While developing a print brochure in full color may be costlier, converting to a black and white brochure might end up costing your program more in the long run.
Why?
The thoughtful use of color is one of the most effective ways to fully incorporate the Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action principle in your print brochure.
Attention (The front cover needs to attract the reader’s attention).
Interest (The first two pages have to create an interest in what you are offering).
Desire (The inside pages must generate the desire to sign up for a class).
Action (The registration page needs to encourage action and registration).
Color also helps increase readership, improve communication, enhance your professional image, and improve sales, according to the Xerox Color Survey of nearly 1,000 businesses.
A color cover is necessary to grab attention. Whether the brochure is delivered in the mail or grouped with other catalogs or brochures on a stand, a full-color, eye-catching cover is essential for getting the reader to engage with the piece. One of the most common questions asked about brochure design is “what is the most effective color to use on my brochure cover?” The answer is that there is no magic color. The key is to use color well. Using high contrast colors is the best strategy because this creates a bolder statement, and it also increases comprehension and recall of your brochure.
Color also presents and creates positive, high-quality image. Black and white is less expensive and it doesn’t translate as effectively into a high-value image.
Using color inside the brochure, where you need to build interest and desire, is more effective than black and white because it helps break up text-heavy pages and gives readers a destination on the page. Black and white can create a monotonous effect where items don’t stand out on the page and therefore, don’t capture the reader’s eye.
Research on the Isolation Effect – when multiple similar objects are present, the one that differs from the rest is most likely to be remembered – clearly shows that participants are able to recognize and recall an item far better (be it text or an image) when it blatantly sticks out from its surroundings.
Color images, icons, and strategic colored words such as “New” help drive the reader’s focus and create for a more engaging experience.
Don’t Abandon Techniques that Work
If you’ve been printing in color and it has been working, abandoning that method could end up costing you in terms of image and registrations. Lifelong learning and continuing education programs need to invest in marketing methods that will attract new customers and keep existing ones informed of their offerings. While it may be tempting to reduce marketing in order to save money, your registrations could suffer as a result.