If you could cram all of your dirty laundry in the washer at once, wouldn't it make more sense than putting in the recommended load?

After all, if it saves time and money, why not?

It's simple: not only might you blow up the washer, but you become painfully aware that most of the "clean" laundry is still dirty.

It sounds bizarre, but you can compare the amount of space in a washer to how much space you have on your business card or advertisement in the yellow pages. When you try to get too much in, you end up not getting the result you want.

Just like the washing machine, your web site, business card, brochures, advertising, and other collateral materials need space. In graphic arts, this space is called negative or white space, which describes open space between design elements. Forcing too much text or too many graphics into a limited space won't blow up your brochure or web site, but chaotic design will turn off potential customers and compel them to seek out your competitors.

It's difficult for me to convince clients that "less is more" when they are paying per inch or per page. But I remind them of their goals though, and that usually revolves around generating interest, persuading to buy, or to informing. The goal isn't to cram all the information and graphics into a confined space, which only confuses customers.

After all, what good is all that information if no one reads it? It's just as good as a pile of dirty laundry.

If you've tried this cramming approach to your marketing, don't feel bad, it's an easy trap to fall into. You need help identifying the graphics and content that are essential to getting your message out to your customers and which ones you should leave out. Blank or negative space is essential on your business card, your web site or your advertisements.

Here's a quick list of what blank, white or negative space can do for you:
* Entice your potential customers to focus on what you have to say or sell
* Add or decrease the emphasis on text and graphics by the amount of space surrounding it
* Control the flow of the design from one element to another, guiding the customer's attention from the most important paragraph or graphic to the least
* Break information down into easy-to-digest components to prevent overwhelming your customers
* Provide essential "breathing" room for the customer's eyes and brain to focus on what you intended

As a business savvy designer, I sit down with clients for as long as it takes and brainstorm on what we must include in the message and what's okay to leave out. If this isn't your specialty, or if you find yourself trying to cram everything in, do yourself a favor and hire a business savvy designer to help you determine what to make the most of the space you have, including make use of negative space. Does that make sense to you?

Jeremy runs the only business savvy graphic design firm who helps companies build more confidence and credibility into their business identities. “I help you take your business' vision and shape it into a company identity that will make you look better, feel better and have more confidence about your business.”

Like the article?

Email Jeremy today at comments@candographics.com for your choice of a free insider’s bulletin: “How to Choose the Right Marketing/Design Firm for You” or “Top Ten Questions Designers Don’t Want You to Ask Them”. You’ll also want to check out the “Can-Do Confidence Builder”. Emailed weekly, the Confidence Builder provides you with essential marketing and design insights that help you get the most out of your marketing/design investments and help you to stay one step ahead of the competition.

Remember to include in your email your name, which Insider Bulletin you would like to receive and any additional feedback. Learn more about Jeremy and how you can gain a competitive advantage with a better brand by visiting http://www.candographics.com

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