Building Your Brand Through Your Brochure

The keys to persuasive, effective marketing materials are great design and informative, persuasive content. Content is both words and supporting imagery that conveys what benefits a consumer will derive from the product/service you are offering.  Think of brochures as either the initial “handshake” of your business with a client or the last impression.  Your business cards and brochures are essential parts of your brand and can certainly impact the marketability of your business and attracting potential clientele.  This week I’d like to highlight the key components to a stand out & effective brochure.

Content can include charts, images, diagrams, listings and other graphic elements that highlight key benefits of your business services/products.  Also use of calls to action can be critical to persuasion and getting the consumer to act on your solicitation.  Also know that the caliber of writing of your brochure will certainly determine the effectiveness of your message and brand.  If you aren’t the greatest writer, farm it out to a business or colleague that can.

White space is an essential part of every single marketing piece, namely brochures. The lines between text and imagery are white space; which allows your readers’ eyes relax and gives them a momentary break from the content.  You never want intake overload but also don’t want your content to look too sparse.  White space can also be used to separate important points.  For example, the brochure below is an example of too much white space & too little content.

Colors evoke feelings and emotions, and can certainly help to build a customers’ first or last impression of your business. The colors you select for your brochure design should definitely compliment or match the colors in your logo or company name.  Use of vibrant colors should be done in selective areas and in moderation.

Font selection be stylistic but be easily readable and the size should be chosen based on the volume of information you are trying to convey. It should not be too large (over 14 pt.) or too small (less than 10 pt.) The font should reflect your brand style and set the tone of your organization – elegant for a bridal shop, powerful for an auto body shop. Lastly, the body copy font should differ from your headlines, but you should not exceed the use of 3 different fonts within your brochure design.

Paper selected should be reflective of the quality of your business…Yeah, I said it.  Using flimsy paper or a cheap card stock may give a flimsy impression of your business. Choosing glossy or matte finish is purely subjective.

Imagery plays a critical role just like your written content. Take your time when selecting the right imagery and the placement of them.  Also, do not forget to check your resolution on the images you select.  The higher the resolution the better your picture will come across in print. The lower the resolution, the more blurry and unprofessional your brochure will look when printed. FYI -300 dpi or higher is best for clear, color printing.

The Design of your brochure should be simple but effective.  Feel free to break away from the normal trifold and display your brand & company character.

 

Among the sea of typical trifolds, how do you make your brochure stand out?


 

Your Website – Pop Tart or Toaster Strudel?

While talking to a client about her new website that Design Theory is currently creating, we began discussing and distinguishing the differences of websites similar to her industry.  During the discussion I asked her if she wanted a Pop Tart vs. Toaster Strudel design and content.  We both chuckled while I explained the difference and how that would affect her readership and visitation numbers. As I explained my breakfast treat comparison, it occurred to me that this would make great content itself for a blog.  So with sweet treat comparatives, tongs in hand, let’s see what the difference is and what to look out for when designing your own personal use or business website.

Sticky Jelly or Oozing Content

Pop Tarts                                                Toaster Strudel
Can be stored at room temperature     Must stay frozen until ready for consumption
No need for refrigeration            Leaving it out over 12 hours may make it unfit for consumption

What does this say about the quality of your content & about your website?  Quickly written, often plagiarized content will only be worth the effort put into it.  However content that is fresh, witty and deliberate will evoke the proper response for the goal set before it.  It will be more pleasing and can easily be distinguished.  And that’s exactly what you want and need to get your product and/or services sold.   Once again, it’s a distinction between what looks good and achieves the goal that should direct the content accordingly.

Static or Creative Icing

Is your content very cookie-cutter, stationary or could be considered stale?  Or does the verbiage move, flow and swirl to create interest and hold your reader’s attention?  Is your use of imagery typical or often used stock photography or is it distinctive and has an artistic, creative flare to it? When choosing imagery, keep in mind that it should enhance and not compete with your written content to give a cohesive and an overall polished look to your website.  You can have fun and go outside the box with most industries.  Even content that is more factual and less opinionated can be creatively distinct while getting your message across and conveying important information.

Sometimes Pricing Makes a Difference, Sometimes Not

Pop Tarts                                   Toaster Strudel
$3.99 for a 8 piece box                 $3 for a 6 pastry box

Being in the middle of the pricing spectrum for websites, we at Design Theory have had to burst the bubble of misconceptions when it comes to our prices versus the quality of talent/work we do. Our goal is to match the goals and level of business of a client’s company with a website that will do just that within the confines of their allotted budget.  Now sometimes we have to push back and encourage a particular client to go beyond their budget and give them some industry inside look as to why.  And because we do what we do well, it’s usually not hard for them to acknowledge the benefits of doing so and agree.  But for other companies, just be aware that all that glitters may not be gold and likewise, the cheapest design/pricing may not be tarnished brass.  Remember, there’s a difference between cheap and affordable web designs.  I believe you have to ask the right questions, look at a company’s track record/dossier and determine what’s best for your business.  Then you can make an educated decision about how much you NEED to pay for a website that fulfills its purpose for your business or personal objectives.

So depending on what your business palate wants and needs, you can determine whether you choose a “mediocre but gets the job done” website & content, or if you’re in need of a step-up, more sophisticated level design.  Whichever works for you, make sure you choose well and always consider the palate of your consumers.

~ Content Writing Inspiration ~   

True Ease in Writing comes from Art, not Chance,
As those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.

                                                             ~Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Criticism”

 

Headlines and Imagery – William Levy & the Queen of England?

See even the title causes a little stir & I’ve got a hunch that I’ve succeeded at the initial point of this blog.  Since everyone these days has a blog about something or another, in order for your blog to get real traffic, you need to create some really compelling headlines and content. And that’s what allows your blog to flourish and your analytic report to make you smile-creating eye-catching headlines and “you’ve got my full attention” content.  You know how people say you only get 10 seconds to make a first impression?  Well you get even less to entice a reader with your headlines according to my research.  Users often leave web pages in 10–20 seconds if there’s not compelling content to read and that’s some real pressure if you’re a blogger.  I have also read that the average page visit lasts a little less than a minute. “As users rush through Web pages, they have time to read only a quarter of the text on the pages they actually visit (let alone all those they don’t).”  Whew-tough crowd to please!

Aside from pleasing the reader, we want eye pleasing analytics capturing the success (or lack of) with our blogs.  But how do we know that we’ve achieved our goals and keep those analytical reports looking like mountain tops instead of valleys?

~ Content may be king but headlines are indeed the crown.  The bottom of the leading line is that if
your blog title/headline is unnoticeable, it gets passed over in a few short seconds and no one reads further.  DOA before the first paragraph. But, if you’ve got something that’s contemporary, media talked about, news worthy headline, you can hook even the quickest page glancer. Here’s a good example: Dare I say WILLIAM LEVY…I can almost bet that someone who knows who he is has raised an eyebrow, let out a sigh and with anticipation,  is clicking to see what I might say about him or hoping to see a picture of him.  Ladies, your wish is my command…

On the flip side, someone who doesn’t know who he is, might Google him because the curiosity bug has nibbled and you’re wondering why I’m blogging about him.  The point is that I’ve struck a chord and since we are curious creatures by nature, a tantalizing headline is all we need to capture ones attention before getting our content hooks in them.  What’s even better from a business standpoint is that if you continue to put out “headlining” blogs, you develop a faithful following.  Increased traffic = increased business. Increased business = $$$.

~ Is your image worth 1,000 words so your blog doesn’t have to be?  Say you go to the Yahoo homepage and see an image of the Queen of England and she has on an African Head wrap? 2 things would probably occur:
(1) you do a double take, shake your head in disbelief and click on another page
OR what’s more likely is that…
(2) you do a double take, become amused and want to read what supports that picture.  And even though I don’t have an image to represent this theory you can almost SEE my point.  Images play as much a significant role in the content of blogs as do the words written.  They bring color and vitality to the black & white copy that lies on the page and enhances the experience your content brings to the reader.  That’s what blogging is all about-enhancing the quality of the readers experience in order to gain a faithful following.  That’s what measures the success of your blog and puts you in the “air up there” on the analytics peak.

And if you chuckled at the title of this blog or you’re still looking at William Levy,
the goal has been achieved…lol.

 

Top 5 Reasons Your Hair Salon Needs a Website

Maybe you’ve had a successful hair salon for years and your flow of clients is in and out like a Manhattan revolving door. Or perhaps, you just started one and are struggling to pack the chairs and fill the appointment book.  Regardless, both need a website.  It would seem that the latter would be more in need.  But here are the top 5 reasons why both do and how it benefits the one with the successful streaks AND the one that’s a little green at the roots.  Because the goals of a hair salon  aren’t to create just great client impressions when they walk out the door, but even before they get there or perhaps know that you exist.  How so?  Read on….

1st Show that You Are a Cut above the Rest ~ Perhaps you can highlight with the talent of Picasso or have the most stylish stylists in a 50 mile radius- if you don’t advertise it, word of mouth is probably not enough to keep your book of business on the incline despite a declining economy.  Grooming is one of the “extras” that many people can’t justify when the light bill is due and groceries are in need. In today’s tough economy improving the growth and profitability of your hair salon needs to be a high-priority and this is one tool you’ll want to have in the kit.  Having a website shows potential and repeat customers that you really mean business about your business.  It reflects another level of professionalism for clients and to the industry.  Remember, the goal is to create a great impression on a client both before they come to the salon AND after they see their reflection in the mirror.

2nd   Add Social Media Presence to Your Menu ~ Running a hair salon requires interaction with a lot of people and why not let that network work for you. What do I mean by that?  I mean getting people to Like You on Facebook, connect with you via Linked-In and chat about you on Twitter. With constantly changing styles, promotions, and products you shouldn’t have a problem finding topics to talk or Tweet about.  This is an ever-evolving industry and you can take advantage of that using the free resource of Social Media. Use it to show others that you are tapped into the most current trends in hairstyling, makeup, products or whatever your salon may specialize in.  And speaking of specialties, if you have one in particular-like you wax as smooth as a baby’s bottom or have a stylist who coifs with the precision of Edward Scissorhands-then Social Media is the perfect place to create hype about the talents in your establishment.

3rd Great Referencing Tool for the Trade ~ A website is a great place to let your work shine and the words of your clients work for you.  Often, word of mouth helps as much as it can hurt.  Letting others “hear” from current/past clients does influence decisions…especially in service-providing industries.  Most repeat customers would love say how Thomas keeps their true roots invisible or Shelly is a Shear-tress like no other AND see it in print!  No to mention that playing to a client’s ego in this manner, is also another way to keep their business at your business.  I mean this is an industry of vanity after all…

4th  Stylistas, the Cutting Floor to Web Design ~ A great look and feel website should engage visitors and compel them to spend time there.  You are in luck in this particular industry because the variety of website designs available can vary as much as shades of blond.  But you also have to know which to choose based on your demographics, clientele and other such factors.  Don’t forget that when selecting one, it should reflect both your vision for your business and the clientele walking through its doors. Keeping this in mind, don’t fail to have fun with it. I mean it isn’t a law firm for goodness sake-so you can push the envelope of creativity without seeming over-the-top.

5th  Picture Perfect Coiffing & Selling ~ Photo Galleries aren’t fabulous only in SoHo but can be just as spellbinding on the www while exhibiting your stylists’ work.  There are various choices to do so…like a slide show, a flip/style online book or even a Virtual Tour of your Salon while talent’s in motion.  It will be engaging and be a non-traditional way of showing off your talented team.

                               
Decide Who Will Make the Cut
~ If don’t have a salon website already but are now convinced you need one, here are some considerations when choosing a website designer and/or company:

Find one that you feel understands your salons demographics and how to reflect it on the website.

Know that imagery will be crucial for your website.  So make sure that you have “web-worthy” photographs to showcase the talents of your team and use stock photography where needed to beautify the site.

Make sure they will write your content with commonly used keywords that are frequently used when searching for hair salons, especially in your geographic region.

At Design Theory, we’d love to help you take your business to the next level of design and success. As such, we now have great packages specifically designed for hair salons that will help you blow away your competition.

Top 5 Reasons a Church Needs a Website

In the business world we understand that having a website enables your organization to reach a much larger audience at a marginal cost and in 2012 it’s a must. But what about God’s business? Many people don’t think the two are related (or maybe that they should be), but they are.  We are an iPad and Smartphone generation…and that’s just a fraction of the technology buzz this last year! Most of our kids have them right along with us! We want and often need accessibility to ease our busy lives, hearts and minds too. Since the goal of most church ministries is to evangelize the Word of God and promote biblical teachings and doctrine, a website is a wonderful and essential way to do just that.  In this blog, I submit the Top 5 Reasons why your church should not only consider having a website, but also the ways in which it can which it can contribute to the bigger goal & higher workings of it.

1st Stay in Touch ~ For most churches, they limit their “marketing” to handing out Sunday bulletins or posting newsletters on the bulletin board to keep members informed of and publicize events. However, many of your members may forget to pick up a bulletin or lose it sometime during service and miss out on key information. By having a website, you can post that information and so much more with just the click of a mouse day or night.  Therefore, a website is a great interactive way to stay touch with and inform your members whether within the walls of their own home or on vacation via their laptops or on any other on-the-go gadget or handheld device.

2nd   Casting a Larger Net & Being Fishers of Men ~ Reach out to impact the kingdom of God in any way you can and by any reasonable means to do so.  We see this in music, whether it’s traditional Christian Music, Gospel…even Gospel Rap. If His Word is not intended “to return to him void” then use all mediums to do so as well.  A website can also provide you with a wonderful opportunity to let others know what your church is all about, what you are up to in your community and what others can gain from attending your services.

3rd Championing the Cause ~ If there is a particular area of focus for your church, let’s say in eradicating homelessness or missionary work in other countries, a website is a great way to let the world know and solicit assistance.  Many large organizations (World Vision comes to mind) utilize their website to bring a greater awareness to the causes they champion, offer ways to support or even collect donations online to assist those efforts.

4th  The Lost Sheep and Those in Need ~ If one of primary purposes of the church is to help people, then a website is one of the best tools in the box to help on a more global scale.  There are many people who may be at a point in their lives where they need encouragement and may be in desperate straits. What a great testimony to kingdom work, by extending yourself beyond your physical address to someone who may just end up on your www for a solution they may have been “steered” your way for.  Additionally, if someone does not live in your geographic region, they can access great information, messages, videos, music and other helpful products.  Example: I was watching Joyce Meyers’ program this morning via TV because her church is in Fenton, MO.  But due to promotion of her materials at the end of her program and through her website, I was able to order a great teaching tool for a friend. And not from a store or calling her headquarters, but from my couch in Connecticut via my laptop.
5th Meant to be unique ~ Just like we are all created different, not all websites are built and/or look the same either. Although there may be some concern about joining the secular world in these efforts, you should now that you can be truly “set apart” even with the business of the church businesss.  Website companies now provide many templates, design layouts and stock photography/imagery to make your church’s website look professional whether you have a congregation of 100 or 1,000.  WordPress has really capitalized on creating templates for many professions and they have many designs specifically for churches and religious organizations with various layouts, colors and features.  It can be minimalistic or one with more capabilities such as flash media, video archiving, online stores and so much more!

The Laborers in the Vineyard ~ If you don’t have a church website already but are now convinced you need one, here are a few key starting point considerations:
Find a design company that you feel understands your church and gives comprehensible answers to your questions.

Make sure they can convey your hearts desires and message to the world with your vision in mind while using their talents to accomplish it.

On the business end, be aware that there will be costs for creation, annual hosting, website email linkage and updating.

At Design Theory, I have had the wonderful opportunity to assist in creating some dynamic websites for churches of various sizes and budgets.  (Check out some of our clientele at www.firstchurchclg.org or www.agapefellowshipct.org) But most rewarding, is that I have heard and seen the impact of these efforts locally and beyond as well as how it has grown their ministries.