Every company has some type of literature – hard copy, printed articles that are well-planned and purposefully present the brand. Catalogs, brochures, manuals, posters, recruitment materials… There are a number of kinds of printed literature a company could have. Many brands provide printing services to clients to help them with their literature design and creation. Read on for things to know about hard copy marketing materials.
1. The brand should have one designated person as the “Literature Boss.” This person will work closely with the printer to make sure they have the right amount of materials when needed. Since literature will evolve along with the company, it’s important to keep a close eye on inventory so that there aren’t a ton of unused materials left over.
2. Quality photography is key. Too often, small companies and startups skimp when it comes to photography, which is a huge mistake. Low quality images are obvious and it communicates to customers that the brand doesn’t care about investing in itself. Before having any advertising materials designed, a professional photographer should be hired.
3. Each piece of literature should look like they belong together. The designs don’t have to be identical, but they should coordinate in some way. Everything should look like it’s from the same company. Furthermore, layout, design, colors, and text should look clean and simple, not confusing and cluttered. Don’t be afraid of white space! It can be used as framing.
4. Bold headings and sub-headings should be used to break up text and lead the reader through the literature. Text can also be broken up with charts, illustrations, and photos.
5. Materials shouldn’t be printed in odd sizes. Postcards, business cards, posters, flyers, and other advertising materials have designated sizes that you should stick to. Otherwise, your marketing materials may not be easy for clients to store, which means they could end up in the garbage.
6. Every photo should have a caption. Since photos usually add to the written content, their point may not be immediately obvious. Adding a caption helps to remind the reader of why that photo is important.
7. Your business literature isn’t complete without a logo and stationery collection. Whatever you have designed, you should keep it the same for a decade. A quality logo will look good in both color and black and white, it’ll produce well in smaller and larger sizes, and it’ll scan clearly.
If your job is to provide printed materials for other businesses, you’ll need a reliable printing operation behind you. This is where professional printing solutions, like the ones from Konica print management, come in.
