All the desktop publishing software in the world can’t make your documents visually compelling if you don’t have solid skills in layout and design. Without this essential design knowledge, any newsletters, brochures or catalogs you create will look ordinary. Presentation materials will lack visual pizzazz. Reports and proposals you prepare may well go unread. And ads or Web pages? Mediocre, at best.

To produce documents that get noticed — and get results — you need a solid understanding of the basics of good design.

That’s where this comprehensive two-day workshop comes in.

There’s no experience required to attend: If you don’t have a background in design, but you use desktop publishing software and want to give a professional polish to everything you create, this workshop is for you! In just two intensive days of training, we’ll show you how to make every document you produce more eye-catching, more compelling — and much more effective.

We’ll introduce you to the elements of good design, the essential design tools that’ll make your job a lot easier, and — most importantly — enable you to grab your readers’ attention and entice them to keep reading! You’ll learn ...

• Design guidelines for different types of documents, from newsletters to basic Web pages
• How to create “hot spots” that place added emphasis on what’s really important
• Why white space is so critical — even if you really need that space for text
• Quick and simple techniques for creating easy-to-read, visually impressive charts
• The psychology of color — and how to use it most effectively
• Shortcuts for turning out polished projects when you’re in a time crunch

This workshop offers you much more than others on similar topics because it provides two full days of intensive training — that’s two entire days you’ll spend learning with a desktop publishing design expert who can answer all your questions! We guarantee that you’ll learn far more than in a one-day course, and you’ll retain more of what you learn, thanks to our exclusive accelerated training techniques.

How to Design Newsletters, Brochures, Ads, Catalogs, Reports, Proposals, Presentation Materials and More! gets to the nitty-gritty how-to’s of design — the essentials that help you create fresh, exciting documents that get the results you need. You won’t find these skills in your software manual ... and you won’t convey the professional flair that gets your documents noticed without them!

Don’t miss this important opportunity to take your design skills from so-so to sensational — in just two days of training. There’s simply no faster or better way to get the design know-how you need to make every project an attention-grabber!

Planning Pointers That Guarantee a Great Start

• The importance of understanding who your readers are and why you’re communicating with them before you design
• What do you want your document to accomplish?
• The message is everything: How to make sure all elements of your design are in harmony
• How-to’s for making a strong, positive first impression
• Planning tips that’ll save you tons of time later on
• Using thumbnails to map out where you’re headed

Design 101: Recognizing the Elements of Excellent Design

• Look and learn! Examples of exceptional design in various types of documents
• What makes a design effective?
• Understanding how balance and proportion work to create visually appealing layouts
• How to grab the reader’s attention ... and hold it!
• Tips for making sure those who skim your documents don’t miss your key points
• Boxes, sidebars and call-outs: Creating a focal point on a text-heavy page
• The critical importance of using white space — and how to do it effectively
• Headlines, subheads and other key elements that increase readability
• How to create “flow” to guide the reader through your document
• “Design disasters” guaranteed to make you look like a rookie — and how to avoid them

Choosing Type Styles and Sizes for Maximum Impact

• Selecting text type: The pros and cons of serifs and sans serifs
• What you need to know about leading, tracking and kerning
• How many different point sizes can you safely mix on a page?
• ALL CAPS vs. Upper and Lower Case: Knowing the rule and when you can break it
• Right-justified, left-justified or centered — which alignment is best for your document?
• Bold, italics and underlining — professional-looking uses and common abuses
• How to determine what size type is the right size
• Reverse type: A powerful graphic technique to use with caution
• The personality of typefaces and how they reflect the tone you want
• When you need to transfer printer fonts: Protect yourself by knowing the law

Using Graphics to Drive Your Message Home

• Guidelines for selecting photographs that will “speak” to your reader
• Illustrations and other graphic elements: How-to’s for using them for maximum impact
• How to size and position your graphic elements on the page
• Basic chart formats and when to use each
• Advantages and disadvantages of “clip art”
• Understanding when graphics enhance your message — and when they detract
• Visual elements that give your project a shot of personality and style
• Readable, easy-to-create graphs that are sure to impress

Working With Color and Other Powerful Tools of the Trade

• The psychology of color: How your readers react to certain colors and why
• Guidelines for using color creatively and effectively
• Do’s and don’ts for color combos
• A word of caution on choosing and using backgrounds and color screens
• A look at desktop publishing’s nifty special effects and how to use them to add visual appeal
• Tips for using bars, rules and borders
• Drop caps, dingbats and wingdings: When to use them and when to lose them
• How to avoid the tempting trap of “graphic overkill”

Layout and Design Guidelines for Different Document Types

• Basic design rules for creating visually appealing newsletters
• How-to’s for making your brochures more eye-catching — and more effective
• Guidelines for adding visual punch and readability to catalogs
• Making your presentation materials pack a punch
• Proposals and reports: How to break up the gray with design elements
• Design basics for producing attention-grabbing ads
• Easy-to-create Web page layouts for beginners

Cool Technologies Every Desktop User Should Know About

• Tips for making the most of layout packages like InDesign, Quark and PageMaker
• How-to’s for creating incredible images with Illustrator, Photoshop and other image manipulation software
• Mac vs. IBM for layout: Pros and cons of both
• Making Web layout tools work for you — the first time!
• Scanner secrets for achieving better-quality images
• A printer troubleshooting checklist that will help ensure you get the results you want
• What you need to know about using digital cameras
• CD-ROMs, tape backup units and other peripherals that’ll save you time and money
• An eye-opening look at the latest and greatest: Hot new design software technologies

Pulling It All Together: Creating Professional-Looking Documents That Get Results — Every Time

• Creating the total image: How to coordinate color, type and graphics to create the tone or mood you want
• Great resources for finding terrific creative ideas
• Use your own laser printer or use a service bureau? Knowing why and when to do each
• Talking with printers and service bureaus: Important questions to ask to make sure your final document turns out exactly the way you want
• Understanding your options when the finished product isn’t right
• Evaluating your current design software programs and DP equipment: Is it what you need to get the job done — or is something else better?