Every business needs a graphics department.

Southern Oregon Film and Television is a local non-profit trying to bring filmmakers into the area. In the past several years, over $3 million has been spent by film and media in Southern Oregon. They needed a brochure that would both explain their purpose to local businesses and attract filmmakers to the region. For more information, visit www.filmsouthernoregon.org.

Business cards are more than just a Rolodex entry. They are a foot in the door with potential customers. They are your most affordable piece of printed marketing. They are a reflection of your business in the eyes of the customers.

Your business card should be attention grabbing, easy to read, and something that people will want to show off … something that people will pick up several of so they can give some to their friends. A good card gets calls. A great card gets passed around.
These four business card designs were each created for maximum impact within the client’s budget. Although all the cards are art related and the layouts are relatively similar, the differences are astounding. The choices of typeface, color, and graphic elements create a unique personality for each.

Your business card shouldn’t just be a piece of paper with your contact information. It should be a design that makes people stop, look, and remember.

Many people think they can’t afford graphic design, especially in these tough times. But good design doesn’t have to be extravagant. Here’s a few reasons to either hire a designer or spend some time learning about graphic design yourself. Personally, I recommend doing both.

If your name is on it, it should look good.
I don’t know about you, but it’s pretty easy for me to get a negative impression about a business based on something small. If a plumber has an invoice that’s a 5th generation photocopy, it makes me wonder if they put the same effort into the plumbing. But just having a clean and crisp invoice makes me think that they understand that even small details are important…and I assume that they put that little bit of extra effort into fixing the pipes.

Good doesn’t necessarily mean expensive.
A new order form, invoice, or simple business card can be put together quickly, especially if you take the time to plan out what information needs to be there. Then, all your designer has to do is take the information and organize it so that it looks good, is easy to read and understand, and maintain the look and feel of your business.

Content means nothing unless people read it.
You may think that you are saving money by making your own ads, poster, or signs, but you may actually be wasting it. Just as many people only read the first paragraph of a newspaper article, they only glance at an ad unless it can draw them in. A good designer has made it a point to study color, word choice and placement, alignment and proximity of elements, and other design fundamentals that can alter the effectiveness of your materials.

Prioritizing.
Choosing what to have designed or redesigned can be difficult. My recommendation is to look at 2 aspects. First, the exposure of the material. Second, the current quality. If it is only seen by a few people, and it looks more or less okay, leave it for now. If it is seen by half the valley, or it looks like it was last updated 20 years ago, it should probably go near the top of the list.

The same goes for choosing what to have professionally designed and what to do yourself. If it is only seen by a few people and you can make it look pretty good, go ahead and do it yourself. But if it circulates to all your prospective clients, you want to make sure it looks excellent.