Key Design Principles for Effective Print Marketing

With the versatility available through modern commercial printing technology, just about any type of print collateral design is possible. However, just because something’s possible, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wise to run with it. Print marketing is marketing, first and foremost, and to work effectively it needs to be both eye catching and readily understood.

To ensure these criteria are met, we’ve outlined four key graphic design principles to keep in mind – alignment, balance, clarity, and consistency. Read on to learn more about what these principles mean, and how you can use them to create better print collateral for your organization.

When in Doubt, Remember Simplicity 

As we go into the specifics of these four principles, don’t worry if the design process still feels overwhelming. If ever you’re stuck on what to include or how to arrange your elements, remember the adage “keep it simple”. A less-is-more approach is likely to serve you well no matter what kind of marketing collateral you develop, and it’s a great way to keep your work grounded as it progresses.

Alignment

Alignment in print design helps ensure its aesthetic appeal and improve readability. Using guidelines and grids during the design process allows for easy justification and even spacing of all your elements.

Balance

There are several approaches to creating a balanced print design. The easiest is to focus on symmetry – draw an invisible line down the middle of the piece and space your content evenly on either side of that line. However, balance can also be achieved through tension, where content is intentionally weighted to one side.

No matter what approach towards balance your design takes, remember that negative space is critical. It should be given equal consideration as the active elements, so that every component of your design has sufficient room to be easily understood and distinguished.

Clarity

A clear design requires strong information hierarchy and a mindful approach to typography. Having an information hierarchy means structuring your design’s content to emphasize the most critical points. Emphasis can be created through the manipulation of the element’s position, size, and contrast.

As for typography, it’s important to choose fonts that are easy to read quickly, particularly if the goal of your collateral is to inform. Avoid fonts with heavily embellished or irregular characters. Finally, make sure you choose your font color and background colors strategically, so that they have a strong contrast

Consistency

Print collateral design requires both internal consistency and consistency with the larger brand. Internal consistency can be achieved with the use of one font for all copy elements, repetition of colors and design elements, and unified alignment of elements.

As for brand consistency, this requires your design to follow brand guidelines. Font selection, logo placement, and incorporation of precise brand colors (ideally through PMS or spot colors) all play a part. If your organization does not yet have any established brand guidelines, look to existing and previous collateral to determine the established norms.

Use High Quality Images and Graphics 

On a final technical note, remember that file size and type matter when you’re selecting which visual assets to include in your print design. Low quality images or incorrectly formatted graphics can be pixelated, blurry, and even illegible. To avoid this problem:

• Aim for photography with a resolution between 300 and 600 dots per inch (DPI).
• Use vector files for graphics like logos, charts, and illustrations when available. 

Want to elevate your print materials even further?
Learn about choosing the right paper and finishes for your marketing collateral or explore the essentials of print marketing collateral to make your materials truly stand out!