Transform your print or online work from weak to wow!

To get noticed in today’s crowded marketplace, your message cannot be boring. The “special sauce” that makes it stand out from other messages is good use of clean, graphic design, says Chad Wagner.

Two approaches to make your proposal, marketing materials or website stand out are to hire a good graphic designer or design it yourself, employing tested and true design tricks.

Wagner, owner of chad wagner design, provided an overview of good design in a session with the Kansas City IABC IndyComm group.

3 factors in hiring a graphic designer: Portfolio, experience, rate

Expect to see 8-10 pieces in a designer’s portfolio that relate to your particular needs. Ideally, have another creative involved in the discussion. Ask the designer’s specific role in the portfolio samples and in the positions the designer previously held. Set job requirements and expectations up front, in order to preclude misunderstandings.

Establish if the designer charges by the hour or by the project. If design work is to be ongoing, ask if the designer will offer a reduced rate if you guarantee a certain number of hours per week or month. For hourly work, expect to pay between $50 and $100 per hour in Kansas City.

The do-it-yourself approach: Rock your visuals

• Tool box method

Collect all of your materials before you start designing – copy, logos, photos and other graphics. You’re a collector first, an editor later. Delegate this task to another team member if you can. Depositphotos.com and shutterfly.com are good sources for affordable, royalty-free stock photos. 

• Grid structure

It’s hard to go terribly wrong when you lay out your work on a well-designed grid. Grids add structure to a design and help maintain good proportions among the elements on a page. Google “print design grids” for examples you can download.

• Visual hierarch

Size matters. Emphasize your central point with larger text set in a pleasing arrangement. 

Shape counts, too. Set your key element in an eye-catching shape, say a circle, for emphasis.

A pop of color helps. Draw attention to your key message with a single spot of color in an otherwise black and white layout.

Consider your client’s style

When designing a piece that will go to a particular client, mirror the client’s look and feel as much as you can with colors and text. Larger companies often publish their standards on their website. In early meetings with a client, bring your design partners – photographer, writer, videographer, etc. – with you.

Top trends

Wagner recommends the following for further research on design trends and examples of good design:

How

Fast Company

Inc.