Marketing and communication in a pandemic
Communication has become even more pivotal for companies. Social distancing has meant that face to face interaction has lessened greatly. Effective communication has been and needs to remain a priority moving forward
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hen it comes to communicating with your audience, in the past, companies needed to create an average of seven touchpoints to showcase a product or service where that has now risen to an estimated 21! Here are a few hints and tips to help you along the way as you navigate 2021: ◆ Don’t over complicate things. Be clear on your message using facts to add credibility. People don’t trust what they can’t understand so clarity goes a long way. ◆ With heightened communication appearing from all directions make sure your message is at the right time and also relevant. Don’t waste your chance when the audience will take notice, you won’t get long to grab it. ◆ There are many platforms and avenues to choose from including newsletters, social media, and publishing, to name a few. Make sure you pick the right one and use it in
CHRIS GOODMAN
the right way. Instagram has been the number one choice for businesses in 2020 with influencers everywhere. However, remember this platform is great for B2C. If your service is B2B then LinkedIn should be your selection. ◆ Who is the receiver? If you are investing your time into a company newsletter - who will receive it? Is this going to your domestic or commercial clients? They all want to know different things. Don’t confuse your audience. ◆ The last key point to effective communication to remember is repetition. If I tell you something once you may forget. If I tell you twice you may take notice but if I tell you three times you will react. The key is to ensure that your communication is delivered in a way that approaches the right audience, in the right tone, at the right time. Making sure no time is lost on ineffective messages.
Top graphic design trends for 2021
Managing Director at Soar Valley Press
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eady to get creative with the top creative design trends for 2021? Or, maybe you’d like to keep it simple and leave it to one of our graphic designers. Either way, here’s what this year’s graphic design trends are looking like.
Geometric shapes
In 2020, flowing and abstract shapes were favoured among many designers. However, this year, they have been replaced with rigid, geometric shapes and patterns. There’s real delight in creating something out of simple shapes and that’s exactly what this trend encompasses. Laser cutting shapes into your designs is a great way to stand out. Or, stacking squares,
triangles and circles to make a unique composition can help you add interest to your designs.
Muted colour palettes
A popular colour palette for 2020, muted colours are not going anywhere just yet! They are colours that have low saturation, and are often dulled to create a softer tone. They’re a popular choice for wedding and office stationery due to their professional appearance.
Foiling
Foiling can help add an element of luxury to your designs and printed products. Whilst the most popular colours are gold and silver, foils also
come in many other colours and effects. Foil is fantastic for adding an element of sophistication to your invitations, event menus, leaflets, greetings cards and business cards.
Minimalism
This graphic design trend is an ongoing one. We are consistently seeing minimalism across landing pages, print marketing collateral, social media posts, branded merchandise and even logos. It’s about creative designers expressing the most essential elements of a product by removing any unnecessary components. It encompasses the use of white space with elements and text being grouped for easy viewing. NICHE | 77