Good Design Can Make Your PDFs Sing and Dance... (and add $$$ to your bottom line!)

Why Design Is Vitally Important To You As A Marketer...

Design is much more than just making something look pretty. It is guiding your reader in what you want them to think and feel and see. It frequently reaches people at a subconscious level generating emotional responses, both positive and negative.

Design can increase your credibility tremendously, or it can destroy it in a moment. It all depends on how you use it.

Properly used, good design can add to your bottom line in a number of ways...

• First impressions count! Poor design - poor first impression. People who have a poor first impression aren't going to stay and spend their money with you.
  
  
• Increased time spent on your site. We've all surfed the net looking for something. You only have seconds to convince a surfer to hang around and look at what you're offering. The more time they spend on your site, the more likely they are to spend money, join your mailing list, and be receptive to your copy.
  
  
• Increased security about their purchase. There is a measure of security for most people when a site or product is designed well and looks professional.
  
  
• Reduced returns. Good design cuts return rates for e-books and products. If someone spends money on an e-book for example, they want value for the money they're spending, and they better get it! Poor design will immediately make them question their purchase, your material,and your professionalism. End result? A request for a refund.
  
  
• Increased perceived value. A well-designed e-book or product will make them feel that what they have purchased is worth more than they spent for it.
  
  
• Increased credibility for you, your product and your expertise. People who trust the seller are more likely to buy more.
  
  
• It makes you feel better about your product or e-book. People who feel good about what they create display their passion to others. It works like a magnet!
  
  

We've just gone through a list of how design can increase your bottom line.

Would it surprise you to learn that using PDF as your e-book format will give you the exact same benefits? Plus, a couple more!

Did you know that PDFs have higher click-through rates and are saved more often than web pages or Word documents? They are also perceived as being more professional (translate - serious!) than html web pages or e-books.

This should give you some ideas - what are you doing now that might be better using PDF? Perhaps your ezine should be done as a PDF with a clickable PDF link in an email to notify your subscribers that a new issue is ready. Maybe you have a sales page that can be downloaded or viewed as a PDF.

Here are some reasons why professional marketers prefer PDF to html (.exe) e-books and documents...

1. PDF is used by major corporations and sales people for their e-books, catalogs, and other documents such as manuals and helpfiles: It's a SERIOUS, "I mean business!" format. With HTML, well, let's face the truth here. It's a webpage with an .exe extension. People don't see HTML as a "permanent" medium - web pages change, links frequently don't work, and design is questionable at best.
   
   
2. PDF is a universal format: Virtually anyone with a computer can view your PDF. An HTML (.exe) e-book, on the other hand, can ONLY be viewed by people who have a Windows-based computer. The reason? HTML compilers are based on technology created by - you guessed it! - Microsoft.
   
   
3. Whatever you put into a PDF will be viewed EXACTLY as you have designed it: You have no idea how big an advantage this is! Your fonts, design, and placement of graphics will be the same no matter what computer operating system the reader is using. With HTML, though, you are restricted to what the HTML language will allow, and even if you can duplicate the layout, other parts of the design will be dependent on how the reader has their computer set up. You can only use the fonts that are on the reader's computer, and your design can easily be ruined by the screen resolution and screen size of the reader's monitor.
   
   
4. Viruses are not spread by PDFs: The .exe file of an HTML-based e-book, on the other hand, is fertile ground for spreading viruses, trojans, and other little nasties.
   
   
5. PDF is no longer a "choice," it's a given: PDF readers are now being incorporated into virtually all new computers.
   
   
6. Purchasers of new computers are slowly changing to alternate operating systems, such as Linux: What happens to your HTML e-book or document then?
   
   

Part 1: Design tips and techniques for
the "graphically impaired"...

Most people just fire up their word processor, type their e-book or sales letter, color a couple of headlines, and then click the button to create a PDF. It will look OK, but it can be so much more!

No one is so graphically challenged that they can't improve their product. There are 4 major areas that you can work on - color, graphics, type, and layout. Now, let's look at some of the ways we can use these to improve your PDFs...

Color!

Color livens things up, keeps the eye interested in the page, and influences emotional response. We can use color in 5 basic ways...

1. Yes, number 1 is simply because people like color and respond to it.
   
   
2. We use color to highlight and emphasize important points.
   
   
3. We use color to reflect relationships between different things.
   
   
4. We use color as an aid in scanning for important information.
   
   
5. We use color as a code (think charts and graphs).
   
   

Color is dependent on light and perceived by special receptors in the eye known as rods and cones.

Without light, there is no color. Notice how items in shadow lose their color. It becomes muted, hard to discern. At night, only things that are lighted retain any color at all.

Cones are the physical sensors in the eye that we're concerned with. There are 3 types and each type sensitive to one of the primary colors - red, blue, and yellow. Put very simply, light enters the eye and excites the cones that respond to the wavelength of the light. This is how we perceive color. Colors other than the primaries excite the 3 types to varying degrees to create the proper color. Then the brain interprets those colors.

If there is a deficiency or weakness in one or more of the types of cones, we have color blindness. But, that does not have to prevent you from using color. Yes, even those who are totally colorblind can use color to spice things up.

Shown below is a color wheel. You've seen them since you were in first grade, but chances are, no one has ever told you how to actually use one.

1. The 3 Primary colors shown above can always be used together.
   
   
2. Colors opposite each other on the wheel are "complimentary" colors - and can always be used together. Here are some examples...
   
   
3. Colors that create an equilateral (equal sides) triangle can always be used together. Here are some examples...
   
   
   
4. Colors opposite each other have the highest contrast.
   
   
5. All colors between two primaries can always be used together.
   
   

Now there is the issue of "warm" versus "cool" colors.

Warm colors stimulate creativity and create excitement. Warm colors include reds, oranges, and yellows.

Cool colors are calming, and create peacefulness and tranquility. Cool colors include violets and blues.

Green is a bit of an oddball - it takes on the qualities of whatever color influences it. When it tends toward the blue side of the color wheel, it becomes cool, when it tends toward the yellow side, it becomes warm.

You'll hear a lot about how certain colors attract more attention than others. This is true, but is it appropriate? Red is said to be the most eye-attracting color, but would an e-book on meditation techniques look right if it had a red color? There would be something intrinsically wrong with that color for that type of e-book.

I believe you should choose color, whether for the inside of your e-book, or for the cover, based on the subject matter and "feel" you want it to have.

To make people slow down their reading, and get more from what you're saying, use shades of blue, or pastels.

To get people excited and enthusiastic, use reds and yellows.

Using graphics

The simple definition of graphics is "anything that is not type," but even that is not totally correct - just look at the heading for the Color section of this article. It's type, but it's also a graphic!

As in most areas of graphic design, nothing is really black or white. It all overlaps, it's all a matter of preference, and it's all about breaking the rules.

So, let's change that definition a bit. Let's say that graphics are anything that adds impact to your project. That should be broad enough to cover all the bases.

Some things that would be considered graphics are ...

• Lines (from Word's Draw Palette)
  
  
  
  
• Shapes (from Word's Draw Palette)
  
  
• Dingbats and WingDings (these are actually fonts! They can be sized and colored like any other font. You have them on your computer - look for the font name Dingbat or WingDing)
  
  (24 point type)
  
  (48 point type)
  
  
• ClipArt (a good site - http://www.free-clipart.net)
  
  
  
• Photographs
  
  
  
  

Type And How To Use It...

Fonts can convey just about anything you want them to. They can shout or whisper, they can be lively or quiet. They can convey your emotions, or hide them. They have a sex and a personality of their own.

When you use type correctly, it should be unnoticeable by the reader. It will blend in and become part of the e-book's tone - it will make the document easier to read because your reader will subconsciously accept that it's RIGHT.

So, how do we reach this lofty goal? It's really not that difficult if you keep a few things in mind.

What kind of e-book or document are you writing?

Is it technical, casual, formal? How would you describe it? There are faces to fit any mood or tone.

Technical?

Try Arial, Franklin Gothic, or Helvetica (these are SansSerif fonts - meaning "without serifs")

Casual?

Try Avant Garde, Optima, or Verdana

Formal?

Try Bodoni, Century, or Garamond (these are Serif fonts - meaning "with serifs" Serifs are the little tails on the end of the letter strokes)

Feminine or masculine?

Feminine or masculine? In general, feminine fonts are rounded like Avant Garde or scripts. Masculine fonts are those that display strength - such as Arial Black or GeoSlab. (Obviously colors also have a sex - try to match them up - don't use pink for a masculine typeface or blue for a feminine typeface. You'll just confuse people!)

Who is your reader?

This is an easy way to figure out your approach. Who, exactly, is your e-book aimed at? Males or females? Choose your typeface accordingly.

Once you've determined your audience and typeface, we need to determine a type size. Print books are usually done in type sizes from 9 to 11 points. E-books and other PDF documents, though, need to be a bit larger to allow for reading on the computer screen.

I would start with body copy at 12 points, subheads at least 2 points larger (14 points), and headlines at least 6 points larger (18 points). This will give you a noticeable range of sizes.

Your range would look like this...

Body Copy: this is a sample of 12 point type.

Sub-Head: this is the size of your sub-head. (you might want to bold or color this)

Head: This is the size of your headline. (you will probably want to bold and color this)

"Leading" is the term used to designate the space between lines of type. For on-screen viewing, I usually use at least 3 points more than the type size - so, 12 point type takes 15 point leading.

Sidebar: Leading is called "Line Spacing" in Word, and is found under the Format>>Paragraph menu (in the lower right corner.) Here's a little trick I use when designing e-books. I select all the type from page 1 to the very last page. The I go to Format->>Paragraph and set the line spacing using the drop-down menu to "At least" 15 points. What this does is make all the body copy at 15 point leading, with any larger type at the "Single Space" designation.

Playing With Layout...

Designing is great fun - I get to play all day. One of the things I love playing with is the layout of a page.

Here we have this blank page, and all these graphic, type and color elements to add to it. Where do you start?

Start at the beginning. First determine what size page you are going to use. Standard sizes are obvious, but keep in mind that PDF pages can be any size you like, and they can be vertical, or horizontal. It's your choice.

Here again, we're going to look at our subject matter and our readers for the answer.

Here's the scenario. You have written an e-book for arthritis sufferers on adapting to their limitations. How do you handle the layout for this? Knowing your readers can give you the answer. Most likely, an arthritis sufferer will have limitations in the use of their hands and fingers. Why not adjust the page size and orientation of the e-book to make it easier for them? Use a horizontal layout, and a page size that will fit the screen without scrolling. That way they can navigate the e-book just by pressing the Page Up and Page Down keys.

If you're dealing with either the old or the very young, adapt your type size, too. Make it slightly larger so they can read it easily. Making these kinds of accommodations specific to your readers will make them your friends for life.

Are your readers going to print out your e-book? Maybe you should leave a little extra margin on the left side to allow them to 3-hole punch it to keep in a note-book.

You can layout your type in 4 formats -

1. Flush left - all the type lines up on the left side (the body copy in this article is done this way.)
   
   
2. Centered - all the type is centered on the page (pretty uncommon to do this unless it's a book of poetry..)
   
   
3. Flush right - all the type is lined up along the right side (extremely uncommon!)
   
   
4. Justified - type all fits the space allowed on both the right and left sides (the sidebars in this article are justified.)
   
   

• DO NOT indent paragraphs with flush left type. It's redundant and looks bad. If using flush left, add an extra space between paragraphs.
  
  
• DO NOT allow hyphenation. If all the lines are going to end in different lengths anyway, why hyphenate?
  
  
• DO NOT allow internet links to hyphenate - it can mess up the link itself. Put them on a new line.
  
  

• DO NOT allow large spaces to occur between words in a line. You can force hyphenation with a Ctrl+(hyphen) in an appropriate spot on the next line.
  
  
• ALWAYS end a justified paragraph by hitting the "Enter" key. This forces the (usually) short last line to end with the correct word spacing.
  
  
• TURN ON hyphenation for justified type.
  
  
• Even if you indent the first line of justified type, if you're creating a document or e-book that will be read online, add an extra line between paragraphs. It helps the reader determine where they are on the page and breaks up long stretches of type that can quickly tire the reader.
  
  

• DO play with the layout. Try different things, add your graphics, and see how it looks. Don't be afraid to "break the rules".
  
  
• The page has 4 margins - they do not have to be equal! Try something different.
  
  
  

Headers and Footers...

Some suggested layouts for headers and footers:


Some "different" headers...


You'll notice that in the last section, I gave you some suggestions, and showed you some layouts, but there weren't many words there. Layout cannot be taught - you have to experiment and play on your own. You have to combine all the elements, and though I can give you suggestions, ideas, and guide you a bit, it has to be YOURS - not mine. Every e-book and document is different.

Wrapping it all up in a package!

Your e-book manuscript is written and designed. Time to create the PDF itself.

Although Adobe Acrobat is the "gold standard" for creating PDF documents, not everyone wants to spend the $300-500 that Acrobat costs. Luckily, a couple of years ago, Adobe opened up it's architecture to developers, and now there are literally hundreds of PDF creators available.

There are 2 basic types out there. The first is similar to Acrobat itself. This type creates a button on your Word toolbar, and an entry on the File menu for changing settings. Jaws PDF creator is an example of this... (the Jaws settings and button (far right) are tinted yellow in the screenshot below.)


The second type is a printer driver. To use this type of PDF creator, you select it as the printer from your Print menu, and then set the specific PDF properties from the "Properties" button on the Print page... (This one is FinePrint's PDF Factory...)

Jaws (http://www.jawspdf.com/) and FinePrint PDF Factory Pro (http://www.fineprint.com) both work very well, and both are under $100. Be careful with the very cheap print drivers - many will not create clickable links, or bookmarks in your final PDF.

Whether you use Acrobat, Jaws, FinePrint, or some other PDF creator, always check your final PDF file for errors and other problems. If you are using Acrobat, save your file to be compatible with older versions of PDFs.

We've only scratched the surface here - let me know if you have specific questions or problems I can help you with. And, hey, send me a copy of what you create - I'd love to see it!

Respectfully submitted,



Neil Tarvin