125 Newsletter Nameplates I say hello, you say good-bye A number of readers have asked me to bring out some newsletter layouts in the Design Center Layouts department. The "Tall, Skinny" layout this summer got a lot of attention. We sometimes forget -- with all the hype surrounding the web -- that there are still more than 100,000 printed paper newsletters being published in the US each month. __ This past July I had the pleasure of conducting the Adobe Newsletter Contest at Macworld's Apple User Group University. The top winners evidenced superb newsletters, and at the evening function I was asked by a number of the attendees "why" these are considered good. I've been working on an article about this, but a letter yesterday from Nancy Ottum prompts me to share the following quick start. Nancy writes: "Here is a topic for the design section that would be very helpful: analyze mastheads for newsletters -- design styles, impact, font, and graphic placement. What are some choices that take us away from the standard type with the line underneath." Nancy, I'll certainly do that, but first let's talk about concepts. __ I dug out the slides and handouts for my Newsletter Makeover workshop and was saddened that it's not quite ready for online release. About 90 minutes of that all-day workshop is dedicated to newsletter banners, or 'nameplates.' (Remember: the strip at the top of the front page of your newsletter is not the masthead. The masthead is the box where you list the credit detail, publisher, staff, contacts, phones, addresses, etc. for the newsletter.) Newsletter Nameplate Jumpstart Let's forget for a moment about type and style and graphic placement. Take a deep breath and let's think about the big picture. How do I say hello? Hello Howdy Partner Yo -- wassup Hey, baby Could you step out of your car please. Greetings earthling What would you say? Now ask yourself: how do we want to say 'hello' with our newsletter nameplate? Newsletter Nameplates must do three things: 1. Introduce The nameplate is the primary visual introduction device for new readers. For subscribers and 'old friends' it may not be quite as important as branding. Yet those first few (visual) moments determine whether or not the reader will dig in. So ask yourself a few questions: __ Does the nameplate quickly purvey what the newsletter is about? Where does it come from? Who is it intended for? Does it look like the visual image your target market will like and be comfortable with? Answering these questions is of paramount importance before you pick up the mouse. 2. Explain Ideally the nameplate should visually purvey insight into what the reader can expect from the newsletter. So many organizations and firms are so enamored with their name, or acronym they forget the primary purpose of the nameplate. Consider: "ACD Express" or "BBC Update" -- do these examples tell you what it's all about? The challenge is to be quick and distinctive -- yet send as much of the story as possible in that first visual gulp. 3. Perpetuate Brand Brand name recognition kicks in after the initial introduction and after a lot of groundwork getting the name established. Therefore the banner really needs to be a stand-alone visual element -- one you'll have to live with for a long time. This is where the 'look' of the nameplate needs to be distinctive but timeless. Anytime the newsletter arrives on the readers' desk... or is seen in an ad or on the web it needs to instantly telegraph a visual signal to the viewer. 'Brand' is where the visual design skills become of grave importance. There are dozens of other things that can be and probably should be considered in a good newsletter nameplate or banner, but my 60-seconds is up. There are probably as many good solutions out there as there are newsletters ... in fact more. Yet it's the way in which these three initial obligations manifest themselves that make any newsletter nameplate a winner, or not. Don't just tell me. Show me. You say hello, I say hello. By the way... if you're interested in being notified when the Newsletter WOW seminar is available in the Design-U.org, just send me an email, and I'll put you on the list. Fred Showker is a designer, consultant, writer and speaker. He has published 60-Second Window and DT&G Magazine online since 1990, and is director of The Graphic Design Network which includes The Design & Publishing Center at www.Graphic-Design.com. (1994) He was a co-founder of both The User Group Forum on America Online (1987), The User Group Network at www.User-Groups.net, (1994) and the Designers' Bookshelf (1996) He originally founded Showker Graphic Arts & Design in 1972, has been an avid computer activist and supporter since 1984. 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