You will notice I use a drop cap at the beginning of the first paragraph, research shows this increases readership on average by 13%. Small mistakes can reduce readership dramatically. White lettering on a black background, for example, looks good, but is much harder to read than black on white — so many people don’t bother reading it. A faint logo placed under text is a popular technique but it compromises legibility, again reducing readership.

Do people know you exist?

Very often there is very little difference in quality and price between competing products and services. Success is usually due to effective promotion. The more people who know and trust you, the better your results.

Several leading advertisers agree this lack of difference between you and your competitor does not have to be a barrier. They advise that you ignore the competition and promise your audience the product or service will do exactly what it says on the tin. There is no need to make comparisons, just advertise positively and keep your promises.

Fly with the angels

I once overheard a businessman say to another that he had just found a tradesman who turned up on time and did exactly what he said he would by the end of the day. Apparently this was most unusual in his experience.
‘He flies with the angels’, answered his colleague as he copied the tradesman’s number into his filofax.

Sometimes we underestimate our own value. If you provide a desirable service or have a good, needed, product your only obstacle to success is that the world does not know about you. So, let it know!

Do you know the secrets?

You may be suspicious of a fancy advertising agency. You question the cost and believe most agencies now prefer TV advertising to print. Fortunately for all of us the secrets of print advertising are not really secret. The successful pioneers of the industry have published their research allowing impressive results to be achieved without their expensive services. A viable alternative to an ad agency is to develop an interest in ‘The Science of Print Advertising’ and commission a like-minded freelance graphic designer.

Five times as many people read a headline, on average, as read the body text. It makes sense to invest time creating powerful headlines that sell the product or idea. Try and promise a desirable benefit and include the product name.

Spend time with your designer discussing what you need — what you like, what you don’t like. The designer’s artwork and layout together with your knowledge of your product or service must go hand in hand.

Measure performance

At the outset define how you will measure the success of your venture. How many reply slips are returned, how many extra boxes are sold, or how many people turn up to the event?

Your designer will be trained to come up with ideas, encourage this, some will be crazy, some will be effective — you will be the judge.

Crisp story telling

You will find some of the things you regarded as unquestionably correct are not. For example many people believe short copy (text) on an advert or leaflet outsells long copy. There is no proof to suggest this is true and plenty of strong evidence to suggest long copy is better. Which neatly brings us to a potentially tricky area.

The quality of your writing is at least as important as the graphics, (and I say that as a graphic designer who isn’t particularly humble). You can quickly develop an eye to recognise good copy writing but not necessarily be capable of producing it. Kingsley Amiss once said it was easier to write a sonnet than an effective advert. Look around your organisation for writers, someone with an engaging style. What you are looking for is crisp story telling where each sentence encourages you to read the next. The story should remain focussed at all times, whether it’s to prevent road accidents or sell more chairs.

If all else fails bite the bullet and hire a writer.

Choosing a designer

You may be a little worried about dealing with arty types who appear to be on a different plane of existence. Just remember your freelance designer is also a business person who is all too aware of deadlines and costs.
There may well be cultural differences between designers and your permanent staff. Probably your organisation is built round people with a job description who perform particular tasks. Designers on the other hand are used to performing in small ad-hoc project teams, so hierarchies and status mean less. They measure their worth by creating ideas and elegant solutions to problems. What will need to be managed is the inclination to exaggerate these problems.

Ignore the improbably bright shirt and various symbols of individuality so precious to my profession. These things will not get in the way of what needs to be done: delivering an effective job on time and in budget.

See what they’ve done

All graphic designers have a portfolio of work that they can show you. Invite some to do this. Many designers will be able to produce illustration and photography — this may not be specialist enough for your needs but it’s worth checking out. Allot around 15 minutes. If after 5 minutes you are uninspired end the meeting. Your time is valuable and so is the designer’s.
Remember what you are looking at is not art, but solutions to certain problems. Remember too that this is not the exclusive work of one person but usually a team. Ask what the brief called for.

Over and above your usual criteria, ask your potential designer if they would prefer to be original and win awards or if they would rather help you achieve your sales figures. The answer they give will dictate how much time you spend managing them.

The need for profit

The tried and trusted techniques suggested by the advertisers are just dandy for most mainstream situations. On the other hand if you have a fashionable product or you want to portray an edgy, cool image — an arty and unusual approach may be just what you need. Still, double check that the designer understands the need for you to make a profit. Ask them what they know about advertising. In my experience graphic designers who read books on advertising are in a minority, a big minority, but a minority none the less.

Who cares?

If you are a charity or caring agency you may think none of this applies, but you could not be more wrong. Advertising guru Howard Goissage was of the opinion that advertising was so potent an instrument that it was too valuable to waste on commercial products and should be used for social purposes. You may not have a product to sell but you will certainly have a message. ‘Don’t drink and drive you may kill people.’

One brief reality check. If what you are selling is not as good as your competitors, if your organisation is not as efficient, then the best advert in the world will only sell your product to a customer once. Buyers are not stupid, they go somewhere else next time.

How to find out more

If you would like to know more about the secrets of print advertising and how to get the best out of a graphic designer contact Pulleygraphics for a copy of our e-booklet in PDF format. email: studio@grafotika.co.uk

Finally, when choosing a designer, always start by contacting Pulleygraphics 01353 722970.

Larry Pulley

 

 

Research shows many adverts are remembered but the brand that is being advertised is forgotton. It pays to use the product or service name up front and repeat it regularly as in this example for a taxi service.

This leaflet contains a testomonial from a real customer telling the reader how good the service is. Testimonials are above average in recall and build confidence. A testimonial can be powerfully persuasive.

On average five times as many people read a headline as read the body text. It is the job of the headline to entice readers into the body text.

Research shows that a subhead of several lines under the headline is effective in arousing curiosity and encouraging the reader to go forward.

Body text should be intersected with crossheads that enliven the readers mind and coax them into the next chunk of text.