There are three responses to a piece of design yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for. ~ Milton Glaser

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1 Making Your Direct Mail Pieces Noticeable Understanding Basic Design Skills to Catch Your Customer's Attention Dr. Charles T. Weiss Clemson University There are three responses to a piece of design yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for. ~ Milton Glaser It s through mistakes that you actually can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good. ~ Paula Scher 1

2 5/18/15 Something to start us off As a side note This seminar is a culmination of research and thought, it is not meant to be an advertisement, nor is it meant to be the end all. Material has been referenced for you to find the source. Design is constantly changing, what I feel is poor design may be great design in the eyes of others, so take all of this with a grain of salt, and remember it is all about your customers and return on invesment. This presentation includes a broad range of examples and is not meant to put any design in a negative light. 2

3 Keep in mind, design is in the eye of the beholder But, some designs are more obvious than others This presentation will include many different designs, and you are encouraged to make your own decision on their success or failure On Another Note Design is only one aspect to a successful direct mail campaign. There are many other considerations including: Data Budget Desired results Being Able To Track Results 3

4 But An eye catching design may keep your direct mail piece from being thrown into the trash (or recycled) right away And help your company s direct mail campaign succeed. Direct Mail Campaigns Can be pricey, but the results are what matters. That is why it is important for you to be aware of the design and be involved in the process, and have a budget to work with. It is also important for you to track your results and determine your ROI. If you have a friend who says they can do it for cheap, just remember, usually you get what you pay for. 4

5 How much did these cost $35.00! $33,000! Zero! Starting simple 5

6 Starting simple Starting simple 6

7 Starting simple Starting simple 7

8 Starting simple Just Say No Comic Sans ALL CAPS 8

9 Remember Your direct mail piece has to catch their attention quickly... It then needs to hold their attention And then create some business for you! It also has to make it easy For the customer to respond For the customer to understand the piece and what you are offering or selling. And be an effective advertiser for your company/promotion in general! 9

10 Some Design Examples Some good, some bad You decide Simple Design Colors Work Together 10

11 Way Too Much Going On Hard to Follow Info Simple Design Colors Work Together But, Are Colors Too Muted? 11

12 5/18/15 Simple Design Colors Work Together Relevant Simple Design Unique Relevant 12

13 5/18/15 Design on right is catchy Too much text Lost customer Simple To the point Memorable 13

14 More Examples The Key To Successful Design Be involved Whether it is you doing the direct mail design work, or if you are hiring out the service, be a part of the process Don t be afraid to stop, and rethink Don t be afraid to voice your opinion 14

15 Don t Be Afraid To Say NO Remember it is your business Your money Your success Your failure Your bottom line Your ROI The Bottom Line Design costs money Good design may cost more Bad design may cost you even more You get what you pay for 15

16 5/18/15 Initial Steps Determine your budget for design services Do you want to do it in-house or outsource? Consider the pros and cons of both. If it is in-house who is taking the lead, who is in charge, and who is going to make the final decisions? If it is outsourced, who is the firm/agency you are going to use? Why? Who is going to make the final decisions? The biggest question to ask is, why are you doing it one way or the other? 16

17 Keeping it In-House Do you have existing employees that can handle the design work? How do you know? Do you trust them with your direct mail design work? Why? What is your budget for software, printers, etc.? Remember - you get what you pay for. Sending Design Out Why are you outsourcing it? Who is going to do your design work? Agency? A freelancer? A small firm? Why? Word of mouth? Online reviews? Price? Remember - you get what you pay for. 17

18 7 Essentials of Graphic Design 1. Research 2. Typography 3. Contrast 4. Layout 5. Grid System 6. Identity Design - Logs and Logotypes 7. Critique and Analysis 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) Research Start here What is the story you want to tell with your direct mailer? What do you hope to accomplish? Who do you want to connect with? Are you trying to sell an item? Sell a service? Sell an event? Get the details figured out here. Define your goals when you START the process, do not define them along the way. 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 18

19 Research Strategies Question and Answer session. Who, what, when, where, how, why? Find existing examples of what you hope to accomplish. Not to steal, but to borrow ideas Do not always have to start from scratch Create your scenario of the outcome. What is the end result of your design work? 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) Typography Typography = the artful representation of words Why is this essential? Readability Legibility Necessary information 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 19

20 Typography Can you read this? Can you read this? Can you read this? Can you read this? CAN YOU READ THIS? Can you read this? Can you read this? Can you read this? 20

21 Typography Don t use more than 2 typefaces without a good reason History of this starts with the use of sans serif for headlines, and serifs for body text If you use more than 2 typefaces make sure they contrast enough Don t use Arial and Helvetica Don t use Times New Roman and Garamond 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 21

22 Readability If your type is not readable it is not being successful Keep your audience in mind Younger or older readers College age Professional 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 22

23 Legibility Applies to letters, words, and paragraphs Type selection should not get in the way of readability Reading legible type is effortless, and your diret mail piece should make it very easy for the customer to read the information quickly

24 Contrast Doesn t just make the design visually engaging It can also be the prime organizing factor for the information in the design Contrast can provide a hierarchy of ideas/elements Contrast can be achieved through color, size and many other elements 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 24

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26 Layout Layouts provide the map of the design Designers need to show viewers their final destination A good layout guides the viewer in an clear manner Provides a clear hierarchy of ideas Is clear and concise in its message 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 26

27 Layout - Balance Symmetrical - Formal Asymmetrical - Informal 27

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31 5/18/15 White Space White space is the blank space, the empty space, between your content. Many people think this empty space is just a opportunity waiting to be exploited, eagerly awaiting the chance to cram as much content as possible into what s left. If this is how YOU feel stop. White space is our friend 31

32 5/18/15 Sequencing - Rhythm Imagine a movie without any close-ups or long shots, or a song in which all the notes are the same duration - it would be painfully boring and artificial. The world of design can be more interesting by interrupting that rhythm 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 32

33 Depth Accomplished in a 2-d design with the following: Scale Layering Foreground/Background Texture 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 33

34 Grid System Invisible to the naked eye, but essential aspect of the design process Grids give designs a solid foundation Makes the design multi-usable Creates a sense of visual consistency 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 34

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37 Identity Design Creating memorable logos and logotypes Why is this important? Also, can be applied to design in general - make it memorable to make it successful This ties directly into any direct mail piece as you want folks to remember you! 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 37

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39 Critique and Analysis Without this stage in your process the design will never improve, never get better, never increase your profits. Should track your design usage, and return on investment. Modify, update, change with the times if needed 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) Color Color sells, but who is buying? Direct mail is a printed so you need to make sure you are using CMYK color. Digital color is referred to as RGB Keep concepts like complimentary colors in mind as you work with color Also, remember colors do not always work together in a design You also might think about using your company colors in the design to help brand your campaign with your company colors 39

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41 5/18/15 Image Sources Online stock photo/image libraries No Google search No Web images without proper authorization No Web images just because they are there No Web images for your own profit Copyright/Legalities 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) 41

42 Output What is the end result? Is your design being printed in house? Out of house? Via an online company like VistaPrint? Will you proof the prints before they mail? (You should) 7 Essentials of Graphic Design by Allison Goodman (2001) Final Thoughts 42

43 Final Thoughts Final Thoughts 43

44 Final Thoughts Designs are important, but so is the content Make sure your designs are relevant to your potential customers Double check to make sure your designs are not controversial Proofread/Spell Check This includes content and things like websites and phone numbers Conclusions Design is only one aspect of a direct mail campaign Functional Data, i.e. correct addresses are essential to success Mailers must be tested/tracked Mailing pieces must be relevant and include an offer of some type Mailers must be focused and not contain superfluous content 44

45 Thanks! Feel free to contact me with questions or comments 45