Issue #37
November 02, 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 to Design for Optimum Readability
  • Quick Tip: 2 Additions to the Smart Designer's Bookshelf
  • The IFD Mailbag
  • EXTRA! EXTRA! News and Job Opportunities
How to Design for Optimum Readability
By Kammy Thurman

Your prospect is a busy person with a thick stack of mail to make his way through. And he can be easily distracted away from your sales package.

So, no matter what format that sales package assumes – brochure, sales letter, or newsletter – you have only a few seconds to grab his interest and pull him into the message.

Because of this, you want to make sure the entire package looks … and is … easy to read. If he thinks he's going to have to put in even a little bit of effort to get through it, your reader will toss it for something else … perhaps even for a competitor's package.

Here are 8 things to watch out for to make sure that never happens.

1) Spell-checkers don't catch everything.

A misspelled or misused word will stop your reader dead in his tracks, so double-check the copywriter's spell-checker. If in doubt about the correct usage of a word, check a reliable resource like Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Watch out for offenders such as:

they're, there, & their
its & it's
our & hour
were & we're
for, fore, and four
threw & through

2) Too many boxes and rule lines look cluttered.

Boxes and rules help emphasize text, but too many make the page look messy. They also make it hard for your reader to find the most important information or to skim for items of special interest.

3) Centered text is hard to read.

Centering is fine for headlines and subheads, even for a sentence or two. But more centered text than that slows reading considerably, because the eye can't track it smoothly.

4) Too many fonts look chaotic.

Stick with one font family for headlines and subheads, and one for text. A sans-serif font for heads and subs and a serif font for text make a very readable combination.

5) Use manual leading.

Leading is the amount of space between individual lines of text. Most word-processing and layout programs have automatic leading – but automatic leading does not always give you the most readable spacing. So it may be necessary to adjust the leading manually.

Fonts with short “x” heights (such as Baskerville Old Face) take less leading, while fonts with tall “x” heights (such as Antique Olive) need more. Start the leading at two point sizes larger than your font size and adjust from there.

6) Use a single space after a period.

Using two spaces after a period is a holdover from the old typewriter days. Computer programs now automatically set the correct spacing, and if you use two spaces after a period (or a colon), it looks awkward.

7) Use “curly” quotes.

Curly quotes (also called smart quotes or printer's quotes) are nicer looking and easier to read than straight quotes. Save straight quotes for marking inches or feet.

8) Do not use hard returns between paragraphs.

Separate paragraphs by using your program's “Space Before” and “Space After” settings. If you put hard returns between paragraphs (by hitting the “Enter” or “Return” key), I guarantee the spacing will be uneven. This not only looks unprofessional, it's also more difficult to read.

Use the above checklist whenever you're dropping copy into your design, and you'll avoid common mistakes that can stall your reader … and make him put your package aside only partly read. There goes the sale!

* * * * * * * * Highly Recommended * * * * * * * *

“When I got back from this year's Bootcamp, I immediately put what I learned about effectively pricing proposals to use. It worked so well, that from 2 proposals I got 4 new jobs that I am currently working on!” Thank you! Dennis R.

You don't have to miss out on our best FastTrack to Graphic Design Success Bootcamp yet … AND you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the price!

Click here to find out more:
http://www.awaionline.com/graphicsbootcampathome/

QUICK TIP: The Smart Designer's Bookshelf
By Kammy Thurman

The following two books would be great additions to your bookshelf ...

* The CMYK Tintbook lets you predict color with confidence. Just choose a color, find the tint you want in the book (from 25,000 screen tint combinations), then plug the CMYK values into the layout program you're using. The color will print just the way you envisioned it.

It's available on coated or uncoated stock for $80 each at www.tintbooks.com. While the price may seem steep, it's well worth it to be able to get the color right the first time.

* Type & Layout: Are You Communicating or Making Pretty Shapes by Colin Wheildon. This valuable resource shows you when typography should be an invisible communication tool and when it should attract attention.
Here's what two direct-marketing experts say about the book:

Roger C Parker – “Now when you break the rules, you can predict how many readers you'll lose!”

Mal Warwick – “You need this book if you use the printed word to sell, promote, or persuade. This book has helped me and my colleagues raise hundreds of millions of dollars.”

As you've learned in the GDS program, good type choices increase readability … and marketing success. Wheildon gives you the skinny on what makes type work for headlines, newsletters, ads, magazines, and more.

* * * * * * * * Advertisement * * * * * * * *

How to Avoid Expensive Graphic Design Software Mistakes

You already know:

  • You need it to produce top quality, top paying work.
  • Once you open it, you can't get your money back.

But do you know the 8 questions you should ask BEFORE you buy?
Find out: http://www.thedesignerslife.com/buyingsoftware/

FROM THE IFD MAILBAG…
by Kristin Schwarz

Tony's got “font burnout.” Let's see if I can help him...

Help! I am in a font rut! I know in DM design we should use serif fonts for body copy. For some reason, I always end up with Times New Roman as body copy font and Arial for headlines. I would like to branch out. What do you recommend?

Dear Tony,

Falling into a font rut is easy. As a DM designer, you know that “Copy Is King” and readability is of utmost importance. So, you know to stay away from overly fancy or script-type fonts. But there are many clean and easy-to-read serif fonts. What you choose to use depends a little on whether or not (a) your client is willing to pay for something new or (b) you are willing to spend money on expanding your font library.

Here are some serif fonts you may want to try with future projects:

  • Aldus
  • Eplica
  • Palatino
  • Lucida
  • New Aster
  • Stone Serif
  • Garamond

For sans-serif fonts, try:

  • Avenir
  • Calcite (for headlines)
  • Fruitiger
  • Gill Sans
  • Phosphate Solid
  • Myriad

A great source is Veer.com, where you can see how your headline will look in any font you select. Fonts.com and Adobe.com also have many possibilities to choose from.

We would like to hear form you! What are your favorite fonts? Which fonts have you discovered that are suitable for DM design? And what is your preferred source for new fonts?

Hi AWAI,

I am happy to report I have officially started my graphic design career! I am now working on my third paid job. But I've run into the following dilemma...

My client has some visions regarding the design for his sales package that I believe are wrong for his targeted audience. What should I do? Should I just go along with what my client wants? Or should I risk making him angry by suggesting something different?

On the one hand, I don't want his package to fail. On the other hand, I don't want to be a difficult designer that nobody wants to work with.

Anita

Dear Anita,

There are many reasons your client might be asking you for a particular kind of design that you think will be a mistake. Maybe he's not very experienced with direct mail. Maybe he's using a proven formula that has worked for him in the past. Or maybe he thinks he has a “knack” for design.

My recommendation is to handle the situation with tact and professionalism by presenting him with at least 2 drafts – one draft the way he thinks he wants it, and the second draft incorporating your suggestions.

When you present your designs, say something like, “Here is the design according to your specs. I have also included a few other drafts for you to consider. Let me explain a little bit about the color and font choices I made, and why I think they will work well for this package.”

It will be clear to your client that you put a lot of research and thought into your design, and he will understand that you are trying to do the best possible job for him.

Realize that some clients are very set in their ways, so be prepared to have your alternative designs rejected. I have found that you sometimes have to earn a client's trust with a few designs before they'll let you have more creative freedom.

Never forget: Right or wrong, your client is always “right.” Good luck!

That's it for now. Best wishes to you all.

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
  • PART-TIME GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Advanced Marketing Services, Inc., a global provider of distribution services to book retailers and publishers, needs the services of a part-time graphic designer. You need to be able to work quickly to create catalog layouts and layouts for magazine advertisements. And you must know Quark or InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Send your resume, cover letter, and rate schedule to careers@advmkt.com.
  • SKILLED GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information, needs a skilled and very detail-oriented graphic designer. You must work quickly and be comfortable in an online environment. You must also demonstrate strong print skills and know Photoshop and Illustrator. Knowledge of InDesign is a plus. Send your information to jobs@edmunds.com.
  • GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Globalfit, a Philadelphia-based fitness and wellness firm, is searching for a graphic designer to work on email campaigns, Web design, and various marketing and sales materials. You must know Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Flash. Send your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to graphicdesigner@globalfit.com.
COMING NEXT ISSUE:
  • It Really Is Your Career Now
  • Quick Tip: An Easy, Fast … and Safe … Way to Send Large Files
* 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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