Marketing

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Marketing Outreach Best Practices

• NCALL Research, July 2009

2
Introduction

• One of the most important jobs of a self-help
  agency is the recruitment of families
• Without families, the program builds no houses
  and benefits no one
• For many programs, marketing can be one of the
  most challenging tasks

3

• No matter what happens, remember these four
  rules
• Do not get discouraged
• Try something new
• Plan ahead
• Use multiple methods to market

4
Review What Has Been Done

• If this program is not new, review what has and
  has not worked in the past
• If already completed, review the Affirmative Fair
  Housing Marketing Plan
• The strategies laid out in this document need to
  be carried out for the remainder of the program
• Rural Development may conduct a review to ensure
  that this was followed

5
Motivation / Doing Good is Not Enough

• The March 21, 2005 edition of Fortune magazine
  included an article entitled The Best Advice I
  Ever Got, which included interesting and
  inspirational stories.
• Vivek Paul, the President and CEO of Wipro
  Technologies - The best advice I ever got was
  from an elephant trainer in the jungle outside
  Bangalore. I saw these large elephants tethered
  to a small stake. I asked him, How can you keep
  such a large elephant tethered to such a small
  stake?

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• He said, When the elephants are small they try
  to pull out the stake and they fail. When they
  grow large, they never try to pull the stake out
  again. That parable is a reminder that we have
  to go for what we think we are fully capable of,
  not limit ourselves by what weve been in the
  past.

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(No Transcript)
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• This tale speaks to how we are as nonprofit
  employees
• The tether represents our expectations, our small
  budgets, our inexperience and our lack of having
  other local nonprofits that really raise the bar
  in marketing

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• We know we have a great product, right?
• Families that couldnt afford it any other way,
  get a home of their own
• We tend to just put out some information about
  our program and sit back and let interested
  persons come to us
• We think that the people who need housing will
  come
• This strategy doesnt work so well

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• Doing good is not enough!
• We have to make people want to join our program.
• We need a plan!!

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• Think about this in terms of going to a doctor
• Shouldnt we all get regular check ups from a
  doctor? Probably But how many people do that?
  Not many
• We usually call for an appointment with a doctor
  when there is a problem
• We call when we are motivated by being sick and
  requiring help
• Motivation - We have to make people want to join
  our program

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• How about in terms of going to the dentist?
• Not many people enjoy going to the dentist
• Surprisingly these days, kids do, dentists have
  motivated them to want to go back
• They probably dont care too much about having
  their teeth cleaned
• They want to go because they get floss,
  toothbrushes, they get to pick the flavor of
  rinse and paste that they use and at the end of
  the appointment they get to pick out a prize from
  a basket. That sounds like fun, doesnt it?

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• Self-help groups dont need a prize basket
• But, we do need to figure out what will make
  people WANT to get involved in a self-help
  housing program
• What will inspire them enough to put themselves
  through all of the work and dedication that it
  takes to be involved with this program?

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• Telling someone they need our product is not as
  effective as finding out what they need and
  showing how our product meets that need
• It's the difference between taking an
  educational approach -- laying out all the facts
  and hoping that people make a rational decision
  -- and a marketing approach -- persuading people
  to choose our product because it helps them to be
  the kind of person they want to be
• This will take work

15
Develop a Marketing and Recruitment Plan
16
Introduction

• To be successful, there needs to be a plan
• The rest of this manual is dedicated to breaking
  down these steps and providing ideas
• Allow enough time to accomplish each step
• After the plan is finished ask...Am I getting
  the most effective message to the most potential
  families in the most economical way?

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• A marketing plan should contain
• Executive Summary
• Business Overview
• Target Market
• Goals
• Marketing Strategies
• Implementation Tactics
• Budget
• Evaluation of Results

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• A Sample Marketing Plan and blank forms that will
  help you create your own are available in the
  Guide!

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I. What do you want to accomplish?

• List at least 3 goals (short-long term, best
  possible results)
• Consider factors working for you
• Consider factors working against you

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Goal By When 1. Have 10 families approved
for the first group before November 2009
submitting the Final Application 2. Have 10
families approved for the rest of the grant
November 2010 3. Have 20 families on the
waiting list for the next grant September
2011
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What outside factors might help or hinder ability
to achieve goals?

• Goal 1
• Have 10 families approved for the first group
  before submitting the Final Application in
  November 2009.
• Outside factors working FOR you Outside factors
  working AGAINST you
• Not much available housing for New program no
  one low income families has heard of it can
  it be done?
• New program new opportunity
• Not much funding
• Supportive agencies
• No experienced staff
• Poor credit history

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• Goal 2
• Have 10 families approved for the rest of the
  grant on November 2010.
• Outside factors working FOR you Outside factors
  working AGAINST you
• Propectives can see that it is Families in
  first group
• possible may not be cheerful
• Input from first group on how to
• improve Community may put
• stigma on low income
• Funding is available housing

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• Goal 3
• Have 20 families on the waiting list for the next
  grant in September 2011.
• Outside factors working FOR you Outside factors
  working AGAINST you
• Can show finished homes and First grant may have
  had proud families problems
• Can be done Keep an eye on family
• availability
• Community may have heard

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• Try to overcome the factors working against you
• Educate local agencies and employers that may
  help
• NCALL can train your staff
• Hold one-on-one credit repair classes
• Use the factors working for you to your advantage
• Revise goals if necessary to make them realistic

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Goal By When 1. Have 8 families approved
for the first group before November 2009
submitting the Final Application 2. Have 10
families approved for the rest of the grant
January 2011 3. Have 22 families on the
waiting list for the next grant September
2011
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II. Who is your target market?

• Describe potential clients as much as possible
• In order to get this information
• Survey those who respond to marketing
• Survey clients in your agencys other programs
• Ask other social service agencies for help
• Write down what you now know about them (Be as
  specific as possible)

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• Include their
• Values and motivation, places of employment,
  where they live, where they shop, eat, what they
  listen to and read
• Where is the self-help programs target market?
  Are they at work, church, home, clubs, PTA, etc.
• What radio stations do they listen to? What
  programs, what time of day?
• What papers do they read? What sections on what
  days?
• What stores do they go to and when? (Laundromats,
  car shops, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.)

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Partial Sample List

• Works at local factory, Wal-Mart, hospital
• Shops at Super Fresh, Wal-Mart, 7-11, TJ Maxx,
  Target
• Lives now with relatives, in apartment, rental
  home
• Reads Sunday newspaper, weekly community paper,
  free shopper
• Listens to WKIS and WHLP
• Watches WMNY, WRTV, and WBAL

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• Attends area churches (list)
• Children go to Central School District
• Belongs to Moose Lodge, Kiwanis Club, Moms Groups
• Likes bowling, fishing, going to the park
• Values family, pride, independence, security

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III. How are you going to market?

• Review information from previous list
• Brainstorm with others
• List possible methods

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Partial Sample List

• Community Meetings
• Ads and PSAs
• Newspaper Coverage
• Speak with Local Employers/ Organizations
• School District
• Find community supporter who will help market
• Special Events
• Signs
• Contact organizations, employers, churches, radio
  TV stations, newspapers...etc. Let them know
  about the program and find out how they can help
  get the word out.
• What are the costs and are there other free
  methods available?

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Develop Your Message

• This area needs to get a lot of your focus
• Before the media is contacted or brochures are
  developed, you need to know what it is you want
  to say
• Dont forget the equal housing opportunity logo
  or symbol that must appear in all advertisements
• The message is not and should not be intended to
  tell everything about the program
• Needs to interest them enough to take action

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• Messages need to be designed to achieve goals
• A winning message takes into account what will
  work with the audience to build support, this
  does not mean restating your goals
• It means making your case in a compelling way

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• According to Billy Shore of Share Our Strength,
  Non profits suffer from literal sclerosis.
• They are so literal about everything that they
  dont translate things into language that people
  can understand.
• Everybody else in communications makes big bold
  claims for things they dont really know.

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• The best part of waking up is Folgers in your
  cup. Is that really the best part of waking up?
  
• As a nonprofit we are more likely to argue this
  last question for weeks, hold a summit on it, and
  then decide that we cant make that claim without
  more documentation. We would end up outlining the
  numerous physical and psychological benefits of
  caffeine ingestion when trying to get going in
  the morning, supported by data and charts. One
  method sells coffee the other puts people to
  sleep.

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• A good example of an effective message can be
  seen in the Texas anti litter campaign
• The goal of the Dont Mess with Texas campaign
  was to keep Texas beautiful and save tax
  dollars
• The campaign message worked because it hit a
  chord, one of state pride, with the target
  population of litterbug macho males 15-24 years
  old
• Lets put litter in its place! would not have
  been as effective

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• Mission - Based Marketing

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• A great resource for ideas about nonprofit
  marketing is the book Why Bad Ads Happen to Good
  Causes by Andy Goodman. Some of his tips for an
  effective message are
• Capture the readers attention
• Make an emotional connection
• Write a headline that offers a reason to read
  more
• Use pictures to attract and convince
• Make it readable
• Test before, measure after
• When everyone zigs, its time to zag (Dont be
  afraid to try something new and unexpected)

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This is an example of a very ineffective ad.
There is way too much writing and not enough
impact.
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Very effective.
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Again, very simple and effective. Really conveys
a sense of urgency.
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This ad definitely gets your attention and evokes
an emotion.
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• The previous ads definitely make an emotional
  connection
• Try to do something similar in your self-help
  housing marketing
• Ask NCALL for help with creating ads if you get
  stuck

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Why would they WANT this new home? We have to
make them want it!
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Creating an Emotional Connection

• Why would people WANT to join a self-help
  program? Why would they WANT this new home?
  Create an emotional connection.
• Independence
• Safety
• Security
• Pride
• Respect
• Joy
• Love of their children

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• Those are the things we must market.
• What will your new message be?

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• Following are some more tips to help in
  developing your message
• The five elements of a message are
• 1) Attract Attention
• 2) Stress Advantages Benefits of Self-Help
  Housing
• 3) Prove what you say is true
• 4) Persuade
• 5) Ask for action

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• 1) Attract Attention
• To attract the attention of a passerby or a
  newspaper reader an attention getter is needed
  to create interest.
• Build your dream
• We know you care about your familyso do we
• You deserve a home of your ownwe can help
• You can say with pride I did it myself
• Ask me how to join the 24,000 club!
• Own a home and pay less than you pay now in rent

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• 2) Stress Advantages Benefits of Self-Help
  Housing
• As discussed, the message should be directed at
  what the families need and/or want, not just what
  the program provides

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• Ask, What qualities and characteristics make the
  home attractive and what do the participants get
  out of it personally? Why would they want to do
  this??
• -Product - the home itself
• -Price - the low cost of the home, the low
  interest rate and the money they save
• -Self - learning skills, improving their life
• Make a list and prioritize it according to the
  most important to the potential families

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Possible Benefits and Advantages

• Self
• Learn a trade
• Build self-esteem
• Self reliance
• Security
• Pride
• Joy
• Love of children
• Privacy

• Product
• New home (no repairs)
• Good quality construction
• Energy efficient
• Good location
• Sized for needs

• Price
• No downpayment
• Low monthly payments
• Moratorium
• Based on income

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• 3) Prove what you say is true
• Four ways to prove your message is truthful
• Testimonials - someone that has gone through the
  program in the past speaks of its benefits
• Comparative quality - comparing the homes that
  will be built with other homes in the area

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• Reputation - If the organization has a good name
  in the community, use this to get interested
  applicants to believe in the program
• Successful performance Once the program has a
  positive track record, people can be shown how
  well a self-help program works and how nice the
  homes are

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• 4) Persuade
• Get potential families to grasp the idea that
  they too can enjoy the benefits and rewards of
  becoming a homeowner
• This is a large task because many never thought
  that homeownership was a possibility, it is with
  Self-Help Housing!

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• Consider what difficulties will your message have
  to meet and overcome
• Believing that they can actually become
  homeowners
• Believing they can build their own home
• Waiting for the catch
• Having poor credit history (Help guide them with
  steps to improve their score, then follow up!)

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• 5) Ask for action
• Ask the public to make a decision and act on it
• What specific action do you want people to take?
  Ask them to
• Call today
• Come by the office
• Attend a community meeting
• Mail in a coupon
• Make an appointment
• Come to an Open House

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• Make it easy
• Have a pocket of informational cards on a poster,
  tear off numbers on a flyer, the phone number on
  a TV ad, or the date, time and location of an
  informational meeting

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Implement the Plan
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Implement the Plan

• This part of the Marketing Plan addresses the
  What, Who, When, How Much
• Choose steps
• Determine budget
• Assign responsibility
• Set deadlines
• Review weekly

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Implement the Plan

• Step Responsibility Deadline Budget
• Brochures Posters Jill Printed by June 1 400
• Continuous distribution
• Radio PSA Co-worker June 15, weekly 0
• Newspaper Ad Co-worker July 1, monthly
  50x4200
• Newspaper Article Jill July 1 0
• Hold community Jill July 10 Aug. 15 40
• meetings for
  Refreshments
• Speak to other nonprofits Executive
  Director Ongoing 0
• CAP agency June 15
• United Way July 8
• Local Shelter Aug. 1
• Speak to local employers Executive Director Sept.
  15 0
• Put letters into paychecks Jill Oct. 1 0

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Recruitment Methods
63
Introduction

• There are many ways to get the message out
• There is no such thing as one method being
  superior to another
• What works in one area may or may not work in
  another
• Try many different ways until you find several
  that work well
• The following slides review some possible methods

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Internet

• Create your own website
• This is a safe way potential clients can look up
  info about your program and agency once they
  discover it
• You control the message here
• Put up photos and testimonials
• Post brochures that can be printed
• Include plenty of contact information
• Blog about your agency and its issues
• Use Facebook and Twitter networking to spread the
  word about your programs

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Newspapers

• Daily papers, community weeklies, and weekly
  shoppers should be evaluated for reaching the
  target market
• Paid and free advertising positioning is
  critical
• Sports section might be great, but not real
  estate section
• Classified ads work great in some areas
• Activities announcement can be used for community
  meetings
• Feature articles - provide full coverage at no
  cost
• Public interest story on potential builders,
  actual builders or previous builders to give the
  program positive press, how owning a home has or
  will change a familys life

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Radio

• Ask the station for its target audience and
  segmentation according to time
• Morning programs usually have a larger target
  listening area
• Paid and free advertising available
• Free talk shows, interview shows, classified ad
  shows, public service announcements (PSA), spot
  radio ads are all possibilities
• Local stations may have talk shows where you
  and/or Rural Development could be a guest

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Television

• Self-help program could be featured on the local
  news, local community forum type programs, or
  mentioned through a PSA

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Flyers, Posters, Handouts

• Develop simple, easy to read, attractive flyers
  for public distribution
• Display them at Rural Development offices,
  stores, laundromats, CAP agencies, social service
  agencies, community bulletin boards, post
  offices, and utility offices
• Should be simple, attractive, and informative
• NCALL is available to assist grantees
• Contact jlordan_at_ncall.org for more information
  and assistance
• Also see chapter Developing Marketing Materials

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Direct mailings

• Can be expensive compared to other methods
• With the right list it can be more rewarding than
  a newspaper ad
• Rural Developments waiting list, church mailing
  lists, or waiting lists for subsidized rental
  housing could all be used
• A less expensive method could be enlisting the
  assistance of social service agencies, AFDC
  agency, local employers and the like, to stuff
  flyers into their mailings and/or paycheck
  envelopes

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Community Meetings

• Holding a community meeting brings a number of
  people together to explain the self-help program
  and its requirements
• Slide shows and videos can be used to help the
  potential families visualize what the program
  entails
• Can be at your agency or present at another such
  as Kiwanis, JCs, breakfast or lunch clubs

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Trade shows, human service fairs, mall exhibits

• Consider having a booth at the local human
  services fair and other events
• While these may be a good way to see a lot of
  people, consider the time and effort taken
  compared to reaching the target market
• Are the potential families going to be at the
  location where you are setting up?

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Organizations, HeadStart Centers etc.

• Colleges, trade schools, migrant education
  centers etc.
• Community Action Agencies know how to reach the
  target population
• Other contacts local community development block
  grant programs, housing authority etc.
• Pass out newsletters, flyers, or accept speaking
  engagements to explain the program
• Meet with social service agency councils
  (inter-agency) to share the Rural Development
  program and explain process
• Write to all social service agencies concerning
  the availability of funds and income guidelines
• Invite their clients to apply

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Churches

• Meet with local ministerial associations
• Great way to disseminate information in the
  community and rural areas
• Post announcements in church bulletins,
  newsletters, or on bulletin boards, talk to
  congregations, challenge churches to sponsor
  potentially eligible families within their
  congregation

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Local Governments

• Local governments may be able to provide leads
  and referrals of potentially eligible families

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Local Employers

• Find employers that have a pay structure that
  supports the 502 program's income guidelines
• Educate employers and ask their assistance in
  reaching workers
• Post promotional material on bulletin boards or
  in paycheck envelopes
• Conduct a special meeting, or set up a table in
  their lunch/break room

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Billboards / Outdoor Advertising

• Cost of a billboard may be prohibitive but its
  worth looking into
• An important part of business marketing
• Effective means of advertising an organizations
  programs and services
• Why consider using a billboard?
• Outdoor advertising is typically available even
  in very small towns
• Provides direct marketing right down to the
  neighborhood level
• Public service message space may be available
  because outdoor advertising companies dont want
  to have signs with no message

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Other

• Contact members of low-income apartments, arrange
  to pass out literature and host a tenants
  meeting to see if anyone is ready and willing to
  move on to homeownership
• See if letters can be sent to persons on the
  waiting list for subsidized rental housing

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• Word of mouth can be powerful
• More focused by sending letters to current
  borrowers, saying you are seeking more clients
  and ask them to spread the word
• Twitter or Facebook social networking websites
  may help if you think your clientele is involved
  with them (FREE!)
• Meet monthly with a core group of social service
  representatives - brainstorm on how to reach the
  target market

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Research

• See the marketing guide for two questionnaires
  that may help
• Market Research Use this to discover which
  methods of recruitment have worked best
• Recruitment Survey Use this to determine the
  best ways to reach the target market
• Develop a response tracking spreadsheet

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Tips for Using Different Media
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The News Release

• Although simple in structure and style, the news
  release is a major vehicle for communicating with
  the media
• A better understanding of its purpose, design,
  and uses, can improve the chances of getting
  published
• In order to get your message out, you will want
  to contact the local media, but how?

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• Use the following guidelines
• Decide on the message - Why is it of interest to
  the public
• Select the media - The message and intended
  audience determines the publication
• Put it in writing - Prepare a properly written
  release (See Content and Structure sections)
• Mail to the right person
• Mail by the deadline
• Send a thank you note for any publicity the
  agency receives

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Content of the Release

• Familiarize yourself with local publications.
  What do they print and who is there audience?
• Select information of interest to a large part of
  the publications readership. Age, income,
  geography, activities, etc. of the general public
  are some characteristics to consider.
• Remember the 5 Ws -- who, what, when, where,
  why, and sometimes how. (see Structure) Be sure
  they are all in the story.

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• Keep it brief Include the important information
  nearest the beginning and use only details that
  are absolutely necessary.
• Write in a simple, factual style Avoid creative,
  clever or overly wordy sentence structures.
• Avoid opinions unless they are attributed to a
  person mentioned in the article (i.e. The
  effects would be devastating, according to Jane
  Doe, Executive Director.) As the writer, do not
  insert your own opinions.
• Dont assume what a person would think or say
  Contact them directly for an answer

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• Be accurate Make certain of all of your facts,
  such as dates, times, locations, names or titles.
  Be careful when you use figures or statistics.
• Put a hook in your story This is what makes the
  article of interest or newsworthy. Is this a new
  program? Is it the first of its kind? How is it
  unusual? Are you offering solutions to a problem
  in the community?

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• Names The first time a name is mentioned use
  their first and last name after that, refer to
  them by their last name
• Photographs help to provide more interest and
  information to a story
• Make sure the photos are clear and high in
  resolution
• Identify any people in them
• Do not send a photo you wish to have returned

87
Structure of a News Release

• When its all said and done there are just two
  simple rules for writing your own news stories
• Rule 1 -- Keep sentences and paragraphs short
  and clear
• Rule 2 -- Place all of the facts at the
  beginning of the story with quotes, expendable
  details, and other information in the middle and
  the end

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• The first rule speaks for itself - Ideally, news
  story sentences should be 16-21 words long
• Paragraphs rarely more than three sentences -
  often one sentence constitutes an entire
  paragraph
• Make every word count - Choose action words that
  convey a message, describe a situation, or carry
  weight

89

• The second rule, placing vital facts in the first
  paragraph, is called the inverted pyramid
  because news stories can be drawn to look like an
  upside-down triangle
• When writing a news release, start with a
  headline and incorporate the two rules
• Sample news releases can be found in the Guide

90
When the Media Calls

• What happens when a reporter contacts us?
• May be calling in response to a news story from
  the national media, seeking a local angle
• Self-help agency may have been chosen as the
  focus for a featured social issue
• Wonderful opportunity for the agency
• Be an articulate agency spokesperson
• Requests from the media do not often allow much
  time to prepare and interviews are usually short
• Say it right the first time

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• Be a relaxed and effective representative
• Before an interview begins
• Know the identity and affiliation of the reporter
• Determine the reason for interview
• If you are not the right person to talk with,
  refer the reporter to someone else
• If you dont know how to answer a question, say
  you dont know
• Offer to get the information quickly and avoid
  incorrect or rambling uncertainties

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• If possible, develop a list of key points you
  wish to make during the interview
• Too busy or need time to prepare? Find out the
  publications deadline and arrange to call them
  back
• Refuse to answer certain questions when they
  violate confidentiality rules, legal
  restrictions, or agency policy
• Explain your refusal clearly and politely

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During the Interview

• Work in a quotable quote
• Dont hide the truth or attempt to hide problems
• Present them as positively as possible
• Talk about what is being done to correct
  shortcomings and stress the plans underway
• Personalize your answers - Use anecdotes,
  illustrations, and personal accounts
• Avoid agency jargon
• Only state your agencys position, not yours
• Be sure what you say reflects official agency
  policy or guidelines
• Rephrase any negative or objectionable questions
• Always reply positively and use your own words

94
On the Radio

• Radio, since it is a voice only, electronic
  medium, has some special considerations
• Your voice projects your entire image
• Your appearance is still important, your
  confidence is increased when you look your best
• Good posture aids your voice
• The microphone may intimidate you, but speak into
  it as if you were talking with one person
• Vocal problems like a hissing S or popping
  Ps may be reduced by speaking slightly above
  it or off to one side
• Live call-in programs If invited to appear on
  one, inform family, friends and co-workers so
  they can phone in relevant questions

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The Television Appearance

• Your appearance is important
• Your attire helps project the image you want
• Avoid certain colors and color combinations that
  may appear busy and distracting
• Color opposites such as red/green, blue/orange,
  or yellow/purple should be avoided

96

• In the studio Speak conversationally
• In a guest editorial (where you appear alone to
  present an opinion) speak directly to the camera
• In a group appearance give your attention to the
  host and other guests
• Filming on location, requires a quiet room with
  enough space for a camera crew as well as the
  interviewer and yourself
• Make sure to record the program for later
  marketing

97
10 Tips to Getting an Article Published

• Be proactive in submitting material for
  publication - Assign someone to get your news
  out!
• Do your homework - Review the newspapers website
  or other printed brochures
• Many newspapers share information on how to get
  published and whom to contact (Your ad
  representative may know who)
• Build a relationship with the appropriate contact
• Find out how the paper prefers to receive
  material (i.e., fax or email, file formats for
  photos)
• Understand the non-traditional or niche
  publications put out by the paper

98

• Put contact information on press releases and
  check spelling and accuracy
• Remember to be timely - Find out how much notice
  is needed
• Persevere - If you dont get published the first
  time, keep trying!
• Consider using the Opinion Editorial forum to
  convey news
• Have a good idea and know why the paper should
  cover it!

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Can Your Paper Help?

• In one local area, the newspaper holds two
  meetings per year for nonprofits and community
  organizations specifically to help train them on
  how to get published in their paper
• The attendees ask questions about the paper and
  are introduced to appropriate reporters
• Check with your local paper to see if they have a
  similar program

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• Getting the word out is an important task that
  needs our focus
• It can be done with some dedication!

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Developing Marketing Materials
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Marketing Materials

• NCALL recommends having the following marketing
  materials
• A good quality brochure - briefly explaining both
  the organization and the self-help program
• A cheap flyer for mass distribution
• Mail it, hand it out, hang it up, leave it
  wherever prospects congregate
• A flyer, printed on one side of a letter-sized
  sheet is among the least expensive, easiest to
  produce, and hardest working marketing tools
• Posters
• Can be similar to the flyers, but larger, on
  heavier paper, maybe have a tear off phone number
  
• A few starter sample ads

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• All of these items should look professional and
  carry the branding and message of your agency and
  the self-help program
• Most times this branding will consist of a
  company logo, using certain fonts or colors and a
  tag line

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Marketing Material Mechanics

• The graphic layout and design of the materials is
  important. Several elements of good design
• Contrast
• Adds visual interest to a page
• Helps create hierarchy of information so the
  reader can scan the important points and
  understand what the brochure is about
• Use contrast in the typefaces, colors, spacing,
  size of the elements, etc
• Contrast is effective if it is strong
• Repetition
• Repeat various elements in the design to create a
  unified look
• Repeat use of colors, typefaces, spatial
  arrangements, and bullets

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• Alignment
• Very important and the lack of it is consistently
  a problem
• Strong, sharp edges create a strong, sharp
  impression
• A combination of alignments (using centered,
  flush left and flush right) can sometimes look
  sloppy or weak
• Proximity
• Grouping similar items close together is
  especially important where you have a variety of
  subtopics within one main topic (like in a
  brochure)
• How close and how far away items are from each
  other communicates the relationships of the items
• To create spatial arrangements effectively, you
  must know how to use your software to create
  space between the paragraphs

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Some Other Tips

• Use photographs to tell the story
• Use a delicate hand
• People new to design tend to make text and
  graphics too big and/or too bold
• Keep the layout simple
• Limit yourself to two fonts
• Use illustrations that build on the message
• Organize the page with boxes and borders
• Establish a center of attention

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• White space is your friend
• The message can get lost in clutter if it is too
  busy
• Stick with it
• If your story is clearly and effectively told,
  dont change it for changes sake
• To repeat viewers, your message becomes
  increasingly familiar in their minds

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• NCALL would be happy to help!
• Contact us for samples or assistance creating
  promotional items.

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The End!