If you’re running a small business you may not be able to afford to work with a graphic designer, but it can feel daunting if you need to create a leaflet or poster and you haven’t had design training. Our top three simple design tips for non-graphic designers will help ensure you always design the perfect piece of print.

1) Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

It seems obvious, but take time to research and prepare a design brief for yourself rather than just getting stuck in playing with colour and images. Take time to think about who the print is for, where they will see your print, how you want the print to make them feel and what important information they need to take away from it. This will help you remain focussed and give your design purpose.

2) Less is always more

You may worry that your design could look dull, but if you overcrowd it with too many colours, images and text, your print will just overwhelm and confuse your audience. Choose a complementary colour palette of 2-3 colours maximum (and ideally colours that align with your brand colours) and choose simple, clear to read fonts (sans serif fonts are ideal for this). If you do want to use different fonts, you could use one for headings and one for body text, to help contrast and break up the text, whilst avoiding the design looking too busy. Remember for flyer printing you must not crowd the page.

3) Take time out

If you feel like you’re hitting a wall with your design, take a break from it! Get some fresh air or work on another project so you can review the layout with a refreshed perspective. Make sure you get other people to look at the design in progress to get their insight too. It’s also ideal to do this with someone who isn’t familiar with what your print is promoting to see if they can quickly understand what your print is all about. If you’re still struggling, remember there are design templates out there too, so don’t be afraid to use one to help structure your design. We have a huge range of templates available to help you design the perfect poster or leaflet.

Now you have your three top tips and principles to steer your graphic design, you’ll be creating stunning print in no time! PrintUK.com