Posters are an extremely versatile marketing tool.
They can be used inside your place of business to showcase products or services. They can be used directly outside of brick and mortar locations to draw customers inside. Or they can be used as a versatile marketing piece just about anywhere that has a wall.
But how do you create a unique custom poster that accurately reflects your business, and makes an impact with viewers? Here’s some helpful poster design tips to keep in mind.
1. Make sure it’s easy to read
The most important thing to keep in mind when designing a poster is to ensure it’s legible. After all, what’s the point in creating an awesome poster if no one can read what it says?
Less is more when it comes to designing a poster. One strong message that is easy to read and memorable will stick with your reader.
2. Choose a focused message
In order to make the most out of your custom poster, choose a single, focused message. You’ll often find that if you have too many competing messages, your reader won’t remember any of them.
When a poster (or any marketing material, for that matter) is overloaded with information, it’s overwhelming to read and your customer won’t bother.
3. Use colour to your advantage
Anyone with an eye for poster design will tell you that colour is a powerful tool when used correctly.
Colours are closely associated with feelings and emotions. Use this to your advantage by choosing colours that match your message. For instance, red is often associated with passion and urgency – perfect for an upcoming sale. Blue is associated with cool, steady professionalism – ideal for a bank. There’s plenty of resources online to help you choose the perfect colours for your custom poster.
4. Keep it simple
A common beginner mistake when it comes to creating a custom poster design is trying to do too much. As the grade-school cliché goes: keep it simple, stupid.
Stick to a colour palette of a few key colours that work in harmony rather than overwhelming your dispala. Ensure that any text is large and easily read, even from a distance. If you use photos, ensure they’re high-quality. Ideally, stick to one main visual per poster. Having multiple focal points can distract onlookers from your message.
5. Typography is important
The fonts you choose for your poster should first and foremost be readable. (Are you sensing a theme here?).
That means sticking to Serif and Sans Serifs for the main headline and copy. Cursive and other decorative fonts are often difficult to decipher. The average viewer is only going to give your poster a handful of seconds of their attention. If it takes added time to decode the message, most won’t bother. That said, you should absolutely use fonts to enhance your message. The right font can completely change the visual tone of your poster.
6. Don’t forget the call to action
Always remember to include a call to action. A call to action provides your customer with a crucial next step. What is it that you want readers to do after they see your poster? Should they visit your website?
Make sure the web address is clearly visible. Do you want them to shop a sale? Make it clear where the sale is taking place. Should they call for more information? You guessed it, include your business phone number.
7. Enlist the help of a designer
One of the most unfortunate mistakes that businesses make is assuming they can create their marketing materials themselves, with little or no graphic design training. If you’re not a designer (and chances are you’re not, if you’re reading this!), it’s wise to enlist the help of a professional graphic designer who can help you get your message out in a clear, concise way that will make a real impact.
The small investment could mean a professional-looking poster you can use time and again. Sure, you could design a poster yourself and save a little money, but you may be sacrificing quality and all-important conversions that would make you more money in the long run!
Need help printing or designing a poster for your business? Print Three has professional graphic designers on staff at most of our locations across Canada. Or if you already have a poster design ready to go, we can help you print vibrant wide format posters in any shape or size you need.
Find a Print Three location now.