Skip to main content

Type tells a story

by Seth Godin

If you write it down, we're going to judge it.

Not just the words, we're going to judge you even before we read the words. The typography you use, whether it's a handwritten note or a glossy brochure, sends a message.

Some typefaces are judged in a similar way by most people you're addressing (Times Roman in a Word document or Helvetica on a street sign or Myriad Pro on a website) but even when you choose something as simple as a typeface, be prepared for people to misunderstand you.

If you send me a flyer with dated, cheesy (comic sans) or overused type, it's like showing up in a leisure suit for a first date. If your website looks like Geocities or some scammy info marketer, I won't even stay long enough to read it.

Like a wardrobe, I think a few simple guidelines can save amateurs like us a lot of time:

1. Invest some time and money up front to come up with a house style that actually looks the way you want it to, one that tells the story you want to tell. Hire a designer, put in some effort. A headline font, a body font, one or two extras. That's your outfit, just like the four suits you rotate through your closet.

2. "What does this remind you of?" No need to be a pioneer (unless that's the story you want me remember). Find a combination of typefaces that remind your chosen audience of the sort of organization you want to remind them of. Hint: italic wedding invitation fonts in the body of your email remind me of nothing except other people who have wasted my time...

3. Be consistent. Don't change it when you get bored. Don't change it when your staff gets bored. Change it when the accountant and marketing guys tell you it's not working any longer.

Posted via email from Eye Say • The Web Log

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What would you do?

<script src="http://twtpoll.com/js/badge.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="http://twtpoll.com/badge/?twt=wg78ps&s=250&b=1&bt=1" type="text/javascript"></script> Posted via email from Eye Say • The Web Log
Post a Comment
Read more

Invitation to view Eye Say Design's Picasa Web Album - PLRKHRD 0001

You are invited to view Eye Say Design's photo album: PLRKHRD 0001 PLRKHRD 0001 Apr 13, 2010 by Eye Say Design http://post.ly/aCxY View Album Play slideshow Message from Eye Say Design: Update :) If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=eyesaydesign&target=ALBUM&id=5459759396252193297&authkey=Gv1sRgCNbazqfglImznQE&feat=email To share your photos or receive notification when your friends share photos, get your own free Picasa Web Albums account . Posted via email from Eye Say • The Web Log
Post a Comment
Read more

Success Metric

My wife teaches piano to buy our groceries and fund our sons ESA (Educational Savings Account). Each student gets one lesson per week, four per month. She told me last night that the things that suck the life out of her and suck the fun out of what she does are students that don’t want to be there and parents that don’t care either. I asked her how many lessons it takes for her to know that a student is not serious about learning to love the piano the way she does. She said, “I can tell after 3 lessons.” The students progress is proof that they are internally motivated to learn what she teaches them. It is also proof that there is a support person (usually a parent) that creates a supportive environment around them that is conducive to practicing, learning, and progressing. I had an idea for her business. All current students and new students will undergo a one month (four lesson) assessment period during which Kacey will decided whether or not to keep the prospective student on. Qu...
Post a Comment
Read more