Getting Your Message Across In Print

This guide has been produced especially for campsite operators, outdoor activity providers and other small business managers who want to develop a strategy to give their print and promotion documents a unified and professional look, improve the visual and practical effectiveness of their own ‘in-house’ business documents, and gain a better understanding of the issues involved in the production of more complex items which require discussion between the business operator, a designer and a commercial printer.

About this booklet

1 Good business needs effective print communication

Where to start?

List all the items which might convey your messages and image

List, in a priority order, the types of groups you want to attract

Decide on the features of your business and site which you want to promote

Consider your priorities and time frame

2 Some basic principles of visual communication

Content and presentation - an essential partnership

Subliminal or nonverbal messages

Different items different purposes

3 Getting the right help

Minimising cost while maximising effectiveness

So who should you go to for advice, opinions and professional help?

Your options for printing

The economics of offset printing

4 Some things to keep in mind for any item

Attention to detail: a mark of good planning and design

Plan and check for consistency

Exercising restraint

Avoiding excesses in descriptions and claims

Choosing and using type

Expression, punctuation and capitalisation in typesetting

Photographs, artwork and other graphics

5 A closer look at specific items

Your business name

Your logo or logotype

Choosing colours

Stationery

General purpose promotional brochures 29 Magazine advertisements 31 Special promotion flyers 32 Camp information booklets 33 Maps 34 Activity sheets, programs, invitations, menus, certificates, and other handouts 35

Appendix A: More about type and layout

Choosing a typeface

Conveying a feeling with type

Type styles

How many typefaces should be used in a document, and in what styles?

Laying out type on a page

Little things that can make a noticeable difference

Appendix B: Choosing and using photographs

Ten guiding points for taking and selection the right photos for publication

Some advice on photo manipulation and 'digital enhancement’

For more information

On the use of words, abbreviations and punctuation

For explanation and examples of design of various printed items

About this booklet

Getting Your Message Across In Print has been produced especially for campsite operators, outdoor activity providers, and other small businesses who want to:

• develop a strategy for giving all their print and promotion documents a more unified and professional look which will reflect the aims of their business;

• improve the visual and practical effectiveness of their own business documents, activity sheets and promotional material, which they are producing 'in-house' by desktop computer and photocopier;

• gain a better understanding of the issues involved in the production of more complex items, such as colour brochures, which will require discussion between the business operator, a designer and a commercial printer.

It is recognised that most businesses work on fairly tight budgets. Therefore the premise underlying the booklet's approach is simply that improved design and presentation can lead to better communication, and ultimately better results and reputation for the business, without necessarily increased expense. Chapters 1-4 deal with key issues and principles involved, and give guidelines relevant to any or all of the print items which a business might want to produce.

Chapter 5 gives more specific suggestions for preparing or producing each of the items commonly required by campsite operators and similar businesses.

Appendix A goes into greater detail on using type to best effect, and on matters of style and expression in printed text. This detail will be particularly relevant to people doing their own writing and printing. It should also be applicable when proof-reading typesetting done by others.

Appendix B gives more technical detail and suggestions for taking or choosing photographs suitable for publication in brochures or advertisements. The booklet itself serves as an example of the use of modest production techniques when low cost is an imperative; with only a small print run, it has been produced on a photocopier, in the manner suggested on page 17. Because of such limitations, inclusion of copious illustrations and graphic examples was not feasible, even though these would have greatly enhanced the descriptive text.

A simple booklet like this cannot do any more than provide guidelines and hints. For anyone seeking more specific examples of designs, layouts and makeovers, or more detailed information on effective use of type and illustrations, there are many comprehensive and well illustrated books available. Some examples are suggested on page 48.

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