9 Design Techniques You Should Know for Getting Maximum Results From Your Postcards

When it comes to marketing, print is still relevant. And a well-designed postcard is a great tool to have in your marketing toolkit.

"In today's digital era, physical printed branding materials are often overlooked…However, print media could be the most powerful branding tool that companies are missing." 

Before jumping into this fun little project, let's discuss some of the critical dos and don'ts of designing an effective postcard. 

9 Design Techniques You Should Know for Getting Maximum Results From Your Postcards

1. Keep it Simple

We all have great ideas, fantastic offers, and critical information to explain to our potential (or repeat) customers.

But we recommend erring on the side of simplicity. Choose your words carefully and keep the idea straightforward and easy to follow. 

Try to stick to one offer: "Use this coupon code to save 25%." Or, "Go to our site today to sign up for free giveaways." Or "Claim your offer today at our website."

2. Keep the Design Clean

Try not to clutter the postcard with images (no matter how great they are).

There are no exceptions to this rule. Use a couple of images per side.

3. Use One Headline and Make it Stand Out

It's tempting to want to explode on the page with many exciting offers, sales, new products, and ways to contact us. 

Try to use one single headline per side, and make your offer clear so that it stands out. Use great colors and an awesome font, and make it front and center of the page.

Keep the headline the star of the page and don't use too many techniques, e.g., don't use italics, bold, and underline when you have a great title.

4. Try to Make It Trackable

Use a special URL or a specific phone number or email by which the postcard recipient can get a hold of your great deal. Then track it.

5. Supersize Your Postcard to Get a Better Response

Of course, you will need to weigh this cost to see if your promotion is worth promoting in this way.

But if you are taking the time and money to send something out, make it count!

6. Make White Space Your Friend

Leave some spaces blank, or just filled with a color block.

Don't fill every square inch of the postcard with text and pictures. "White space can help organize the elements in a composition and emphasize the most important ones. It also creates an aura of luxury and minimalism."

7. Don't Skimp on Color

Be sure you use color to grab the readers' attention.

This sometimes seems like an effective way to save some money, but color will increase your readership.

8. Don't Forget Your Contact Information

People need to know who the postcard is from and how to get ahold of you to place an order!

"You want your audience to immediately recognize your branding across all of your communication, including your print marketing materials." 

Ensure your logo and contact information is on the postcard in a prominent place so it doesn't get lost in the offer.

9. Print With a Reputable Firm

A cheaply made postcard will detract from all your efforts and money.

You want to choose the right paper and ink to ensure readers know they can trust you to produce quality results. Your local printer is the best place to get your questions answered and get the product you deserve. 

When promoting a new product or service, use a postcard that stands out in today's busy mail shuffle. If you have questions about doing that, check us out online or call us.

5 Main Differences Between Print and Online Graphic Design

 Graphic design is critical in making marketing effective.

But, unfortunately, you can't just take one well-designed piece and transfer it to another form of advertising. It just doesn't work that way.

Graphic designers are trained to know how to design for the two forms. Here's a glimpse of what they know…just in case you want to try it yourself. 

5 Main Differences Between Print and Online Graphic Design

1. Print is tactile

When you think of print, you think of a more tactile experience, such as texture, smell, and shape.

This lends itself to a different experience than online. When printing materials, you might try letterpress, embossing, or debossing, which reaches out to one's senses in another way than online. 

2. Web is flexible

For print, all information must be presented within the constraints of the printing surface, whereas designers have almost unlimited flexibility to organize, arrange, and filter information for the web.

However, using different browsers can change the web designer's original layout, requiring testing with various browsers and operating systems.

3. Color differences

Color is another way that print and web design differ.

There are different color spaces for attaining the correct color in print versus on the web. You either use CMYK for print or RGB for the web and knowing the difference will make your images and design shine.

You'll need to know how to use Pantone colors to create the colors from print that you want online. 

4. Font variances

Desktop fonts and web fonts are different.

Besides the basic rules, anything goes in print. For example, you want to avoid clashing styles and give plenty of space between letters and lines. Also, cut down on dangling text fragments and focus on creating a clean alignment.

But in web design, you must make sure it is legible online by using sans-serif or an unembellished serif. Designers have less control over how fonts display across various devices, so enhancing readability (as much as possible) is vital. 

5. File modifications

Deciding on a file type is essential in design.

However, before deciding on a file type, you should first consider the destination of your piece. For example, the TIFF file extension is a good choice if you're designing for print because it can be compressed without sacrificing quality.

If you are designing for the web, two file formats will only work: GIF and SVG. GIF offers the ability to use transparency and animation. But it's worth noting that this format isn't ideal for high-resolution photographs due to its limited color capabilities. In that case, the SVG format works best to preserve quality regardless of how it's scaled.

This is the tip of the iceberg in web and print design differences.

If you need insight on graphic design for your next print project, reach out to us! We would love to help you create the right image for your business.

5 Graphic Design Trends to Look Out for in 2023

 2023 is just around the corner, and a new year comes with new graphic design trends. 

Graphic design matters because it captures the attention of your audience, aids in memory, and influences the consumer's first impressions. This is why the global graphic design industry was worth $45.8 billion in 2021.

Make sure your business stays up-to-date with the latest graphic design trends. 

5 Graphic Design Trends to Look Out for in 2023

1. Science Fiction-Inspired Designs 

Many businesses are aiming to look futuristic with science fiction-inspired graphic designs. 

Certain elements are common within science fiction designs.

• Color. Shades of blue- like cyan- and neon colors are prevalent. There's often a contrast between light and dark.
• Shapes. Sharp lines, circles, and geometric shapes give off science-fiction vibes.
• Fonts. Science fiction fonts are an entire genre, often showing distorted letters that look stretched, chopped, or duplicated with inconsistent lettering size.
• 3-D images. Although graphic design usually cannot physically be 3-D, many science fiction designs give off the illusion of 3-D. 

If you want your business to appear modern, go with a science-fiction-inspired design. 

2. Font Trends  

There are four main 2023 font trends for which to look out. 

• Distorted fonts twist, stretch, and fade. For example, refer to the Cobya font, inspired by the ocean's waves.
• Condensed fonts are great at packing a lot of words into a small space. However, they can sometimes appear aggressive.
• Sans-serif fonts consist of neat, clean lines. Serif fonts, or those with decorative lines or tapers, have saturated the graphic design industry over the years. However, sans-serif fonts are expected to make a comeback due to their minimalistic nature and reader accessibility.
• Flared fonts are a combination of serif and sans-serif fonts. They appear friendly and optimistic, making them great for family or children-oriented materials. 

Experiment with different types of fonts, and don't be hesitant to make some unique choices. 

3. Liquid Gradients

Liquid gradients are a unique twist on the popular gradient trend. However, this one looks like glossy, colorful marble.

Add it as a background or an accent! 

4. Rich Colors

Neutral colors have been all the rage. Perhaps it was to compensate for the recent chaos.

However, bold, rich colors are expected to come back, and it's time to let a little color back into the world. 

5. Memes 

Memes consist of funny pictures with witty captions. 

Although especially popular on social media, memes are expected to travel into the graphic design world. Memes are memorable because they're funny, and this comedic aspect makes them more likely to be shared among friends and colleagues. 

Graphic design trends are constantly changing. Know the projected 2023 trends so your business can remain up-to-date. 

Whether you try a trend or go with the tried and true, we are here to get your graphic designs printed! Feel free to reach out to us today!

3 Tips for Choosing the Right Flyer Font

 

When putting together a flyer, sometimes the flyer font can be overlooked. 

But, your font plays an essential role in the overall flyer design. Depending on your choice, it holds the information being shared and can convey different meanings. 

Sans-serif vs. serif fonts

Fonts can be classified into one of two categories: sans-serif or serif. 

Sans-serif fonts don’t have little lines underlining the letters, making them good for digital posters. They also tend to be bolder, making them good for headlines. Examples include Century Gothic, Verdana, and Helvetica. 

Serif fonts have little lines underlining the letters. They’re good for body text because they can be easier to read. Common serif fonts include Times New Roman and Garamond. 

Remembering the difference between sans-serif and serif fonts is important when choosing the correct font for your flyer. 

1. Readability is key!

Readability is the most crucial aspect to consider when choosing a flyer font. 

If people can’t easily read your flyer, they will not stick around to try. They’ll get frustrated and throw your flyer out. 

Stick to 10 pt and above font sizes and aim for Arial, Georgia, Verdana, and Times New Roman, as these are easier to read.

Also, be mindful of your dyslexic audience by choosing a font they’ll be better able to read, such as sans-serif fonts, especially Helvetica. With about an estimated 1 in 10 people with dyslexia, making sure your flyer is accessible may be more important than you thought. 

2. Fonts convey meaning

Various fonts add nuance to your design. 

Paying attention to these nuances can help you pair the right font with the message and goal of your flyer.

Check out the following common flyer goals and how to achieve them.

• Formal, conservative, or vintage brand: serif fonts
• High-end buyers: minimalist font
• Convey stability: Times New Roman, Arial, and Cambria
• Convey assertiveness: Impact, Rockwell Xbold, and Georgia
• Show expertise: fancy fonts
• Discount flyers: bold fonts

The little decisions, like matching the right font with your flyer, can go a long way in promoting your business. 

3. Don’t overdo it

With about 200,000 fonts worldwide, it can be easy to choose too many fonts for your flyer. 

But, too many fonts create a busy, confusing flyer design. Instead, stick to about two fonts or one font in different weights. The font’s weight includes the various ways a single font can appear. Font weights include hairline, thin, light, regular, italic, medium, bold, and black, to name a few. Never use more than three fonts. 

If you decide to use two fonts, finding the right font pair can be tricky. Many find pairing a sans-serif font for the headlines with a serif font for the body text to be a helpful guideline. 

Font selection may seem like a small detail, but it affects how your marketing is perceived. When choosing a flyer font, readability and accessibility are the most important factors. 

Whatever font you choose, we’re here to help you print your flyers so you can share your business with your target market!