your product, services, or website. You can do this by asking the readers to refer you to a friend. This can help increase the chance in sales while getting your business, organization, or service out there.

Make Unsubscribing Easy

• Make readers feel comfortable and like they have a way out. This will often help them develop more trust in you and gain more interest in your company.

Advertising

• Advertisement posters are used to promote an event, a new product, and/or a new company/organization. Advertising posters are usually colourful and include large visuals to draw in the attention of individuals walking by where it can be readily seen.

Informative

• Informative posters are used to educate and influence individuals about a specific topic. They are used to raise awareness to local, national, or international problems and to inform people of campaigns happening to contribute to causes.

Subjective

• Subjective posters are used to publicize a topic in particular. They are sold/provided at public events, exhibits, or functions for organizations and/or companies.

Affirmation

• Affirmation posters are used for inspiring the public. Motivational quotes, meaningful pictures, bible verses, and slogans can be features. They’re meant to brighten someone’s day and lift them up. Affirmation posters can often be used for public reminders to remain insight of their goals, priorities, and their future.

Propaganda

• Propaganda posters are used to associate with corporate communication or political campaigns. Often times they feature organization/company logos and provide the values or mission statement of a company, organization, or political candidate.

Header

• Headings aren’t required in all posters, but would be the ideal spot to place the logo of the company or organization the poster is being made for.

Title

• The title should be clearly visible, not too lengthy, and be interesting enough to catch the attention of the public. Due to lack of space, titles are often placed beside the logo.

Main Area

• In the main area, the poster’s main statement and/or visual is to be placed here. The main area can be structured and sub-divided by using multiple columns or an image across all columns, etc. The main area is to provide the eye-catching content to draw in the attention of others.

Footer Area

• Header and footer can be viewed as a framework tying the whole posterl together. However, the footer is not just a graphic element; this is where you can indicate references and contact details as well.

Background

• Posters not only use bright colours to stand out, but often times will include a structure or image as the background. This visual should be related to the poster’s topic and be faint enough to not be distracting and take away the attention from the purpose of the poster; getting a message across.

Fonts

• In a poster you can use various types of fonts that will catch the attention of readers, but also not be too distracting or difficult to read. Large and decorative fonts should be avoided. Emphasis such as underscores, italics, and coloured font should also be avoided.