Issue #36
October 19, 2006

Welcome to Inside Freelance Design (IFD), your free, bi-weekly e-letter from American Writers & Artists Inc. Every other week, you can receive this special alert with secrets, tips, and insights from AWAI's graphic design pros to help you improve your skills and reach your goal of becoming a professional graphic designer in the fastest time possible.

IN THIS ISSUE:
  • How Colors Can Increase Your Package's Success
  • Quick Tip: A Fun Self-Promotion Idea
  • The IFD Mailbag
  • EXTRA! EXTRA! News and Job Opportunities
Harness the Psychological Impact of Colors for Maximum Sales Impact
By Kammy Thurman

Your prospects don't buy for logical reasons. They buy your product out of emotion. This happens when you – as the graphic designer – and the copywriter have deliberately targeted some deep psychological need the prospect already has.

Winning copy and design must work together to elicit an appropriate emotional response – maybe a feeling of pride, security, belonging … even fear or anger. This comes from understanding your prospect's wants, fears, desires, passions, and dreams.

If your copywriter has done his job well, he can tell you exactly what emotions he and the client feels are the appropriate ones for the package to target.

Your design must subtly touch on these emotions. And color is a critical player in that regard.

Here are 10 colors that carry strong emotional impact.

Red = danger, excitement. Red sparks “hot” emotions, such as fear and anger. It also revs up the metabolism and makes people feel hungry – which makes it great for food ads and restaurants.

Black = serious, heavy, deep. Put red and black together with fear-based copy and you have one scary message.

Dark blue (especially royal blue) = stability, trustworthiness, maturity. Blue is good for reassuring prospects and underscoring security. Light blues energize, but they can also feel distant and unfriendly if overused.

Note: Blue is often used in the insurance market and to promote financial services and products.

Green = positive, organic, comforting. Hunter green makes an especially strong impact since it's equated with money. It is good for projecting a successful, growing image, or for making prospects feel like they're welcome to “put their feet up on the coffee table.”

Note: Green is also often used to promote vitamins and health and fitness books and products.

White = purity, honesty, cleanliness. But too much white can seem cold and sterile. Be aware, however, that if your promotion is being sent to Asian prospects, white often signifies death in their culture.

Gray = honesty, maturity. Gray is good for projecting a stable, knowledgeable, “executive” image.

Brown = wholesome, down-to-earth. Brown encourages openness. Dark browns suggest masculinity. Light browns suggest femininity.

Yellow = brilliance, encouragement, high spirits. Yellow can set people on edge, though. Yellow on black gets attention and works well for discount sales. But using yellow for text can be a huge problem, because it is difficult to read.

Purple = youth, royalty. Pair purple with gold for an upscale, rich image.

Gold = warmth, wealth. Gold offsets and counteracts cold colors. Use it to trim jewel tones like burgundy, emerald green, or royal blue for a classic appeal.

Note: The book Color Index by Jim Krause (How Design Books) is a good resource for seeing how colors work together to enhance emotions.

So, before designing any project, read the copy several times to see which emotions it hits for you. Then talk to the copywriter to find out what his intentions were. Combining that information, decide how you're going to use colors to set just the right mood.

For example, do you want the headline to appeal to your prospect's fear? For a headline that shouts “Judgment Day Is Near!” you might use red and black.

[Ed. Note: To learn other secrets for visually capturing your prospect's emotions – and to speak personally to master designers and self-promotion experts – click this link: www.awaionline.com/graphicsbootcamp]

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QUICK TIP:Hold a Self-Promotion Contest … With Yourself
By Kammy Thurman

Without a doubt, promoting yourself to potential clients is one of the most important steps in building a successful design career. But a big stumbling block that most beginning designers face is actually doing it. It's always possible to come up with reasons why you're going to start doing it “tomorrow.”

Here's a great way to get yourself over this roadblock: Start a competition with yourself.

Make up 10 portfolio packets at a time, and give yourself a weekly or biweekly goal to have all of those packets out the door, sent to potential clients. Reward yourself when you accomplish your goal on time – perhaps by treating yourself to a special meal, going to a movie, or taking yourself and some buddies to a ballgame.

You can never send too many packets. Even though I'm booked through 2006, I still send out one or two packets each week – and that's in addition to regularly keeping in touch with clients (via e-mail or telephone) whenever I get information or a HOT tip that might interest them.

* * * * * * * * Special Announcement * * * * * * * *

Recently, Master Designer Lori Haller held a free teleconference on this year's FastTrack to Graphic Design Success Bootcamp. During the call, she gave all the details of this year's exciting new program and answered many questions you and your fellow aspiring graphic designers sent to us.

We received lots of positive feedback after the call. In case you missed it, here's your opportunity to listen to it for free: http://www.thedesignerslife.com/downloads/bootcamp06/

FROM THE IFD MAILBAG…
by Kristin Schwarz

Doug is wondering what kind of samples potential DM clients like to see. Whether you're putting together a portfolio to use at this year's Bootcamp Job Fair – or to use when applying for any DM job – you may have the same concern.

Dear Kristin,

Question: I am wondering what type of samples DM marketers typically look for from a graphic designer. Is it a package of 4-5 (more? less?) loose hard-copy samples? A postcard with samples printed on it? I guess I am not exactly sure WHAT to send them.

Doug

Dear Doug,

For DM prospects, it's best to use DM samples – like sales letters, newsletters, etc. But if you don't have any DM samples, you can use anything you have worked on in the past. You can also use your practice exercises from the Graphic Design Success program.

If you still feel that you do not have any enough good client samples, you can create some by redesigning sales letters or envelopes you have received in the mail. If you do that, include a brief explanation of why you think your design is stronger than the original. (By “stronger,” I mean why it will get more envelopes opened and sales made.) Potential clients are more interested in what you can do to help them reach their goals than in being presented with flashy samples.

If you have hard-copy samples of your work that were professionally printed, include those in your portfolio. For the Job Fair or a personal interview, you should also bring something you can leave with clients– perhaps some samples you print out. (Make sure you include your contact information on the samples.)

Don't worry if you feel you don't have all the right samples with you. You can always submit more later. Include a letter reminding the client of your interview or that you met at Bootcamp, and say that you are sending samples you think fit well with their needs.

Recently, we held a design challenge for the ATS logo. At the time, Lisa wrote in with a question about how to convert her design to grayscale:

I have finished the design for the ATS logo in InDesign. I now need to create the grayscale version of it. According to my InDesign book, I should first select the logo, and go to Filter > Colors > Convert to Grayscale. Unfortunately, I receive an error message “Gradients and patterns will not be converted.” What do I do?

When I answered Lisa, I told her to use another software program to make the change. That answer was inadequate – and I was determined to figure out a good solution to the problem. So I consulted the InDesign Help menu ... and here is what I found:

Select the object that contains a gradient or pattern in your design and go to Object > Expand. Then click OK. After that small step, go to Filter > Color > Convert to Grayscale.

That's it for today. Have a productive and successful couple of weeks.

Kristin

[Ed. Note: If you have a question or comment for Kristin, please send it to:
insidefreelancedesign@awaionline.com, Attn: Kristin Schwarz.]

EXTRA! EXTRA! News and Job Opportunities
  • GRAPHIC DESIGNER – Starboard Cruise Services is looking for a detail-oriented graphic designer to develop exciting concepts. You'll assist their design team with all aspects of design. Designers with agency experience will have an advantage. Knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite and Quark is a must. Send your resume to StarboardHR@starboardcruise.com.
  • WEB/PRINT GRAPHIC DESIGNER – PlayFirst, a leading publisher of games, needs a graphic designer to help update and maintain their marketing materials. You'll work on both Web and print projects. You must know both Flash and Photoshop. Send your resume to jobs@playfirst.com. Use “Associate Graphic Designer” in the subject line.
  • IN-HOUSE GRAPHIC DESIGNER – Brasstech Inc., a leader in luxury bath fixtures, has an opening for a graphic designer to join their in-house team. You'll work on national print ads and sales literature. You must know the Adobe Suite and Quark. Send your resume with salary requirements and work samples to marketmanager@gingerco.com.
COMING NEXT ISSUE:
  • Design for Maximum Readability … and Bigger Sales
  • Quick Tip: More Books for the DM Designer's Bookshelf
* ABOUT INSIDE FREELANCE DESIGN *

Inside Freelance Design is a FREE bi-weekly newsletter from American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

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