Credibility from the beginning saves a lot of agravation and starts you off on the right foot with new customers and investors. Credibility is generated not just by your presence but also the look and feel of your marketing materials (i.e. website). According to Seth Godin in his latest article, Type tells a Story, people judge you based on the type of font you use in your marketing materials.? Before they even read it, if it looks bad, they will form the wrong opinion.
It is absolutely true.
You have seen those cheesy fliers: multiple fonts, different designs, gaudy colors. Looks like a third grader did it except most third graders probably know better. How about those awful websites: fifty different fonts, funky colors, etc.
Several years ago, I read a book on selecting fonts for marketing materials. I remember a few basic rules and its great to remember them.
First a bit of nomenclature. Serif fonts are those fonts that have the horizontal marks hanging off each letter. The New York Times uses this font. The little horizontal marks help you read across a page.
San Serif fonts are without those little horizontal marks. Arial font is like that.
- On any piece of marketing do not use more than four types of fonts.
- Of those four, only one font can be a graphic or picture type font. This includes fancy design fonts, cursive fonts, or anything that is not a regular serif or san serif font.
- Of the remaining three fonts, they can be two serif and one san serif or two san serif and one serif. Do not make three fonts all serif or all san serif if you can avoid it.
That is it: three basic rules to avoid cheesy use of fonts and make you more credible. Remember, credibility is key when communicating your marketing.
