Recently, a client I work with was having a problem in her department. Her budgets were being cut, but her company’s need to stay in touch with potential clients remained the same (of course). She was being asked to stay in touch and raise awareness with more than one audience (as she always had). The good news is that together, we were able to come up with some cost effective ways of doing just that.

Solution 1:
Divide the Page in Half

Figure 1

So say you buy a full page of advertising space in a trade or consumer publication. If you have two distinct audiences, treat the ad as two half-page ads or four quarter-pages. In Figure 1, the copy, headline, and photo would then address high-level decision makers about the product benefits that concern them: namely, your product saves time, saves money or makes them money. Use the bottom “ad” to address your other audience, say IT folk who want to know more about specific product benefits and features. The amount of space you have for each message will of course be smaller, but you can at the very least, direct them to the appropriate pages on your web site where they can get more detailed information.

Solution 2: Divide the Page
in Half Another Way

Figure 2

Figure 2 shows that while the common headline can emphasize benefits (saves time, money or makes money), the subheads on the left and right will talk more specifically to each audience while addressing their specific pain points.

Solution 3: Talk to Each Audience
in a Different “Color.”

Figure 3

In Figure 3, the client wanted to talk to CEOs, IT Managers and the Sales & Marketing Departments — all of whom use or influence the decision to purchase their product. To differentiate between audiences, we used subheads in different colors. You can also use different colored background fields to signal your multiple audiences. Be sure to work with your designer closely on this since you don’t want the messages to fight against each other. The overall unity of the ad is still important, but you can direct the reader with various visual cues, as well as by the words you choose.

We are all being asked to get more results with fewer resources. Using some of the ideas presented here for the efficient use of your advertising “real estate” can help stretch your marketing budget. You may even be able to adapt some of them to your collateral material and web site.

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Enrico Design will help make your next communications project meaningful to your audience, project your values and ensure your company makes a lasting impression. To see how we’ve done this for other clients, visit http://www.enricodesign.com/, call 781-631-2520 or contact us by e-mail.

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Good News

Linda Enrico, President of Enrico Design, Inc., was awarded the prestigious 2003 New England Museum Association (NEMA) Award for her redesign of SparkS! Magazine — a monthly publication sent to members of the Boston Museum of Science (MOS).

The MOs also published a quarterly four-color publication but wanted to combine both publications to save money on postage and printing costs. Enrico’s redesign combined both publications into a four-color newsletter, which is mailed to members on a bi-monthly basis. The redesign incorporates elements from both publications, including a calendar section and longer articles. According to Enrico, the new design appeals to the MOs’ two prime audiences: children and their parents. Colorful graphics and photos catch the readers’ attention with a new typeface making the articles easier-to-read.

“I am pleased to be recognized with this award,” says Enrico. “My goal as a designer is to help my clients get their message across as coherently as possible.” Adds Pauline Gobeil, Design Coordinator, MOs Publication and Internal Marketing Department, “We’re getting very positive feedback about how nice the new publication looks and how easy it is to read.”

The New England Museum Association sponsors an annual Publication Awards Program, which recognizes excellence in design, production, and effective communication in all aspects of museum publishing. Awards are given to those entries that most effectively present their message to the intended audience.

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Copyright June 2003, Enrico Design, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Feel free to contact us for help incorporating these ideas into your marketing communications projects and publications.