Design Tips, Logos & Print Ads

By Jane Atkinson-White

Tidbits on Design

Both good design and bad design have an affect on your business image – and if you want to make a positive impression, you want a good design. First impressions are made within the first few minutes of meeting.

We DO judge a book by its cover.
We DO judge people by their appearance.
We DO judge a business by its promotional material.

At a meeting, the first promo piece you see is usually a business card and/or a brochure. You had better make sure that your business card visually represents you in the initial contact. Your promotional material represents the "face" of your business – it must attract the eye, hold attention, and be easily read.

Looking for a Logo?

Logo design is a lucrative business. You can easily spend thousands of dollars. If you’re a small business owner and don’t have a lot of resources, shop around. If you choose not to invest in a logo at start-up, you should still allow for a professionally designed stationery package as part of your promotion plan.

Points to remember:

1. Try to avoid "home-brew" logos because you run the risk of presenting your business unprofessionally and your customers won’t take you seriously.
2. Logos are not illustrations. Good design in a logo is apparent when the logo itself looks simple and clean.
3. No clip art please! Clip art images are familiar to many people. Using it in a logo is unprofessional.
   

What to Expect from Print Ads

Be realistic in your expectations. Statistics on the effectiveness of print ads aren’t encouraging, yet they can have "accumulative" results. If you expect six phone calls because you had a terrific looking ad designed to run once in a local newspaper, you’ll be disappointed. What you should think about is the fact that the ad gives your business a visual presence. The reader might see your ad and later hear your business name mentioned while networking and they’ll make a connection. Together, the ad and the conversation have impact. In that person’s mind, your business image is taking shape. So, repeat the ad but continue to network, too. The old saying, "outa’ sight, outa’ mind" holds true.

Jane Atkinson-White, is the owner of Atkinson Graphics Tel: (519) 644-2786 Fax: (519) 644-2785 E-mail: atkinsonj@claven.fanshawec.on.ca This is the first part of our three-part series.

Read part two: Choosing Your Design Source
Read part three: What to Expect When Working with a Graphic Designer

Published in Networking Today, October 2000.