Something That Catches Your Attention

One of the most common phrases I hear from ministries and clients that I design for is “I want something that catches your attention.” I understand why this is the first thought that most people have. Obviously no one wants a brochure, flier, website, etc. that is so bland that everyone just looks over it. But when you focus on making the design stand out what’s often lost is creating quality content. So just a few thoughts from a guy that works on these kind of problems daily…

• What is your message? Say it in one or two sentences. Better yet, get it down to a few words. The less words it takes to communicate your message the more effective it will be.
• Often the person with the idea or who is in charge of the ministry (or business) isn’t the best writer. As a designer, I’m not the best writer either. I’m a decent editor but that’s different than writing from scratch. Find someone who is an effective writer and spend a lot of time developing great content before you even begin picking a color scheme.
• Prioritize content. A good design naturally guides the reader through the piece from most important information to least important. I know it’s hard to say one part isn’t as important as the other, but it is. Write good content and prioritize it well and a great design concept will naturally start to form.
• Design is about communication, not about art. A design that “looks cool” or “catches your attention” but doesn’t make the message clear isn’t a good design. It might be good art but that doesn’t make it good design.
• Tell the story in a way that makes it easy for people to tell their friends. Since the best form of marketing is word-of-mouth, make it remarkable- worth making a remark about (a Seth Godin concept…not mine).

Good design is no substitute for good content. Shift your focus and I’ll bet your designs improve.

~ by Dave on June 20, 2007.