Many marketers are discounting the value of printed newsletters. After all, you can post newsletter information on the web quickly and easily, so why bother with a printed newsletter?

With more and more companies cutting their printed advertising budgets and increasing their presence on the web, many company newsletters have been scrapped. Unfortunately, these companies are losing a great source of customer interest and loyalty. As more and more newsletters are moved to cyberspace, printing a professional, content rich newsletter will allow your small business to stand out from the crowd. Web newsletters may be less expensive to produce, but printed newsletters have several advantages over their web counterparts.

First, studies have indicated that the amount of spam and unwanted email is becoming overwhelming for the average consumer. Busy lifestyles and time constraints lead more and more people to push the delete button on web based newsletters, even if they initiated the newsletter subscription. There is simply too much information in their inbox for them to process.

Secondly, the way consumers read and review web content is very different than the way they process printed information. Research has shown that web based articles and newsletters are quickly scanned for information, not read completely. Most of your content will be scanned over.

Finally, web based newsletters are not retained and referred to like printed materials. Even if the information that you include in your electronic newsletter is useful and interesting, it will most likely be deleted as soon as it is scanned.

In the age of the internet, a printed newsletter can be read, enjoyed and retained by your customers. Including an offer or useful information will increase your newsletters “shelf life” and give you an edge over your electronic newsletter competitors.

Many companies use brochures to promote their products and services. Making your brochure stand out from the crowd can be challenging. Here are some simple, easy to use tips to help your brochure get noticed.

Make your cover eye-catching and intriguing. Ask a question and put the answer on the inside of the brochure. Your reader will want to look inside for the answer. Use your cover to make a partial statement that is continued on the inside portion of the brochure. Readers will naturally want to complete the thought and finish the sentence. This will lead them into your brochure.

Color also attracts attention. You may not be able to afford full color, but using one primary color and a secondary accent color is very effective. Colors in the red family are particularly attention grabbing. If you don’t want to do two colors, try using a darker and lighter tone of the same color. This color scheme is comforting and attractive. Whatever you choose, don’t overdo it and create an overly busy, harsh layout.

Consider using a gate fold for an inviting brochure. A gate fold consists of a horizontally positioned paper with both ends folded in towards the middle. This fold creates an effect that mimics double doors and is sure to get your customer to see what’s inside.

Finally, make your brochures as professional looking as your budget allows. This is a prime opportunity for your company to convey a great image and inspire customer confidence, so be sure to take advantage of it. Spend a little extra on design and printing, its an investment in your company’s future!

Professional stationery design may seem like a luxury to many small business owners, but it can be the difference between a professional and amateur image. Many small business owners simply type their name and address at the top of a sheet of copy paper, run it through the Xerox machine, and call it letterhead. Although this method is quick, easy and extremely inexpensive, the resulting product looks like every other small business owner’s handmade letterhead.

Professionally designed business stationery can make your company stand out from the crowd. After all, you want your customers to remember who you are, right? Why not provide them with a business image that is as polished and professional as your products and services. Creating visual impact and immediate recognition for your materials will foster a feeling of confidence in your customers and prospects. It will help your customers make your business their first choice.

Establishing a business image is important in building this sense of confidence and trust. Your customers are subtly receiving the message that you are a true professional and you take your business seriously.

Reinforcing this image with a consistent message is also important. Incorporate your stationery design in each communication with your customers. Make sure that your business cards, website, envelopes, newsletters, mailings and invoices all have consistent designs. Use your business stationery design in packaging your product. Consistent use of one printed image will help build your business brand, foster customer confidence, and make your business the one they think of the next time they need your product or service.

Creating an image for your company is an important step in “branding,” or making your business easily recognizable. Logo design is an important step in this process. Here are several tips for creating an effective business logo.

Keep it simple. Don’t get too fancy. The key to great logo design is creating a memorable symbol for your company. You’ll want to use your logo on all of your corporate communications, and you may want to make it much larger or smaller, depending on the application. Simple logos are more memorable and easier to adapt.

Use a common font. With computerized graphics being so readily available, choosing a font that is included in the major graphics programs will make your logo easier to reproduce even if you decide to change printers. Fonts that are fairly common are also easier to read than custom designed ones.

Limit your colors. Don’t choose more than three colors. Your business may want to print the logo on a variety of mediums, and more colors are not always better on fabric, plastic and other items. Plus, some of your logos may need to be in black and white, like fax cover sheets. Use color to reinforce your image, not make it.

Use vector graphics. Your printer is familiar with this type of graphic. Vector graphics don’t lose sharpness or detail when enlarged or reduced, an important consideration if you’ll be using your logo on signs and business cards. Once you have a design, have a professional printer use Adobe Illustrator or a similar program to create it in vector graphics.

Your logo should be the most recognizable symbol of your company. By using these tips, you’ll be sure to develop an emblem that your customers will remember!

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