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Graphic Design Is Not and Art Form...

by Matthew Samp
 

You're gonna hate this ... if you are a designer ...

Somewhere along the line, graphic design has deteriorated from the once elegant, communicative form that existed prior to the mid 1980's to the muddled "explosion in a type foundry" mess that it is today. I'm talking about advertising graphics in general, here. Not just direct mail graphics.

And, I know what caused this debacle.

The desktop computer.

Sure, the computer is a blessing. It saves time and lowers the cost of design and production in most cases. But, for some reason, many designers think that just because they have the option to do this and do that ... coupled with the fact that it takes so little time ... they actually should do it. So, we end up with ads that have unreadable type and images that repel, rather than attract.

The purpose of graphic design in direct mail is to attract the readers attention, make the words communicate with the least effort on the part of the reader and to illustrate products and services clearly and concisely. That's all. Graphic design is not an artistic outlet for the designer. Here are a few pointers to help you get more out of your graphic design efforts.
 

You'll get better response if...

You make letters look like letters. That may sound like a no brainer, but it's something that has been overlooked by a lot of people. Don't set text type in Helvetica or Times or any other popular type face. Set it in Courier or some other font that looks like the letter came off of an old IBM typewriter. If you're dealing with a short note, you might even want to use one of the fonts that looks like handwriting. The bottom line is, a letter should look as personal as possible. Using foundry fonts kills this illusion.

You use black on white for text. Dull? Maybe to a designer. But not to a reader. Research shows that people will read letters and brochures more often if they are easy to read, and black on white is the easiest. Obviously, this does not include headlines, subheads, banners and bursts. It just applies to text copy, 12 point and under.

You do not reverse text type. Knocking text out of a colored background, especially a textured colored background, will make body copy virtually impossible to read. Just don't do it.

You make letters look personal, even when they're not. Make the signature look real. Add handwritten margin notes. Simulate a yellow highlighter to call out important copy. Do it even on form letters. It will improve response.

You give complete instructions. People will tend to do what you tell them to do. So, always give complete instructions, especially on the reply device. "Fold and tear here," "Over, please" and all the other little bits of instruction that may look moronic to you are actually important tools in achieving maximum response. Actually, a good copywriter will put this copy in his or her manuscript. But, only the artist can tell when and where they are actually needed.

You concentrate on the envelope. It is, without question, the most important component in any direct mail package. Research shows that when it comes to direct mail, you have less than a second to attract someone's attention. Acting like a little billboard, it is the envelope's job to do this. If the reader doesn't feel compelled to open the envelope, the entire mailing package is wasted. Trees die in vain. Copywriters sweat without reward. Clients fire agencies and freelancers. And the prospect buys from someone else. This is not a good thing. So, work with the writer to make sure you communicate the psychological as well as the sales content that is desired.

You play "origami" first. Before you sit down to design a package, it is best to play with blank paper, first. I call this the origami session. You fold and scribble on plain paper to make sure each piece of the package is designed for maximum impact on the reader. Figure out how headlines will cross folds, how illustrations will be displayed and how the reply device functions. This is also helpful for production. After all, it's important to make the address show through the window on the envelope without chopping off the ZIP code.

You forget about making everything match. Every designer I know has a tendency to make each piece of the direct mail package match each other piece. This is a "no, no." Each piece serves its own function and should be designed accordingly. Sure, it's O.K. to make a letterhead match an envelope. But, if you can do a better job of selling by making them different, then do so. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, corporate identity should take a back seat to function in a direct mail package. Think of it this way. What's more important? Making people think you're a nice guy? Or, getting people to buy your product or service?

You realize production cost is important. Unlike a lot of collateral, direct mail must be designed for specific production methods. Large runs are printed on huge, block long presses that turn out millions of pieces each day. Lettershops have certain limitations that effect production. And, so on. All of this should be considered before you design a direct mail package. In addition, success or failure is determined by comparing income to cost. So, watch the production costs. In most cases ... not all, but most ... keeping costs down is necessary for a successful mailing.

Yes, you can still be creative. But it's best to follow a few established guidelines first. The guidelines, after all, are proven to work. So, use them. Then figure out how to be creative in spite of them. This is the sign of a true top-of-the-line direct mail designer.
 

© 2005 Creos Direct Mail, Matthew Samp
http://www.TheSamp.com