Some marketers think fonts are mainly a design tool. After all, what do fonts in things like ads, emails, and direct mail pieces really do for your bottom line?
Well, truth be told, more than you think, because fonts aren’t just decorative. But don’t take my word for it. Take it from the many who have written about the psychology of fonts and what they can contribute to your marketing efforts.
For one, fonts can be powerful marketing tools by attracting your audience and attaching a variety of good attributes to your brand – like strength, warmth, trustworthiness, creativity, and much more – simply at a glance.
Plus, two, there’s a thing called response – fonts can help raise it.
Let’s have a little fun …
and expound on the “branding” factor.
Just like a person’s manner of dress or the tone of their voice, fonts say a lot quickly. Take a look below to see what I mean. I’ve assigned some fonts to a headline. As you go down the list, note how each font grabs your attention with its distinct personality and changes the feel of the message.
A. Knock it out of the park
B. Knock it out of the park
C. Knock it out of the park
D. Knock it out of the park
Which font best conveys the spirit of the headline and, in turn, your brand? Here’s my take:
Example A communicates: I got you. Good for a story angle but maybe too decorative as a headline.
Example B communicates: Lightweight. It looks good, but it doesn’t have enough oomph to work with this strong copy.
Example C communicates: Strength. Stability. No frills. This font is not decorative; the big, bold, clean look is all about amplifying the power of the message. And the designer can brand it for a sport, if you want, by maybe adding an outline around the text and using team colors.
Example D communicates: I’m out of my league. Unlike the other examples, it’s not serious enough and not as easy to read. Script fonts do have a place, especially in direct response design, but not here.
Now – how about that “response” factor?
Being a direct response designer, my goal is like yours: to get the best response. That’s why I build upon the headline “branding” and try to figure out ways I can design a call-to-action prompt like ACT NOW and Don’t Miss Out to encourage more action.
Here are just three ways that have worked for me in the past, and that you could share with your designer:
- For consistency, I often use the headline font for the CTA, and I place the copy in a box – a proven response magnet – to make the CTA pop on the page.
- To stand out more, sometimes I use a different font — one not used anywhere else in the creative – making sure that it’s bold and readable. Adding a strong color also helps.
- When I want a warmer, more personal feel, I choose a script font as an attention-getting device. But, for higher readability, I limit its use to just a few words
YOUR SIMPLE TAKEAWAY: There’s much more to fonts than design elements like serif and non-serif, size, weight, and color. But all you have to remember is that fonts deserve more than a second thought if you want your message to really break through. Leave the rest to a promotion designer who’s well versed in fonts and you could wind up with more effective creatives and bigger wins.