How you can improve the impact of your printed items in your venue? We want to show you how to be effective with your print and side-step the classic pitfalls that all too many businesses make with their print.
Print is the way that you promote your business and show your customers what you have to offer them. How does a potential customer decide to choose your venue? They will normally take a quick scan of your printed material, whether on your website or outside your venue and then decide whether to go in for a more detailed look. Improving on the following will assist in moving them from that stage to making a booking or entering your venue.
Typeface
Choosing an illustrious typeface may be tempting but you need to make sure that it is legible. Too many curls or flicks may be off-putting, so strip it back and consider going for a more sophisticated look. ‘Fun’ typefaces may also seem like a good idea to make yourselves seem more approachable. However, they may actually take away from the professionalism of your branding and actually have a negative effect, giving the customer the impression that they may not be putting themselves in the best hands.
Format
Clearly format your menus, instead of having a page full of dishes in a single list, break them up by dish type and give these groups a clear title. Letting your customers know where to look for the vegetarian options, the steaks or the curry’s will show that you’ve put thought in to the usability of your menus and should also speed up the decision making process.
Cluttered Tables
How many times have you sat down at your table to an array of promotional offers and specials menus scattered on your table? It is rather off-putting. Invest in a menu cover or menu holder which can hold your dessert menu, starter menu and promotional offers along with your main menu. A gatefold menu cover is the perfect solution, opening up like double doors with space on the inside for a printed starter menu on the left, main menu in the middle and desserts on the right. Promotional offers and specials menus can be neatly put into a side pocket of a menu cover, on a chalkboard for all to see or standing proud in a menu holder on the table.
Images
Don’t bombard your customer with an image for each dish on the menu. Now that you’ve set some categories for dish types why not just have one clear category image that sums up what links all of these dishes together, or choose an item from that category which would be a chefs recommendation. Ensure that all of your images put the food in the best light. Does it look appetising? Is it high enough quality? Hiring a professional food photographer will go a long way to helping you with this, but you should be able to do this yourself with good lighting and a decent camera.
