In the world of print marketing, a great design is the difference between a flyer that gets pinned to the fridge and one that goes straight into the recycling bin. With research showing that 94% of a customer’s first impression is design-related, you cannot afford to get it wrong. A well-designed piece of print material not only looks professional but also communicates your message clearly and effectively, guiding the reader to take your desired action.
You do not need to be a professional graphic designer to create effective print materials. By following a few fundamental principles, you can significantly improve the quality and impact of your designs. This guide will walk you through the essential rules for designing print materials that get results.
The Golden Rule: Start with Your Brand Guidelines
Before you open a design tool or choose a template, your first step should always be to consult your brand guidelines. Your print materials must be a consistent extension of your online presence. This is not the time to experiment with new colours or fonts. Use your established brand logo, colour palette, and typography to ensure your print marketing is instantly recognisable as yours. Consistency builds trust and reinforces your brand identity.
Design Principles for Non-Designers
Professional designers use a range of principles to create their work, but for a small business owner, focusing on these three will have the biggest impact.
Hierarchy:
This is the art of making the most important information the most visually prominent. Think about the one thing you want someone to know after a 3-second glance. That should be your headline, and it should be the biggest and boldest text on the page. Use size, colour, and placement to guide the reader’s eye through the information in order of importance.
White Space:
Do not be afraid of empty space. It is tempting to fill every square inch of your design with text and images, but this makes it cluttered and difficult to read. White space (or negative space) gives your content room to breathe, making your design look more professional, approachable, and easier to understand.
Readability:
Your design is useless if people cannot read it. Choose a clear, simple font for your main body text, and ensure the font size is not too small. There must be enough contrast between your text colour and your background colour (e.g., dark text on a light background). Avoid putting text over busy images.
Content is King: What to Say and How to Say It
A beautiful design with a weak message will not get results. Your content needs to be just as strategic as your design.
Have One Key Message:
Every flyer, brochure, or postcard should have one single, clear purpose. Are you promoting a 20% discount? Announcing a new service? Driving people to your new website? Trying to say everything at once will only confuse your audience.
Focus on Benefits, Not Features:
Your customers care more about what your product or service can do for them than about its technical specifications. Instead of saying, “Our vacuum cleaner has a 12-amp motor” (a feature), say, “Clean your whole house in half the time” (a benefit).
Have a Clear Call to Action (CTA):
This is the most critical part of your design. You must tell your reader exactly what you want them to do next. Do not be subtle. Use a clear, action-oriented instruction like “Call today for a free quote,” “Visit our website to see more,” or “Scan this QR code to book your table.” A strong CTA can increase response rates by over 30%.
The Technical Bit: Getting Your Design Ready for Print
There are a few technical details that are crucial for getting a professional-quality print result. If you are using a professional printer, they can often help with this, but it is good to be aware of them.
- Use High-Resolution Images: Images on the web are usually 72 DPI (dots per inch), but for print, they need to be at least 300 DPI. Using a low-resolution image will result in a blurry, pixelated final product.
- Include a Bleed: A “bleed” is an extra margin of your design that extends beyond the final trim edge. It ensures that when the printer cuts your materials to size, you do not end up with an ugly white border.
- Proofread, Proofread, Proofread: A single spelling mistake can undermine the professionalism of your entire piece. Read it over carefully, then have at least one other person read it before you send it to print.
By combining a strong, consistent brand identity with these fundamental design and content principles, you can create print materials that not only look great but also deliver real results for your small business.
About Dead On Digital
Dead On Digital supports UK small businesses with practical websites, digital marketing and smart automation that help improve and strengthen their online presence. Everything we do is focused on keeping things clear, simple and aligned with how real businesses actually operate day to day.
We believe your website and online presence should keep working for you as your business grows, not be built once and forgotten. If you are reviewing where you are now or thinking about ways to improve things online, we are always happy to offer friendly, honest advice.