6 Important Things to Account for Before Printing a Poster

A huge and colourful poster can easily be noticed by prospective clients. However, designed such a poster isn’t easy. Many would-be marketers mistakenly assume that being loud is the same as being attention-worthy which isn’t the case. There are some key factors which when analyzed correctly will help you to determine the best design for a poster.

This post is a guide to different criteria that play a major role in poster designing.

1. Purpose

The purpose behind printing the poster has a major influence on the design you should choose. Ask yourself a few questions first,

• Where is it going to be used?
• Is it promoting a product or an event?
• What is your target audience?

Keeping all these questions in mind will help you to devise the best-suited design and layout. If it is promoting a certain product, the design will be more image-centric with required basic details about the product and how to get it. On the other hand, if it is for an event- the venue, dates and time along with information on the event should be properly highlighted.

2. Audience

The preference of colours and design changes with age and what may be appealing to a younger generation of people may appear too loud to an older group. Determining the target audience will help you to select the colour scheme, text styles and layout such that it grabs their attention easily. Appealing to your target audience visually can be a great tool towards establishing an emotional connection with your prospective clients. Put yourself in the shoes of the prospective clients and try to think from their perspective. Brainstorm with your creative team on this matter before you finalize a design.

3. Colour scheme

Colour is the most impactful part of any poster. In general, colour plays an intricate part in our psyche which is why it can be a subtle but powerful tool in business marketing to attract new clients. The colour scheme of the poster should be chosen while keeping a few points in mind:

• The colour scheme should be strongly related to your brand and should resonate your brand name.

• The product or event that the poster is promoting will have its own specific colours. The colour palette should be chosen such that the overall look is appealing and soothing to the eyes.
• Your focus should be on grabbing the emotions of the viewers through your chosen colour, not competing in desperation for their attention.

4. Image

Designing an image-rich poster is a good way to get the attention of the viewers at first glance. However, ensure it is a well-shot and high-resolution image since it will get enlarged during printing. If it is an image with a low resolution, there is always a chance it will get pixelated when enlarged.

Here are a few ideas on using images effectively in posters:

• Use colour contrast to your advantage- consider using a background image with a full-colour bleed as the base of the poster and use a contrasting colour for text over it.
• A collage of mini-images- this can be a great idea if it is promoting an event.
• One big visual as the base and minimal text explaining only the essentials.

5. Poster material

Poster printing can be done on different materials including paper, plastic and even aluminium. The choice of material should be done based on your budget and after visualizing how the design will look. If you are sending out a general message like a new store opening or changes in the store timing or relocated store, a more durable poster will be needed and aluminium is a good choice in that case. For more flexible options that can be hung from the store windows or on walls and doors, materials like plastic and cardboard are viable.

6. Size and font style

The size of the poster impacts its visibility even from a distance. While an extremely large poster can be overwhelming to take in for the viewer at a glance, a small one will go unnoticed. Choose a size which is big enough to get noticed and has enough space to fit your entire content without cramming or compromising the font style and size.

Keep in mind that the text should be easily visible even from a distance to onlookers and interesting enough to make them stop and look at it. Split the content into sections and use headlines and subheading that are catchy. The font style must be easy to read. The right combination of the font style, text content and images can effectively get your message across.

Posters are an effective marketing tool which can establish a brand name for your company if well-designed. Before seeking a printing service, finalizing a unique and catchy design is essential. The criteria mentioned above is helpful when designing an impactful poster.