Part of getting your message across to your audience successfully is designing your communication. Just as in the products that catch our eye, the visual appearance is just as important as the content. It may make or break your effort to communicate your message.

1. Use plain language. A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended audience can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information.
                                                                      –International Plain Language Federation
2. Consider your layout. Make sure you have plenty of white space to help separate your content into groups of information. White space also gives the appearance of calmness and simplicity, as opposed to crowded chaos.
3. Use a font that is simple and make it a size that is easy for your audience to read. Times Roman, Garamond, Helvetica, and Arial (11 or 12 point) are popular.
4. Start with a call to action for your readersand use succinct, useful headings to separate information and help readers navigate the content.
5. Use bullets and numbering to help make your information easy to follow.
6. Do not be shy, use tables, charts, and photographsto simplify your information and make it appealing.

It’s all about getting your audience to engage in the document and get the information they need from it. It’s also about getting them to respond to your call to action.

Need help putting your best word forward. Send  a note to donna@dmarks.com or visit editsbymarks.com.