Even if your brand is WEBcentric, print collateral plays a key role in driving traffic and adding value. When designing for print and for the web we must keep in mind that people learn and retain in various ways. Some will have to print each Web page to view it. They may not always have access to the internet and require print information to pass from desk to desk. Or the print piece may act as a portal to the website.

Print designs should be more simple than the web page, with fewer elements to look at. Viewers shouldn't browse around your printed piece. The goal in print is to suck the viewer in for five seconds, get your point across, then release.

AOL didn't send out installation CDs over and over again thinking that everyone would rush to their computer. They didn't package them in fancy tins or wooden boxes to throw money away. They knew that people would hold onto them. The packaging gave it value so did the perceived value of the technology. I used the CDs as coasters. What did that do for AOL? It kept their image in front of me. People still like the ability to hold something in their hand, add a sticky note and pass it on. A well designed print piece will sit on a desk longer, get added to files, and get passed along.

Print materials, like the website, are indispensible tools of business. Design matters.

Maximize your design, be consistent and repeat your message by carrying your web graphics over into:

Signage
Posters
Flyers
Statement Stuffers
Table Tents
Postcards
Billboards
Digital Signage