Style and substance

Once you have decided what words and pictures you want to use, think about the way you want your communications material to look and 'feel'. The design, colours and layout of your brochure, mailing, website, exhibition stand, annual report etc will create an image of your business in your customers' minds and should reflect what you do. If you are not really sure what you want, check out what your competitors and other local businesses are doing. This exercise will help you to decide the things that you like or dislike and will help to focus your mind so that you can then formulate your own ideas more clearly.

Creative briefing

Prepare a short written 'brief' for the creative team. This ensures that you have your ideas straight and that there will be no misunderstandings in what you are asking them to do. Let them see any existing ideas that you like or dislike and provide as many words and images as you can. Make sure you are clear on your promotional mix and plan. You can simply decide what aspect of your business you want to promote and ask yourself the following five questions:

• What?
• Who?
• How?
• Where?
• When?