Putting Templates to Work
Stop reinventing the wheel. Use templates to jumpstart your next newsletter or postcard
Templates save time by letting you get right to work on your message or project. Templates are often based on hundreds of hours of work and experience, helping you avoid wasting time with false starts and trial-and-error effort.
You can find templates for just about every type of project you're likely to create with a word processing or desktop publishing software program.
Here are some tips, based on the hundreds of templates I've created for my clients own use, or for them to distribute to their clients and employees.
After downloading a template, install it in the proper folder associated with your software program. (See your software program's documentation.)
Properly installed templates will appear as an option every time you select File>New.
Immediately begin adding subheads to your publication. Headlines and subheads will spark supporting ideas and phrases that you can immediately begin adding to your template.
Progress builds on progress! More and more ideas will occur to you as you see your project taking shape as the subheads create a framework for your project. Don't be overly concerned about subhead sequence. Later, you can copy and paste topics into a more logical order.
The biggest mistake non-designers frequently make is to format headlines and subheads from scratch, rather than using the a template's text styles.
Text styles save time and guarantee consistency throughout your publication and between all of your marketing communications. A single click accurately applies dozens of formatting attributes. To apply a text style, place the text insertion point anywhere in the paragraph, and select a desired style from formatting tool bar at the top left of most word processing and page layout programs.
Long headlines and subheads can undermine the appearance of even the best templates. Limit headlines to two lines.
Restrict subhead length to one line. Avoid verbs, use keywords only.
Although most software programs automatically enter the typographically correct apostrophes plus open and closed quotation marks, and em dashes, you have to enter other punctuation and symbols, such as:
- En dashes indicate duration. An En dash is longer than a hyphen (-), but shorter than an Em dash.
- Ellipsis indicate omitted text.
- Symbols save space when used instead of spelled-out terms like copyright, trademark, and registered trademark.
- Non-breaking spaces keep first and last names, or cities and states, together on one line.
- Non-breaking hyphens prevent words and phrases, like e-mail, from splitting over two lines.
Before printing your file, select Edit>Replace. Find (or search) for every instance where two spaces appear next to each other. Replace the two spaces with a single space. This eliminates unsightly sentence and word spacing gaps that often creep in during editing.
Make sure that headlines break at logical points, like where readers normally pause when reading them.
If necessary, you can force a word to the next line using the Line Break command, which is entered by holding down the Shift key while pressing Enter.
You can also use the Line Break command to improve the right-hand margin of paragraphs set flush-left/ragged-right. A Line Break early in a paragraph often eliminates awkward line endings--like right hand margins creating distracting shapes--or excessive hyphenation later in the paragraph.
Make sure that visuals don't obscure any text, which can occur if you have not selected the proper text wrap options.
Watch out for overflow text at the end of your document. Often, only a small icon indicates that your important concluding sentences are not properly displayed.
You're invited... Contact roger@designtosellonline.com with comments, questions, or to locate templates for marketing and writing.
Tell me where your marketing roadblocks are! Perhaps I can create a customized template for you and guide you and your employees so you can get more done in less time.
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