In the digital age, it's easy to get so consumed with building your brand online that you put more traditional marketing methods on the back burner. If you own a small or medium-size business, though, that's a mistake. Take poster design, for instance. They're not just for bands who want to promote their upcoming show to teens. When done properly, a well-designed poster can strengthen your branding message and dramatically enhance the impact of your marketing strategy. Posters allow an unlimited amount of creativity in design and are affordable to print. There aren't any downsides to using them, but you should keep a few things in mind to ensure maximum impact.
Content Matters
Don't just plaster your posters with large company logos. No one is going to give them a second thought. What you need to do is engage your audience and grab their attention long enough to really think about your company and what it has to offer. With that in mind, include things like brain teasers, trivia and "spot the difference" games on the posters you design. Simply giving your posters a quirky, thought-provoking message can be enough to get the job done. Whatever you do, don't be generic.
Design & Creativity
Regardless of what your company's official color scheme may be, design your posters in a way that commands attention. They need to pop out regardless of where they're posted, so use contrasting colors, bright, bold color schemes and dramatic graphics and patterns. When scanning a wall, a person's eyes should naturally gravitate to your poster. If your poster is too neutral and uninspired, a person's gaze will move right along, and the odds of them actually absorbing your message will be drastically reduced.
Branding
Your poster should include elements that enhance your company's brand and image. Be sure to incorporate your company logo in a unique and attractive way. If you have a slogan, consider including it too. At the same time, your poster should be designed so you can gauge its overall effectiveness. The best way to do that is by including a custom URL on it. You can then track visit to the URL to see whether people are acting on it or not. A well-placed QR code could be useful here too, but you should probably use a custom URL and a QR code to provide people with a few different ways to engage with your message.
Quality
When stacked up against many other marketing techniques, printing posters is just a drop in the bucket. There's no reason to skimp. In fact, you should go all-out by relying on the highest-quality poster design crowdsourcing services. When potential customers are presented with a slick, professional-grade poster, they're more likely to come away with positive impressions of your business. In turn, they're more likely to act on your marketing messages, so you'll enjoy a nice return on your investment. If your poster brings you even just a few new customers, it will be more than worth it.
Location, Location, Location
When it comes to placing your posters, location is everything. Even the most well-designed poster is going to fall flat if it's not positioned where prospective customers are likely to see it. Give some thought to the matter. Where are your potential customers most likely to be? The goal is to grab their attention at a time that prompts them to take action in the not-too-distant future.
Marketing online continues to be crucial, but it's important to remember that people are still out in the "real world" too. The right posters can make a world of difference in your marketing efforts. Through high-quality poster design, you can drive home your message and reach out to customers when they're out and about.
What do you think makes a great poster? Are you inspired you to launch your own poster design contest? Would you consider a crowdsourced poster design for your business? Let us know in the comments.
Written by Clancy Clarke on Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Clancy is the Organic Search manager at DesignCrowd. Clancy has over 7 years of online marketing experience and a passion for analytics. Get in touch via Google+.
