When doing up your house, don’t you pay attention to the empty-looking corner? Don’t you make the effort of livening it up with an interesting artefact or a colourful lamp?
Creating your communication material is a lot like doing-up your house. It’s about organising and optimising the available space. Just like the odd corners, which can be transformed into charming spaces with some effort, some parts of your communication material too can make a statement, if you use them well.
The footer. The website’s footer is valuable real estate, which can carry more than just your site-map or address. It gives you room to include additional points which couldn’t be crunched into the main text area. Add customer testimonials, interesting business data or a few witty lines about your enterprise. Make it more attractive with illustrations or graphics and you get full points for space optimisation.
The visiting card. Your little visiting card is an important tool to create an impression. Use it to reveal more about your company/ brand than mere name and logo. Add a quote that echoes your work ethics. Or print a small equation denoting your brand’s goal. You can even fit in a small story about your brand on the back of your card. (witeclick cards have a word grid with 10 words related to communication printed on the back of the card. It usually draws an ‘oooh’ from our audience!)
The envelope. Usually printed in staid colours, the envelope can do more than carry a letter. Perk it up with a quote. Or get visual support and liven it up with an illustration relevant to your work. It’ll stand out from the pile of papers on any desk – the first step to get your brand noticed!
Folders and corporate files. Almost essentials at corporate events, folders get minimal communication attention and are often dismissed with just the corporate logo. Turn them into conversation starters. Print the work equations (like on the visiting card) on a flap. Showcase a CSR message that resonates with your brand. For example, have an illustration on recycling and reusing if you care for the environment.
But no jargon-heavy, marketing messages, please! Save the elevator pitch for your corporate brochure and let a more easy, simple message do the trick for your brand.
Know of other communication real estate that’s under-utilised? Write in. Also tell us how to make the most out of them.
