NFIB

Proper Font Selection Can Make a Difference
03/ 14/ 2002


Have you ever seen a brochure or flyer that looks "homemade?" Or have you seen one that is practically unreadable because the type is too small, because the words are too close together, or because everything is in italics? The main problem in such documents is usually poor selection of the font (or typeface family, as it's sometimes called). With more and more small businesses choosing to handle desktop publishing activities in-house, it's important to understand how font selection can limit or enhance the readability of a document. Today's Workshop, written by Jeffrey Moses, outlines font usage guidelines that are widely accepted by graphic design professionals.

If your printed material is easily readable, customers are more likely to understand your message and to continue reading to the finish. When someone finds it difficult to read the words of printed material, they'll often simply stop. This means that your message will be lost, and all the efforts you put into preparing the material will be wasted. This underlines the importance of using clear, readable fonts.

The main difference between fonts is the shape of the letters. Some font styles are traditional, some are flashy and unique. There are thousands of fonts, and even the most basic word processing or page layout contains a wide selection. In general, the most readable fonts are those without fancy swirls or unusual shapes. For businesses purposes, these include, but aren't limited to: Times (often called Times Roman), Helvetica, Palatino, New Century Schoolbook (often called Century or Schoolbook), Garamond, Bookman, New York, Geneva, Optima, Courier, or Prestige Elite. Courier, by the way, is the font used on most old-fashion typewriters. Prestige elite is used on many more modern typewriters. Any of the fonts mentioned above, or those similar to them, assure that readers can easily distinguish words in text.

One drawback of desktop publishing is that word processing and page layout programs make it almost too easy to change and adjust font styles. For instance, a single key stroke can turn a document from normal Times Roman to Times Roman italics which may make the text much harder to read. For business purposes, it's best to stay simple with your font selection. The following do's and don't will help you design readable printed documents:

Do: Use one of the fonts mentioned above (or one very similar) when designing business material.

Don't: Use italics all through a document, because this is more difficult to read for most people. Italics in a business document should be reserved for names of books, periodicals, or excerpted material from a book or an article.

Do: Use a size font that is easily read throughout a document. Fonts range in size from 1 point to more than 100 points. The average business document should be in a 12-point font. Fonts smaller than that may be hard to read (especially for older or younger readers). Fonts larger than 12 point should be reserved for special flyers or headlines to attract attention.

Don't: Place the lines of text too closely together or too far apart, because this makes a document difficult to read. The space between lines is called "leading." Most word processing and page layout software programs allow you to adjust leading. In general, the "default" leading in a software program for a specific size of type is most readable, but you can adjust the leading so that the space between lines is larger or smaller than the default leading.

Do: Design headlines and subtitles so that they're in larger font sizes, and even in bold type. This draws the reader's attention. If the main body text of your document is in 12 point type, for example, you might want to use 14 point or 18 point for your headline (Perhaps even placing the headline in bold). Subtitles should be smaller than the main headline, and slightly larger than the body copy.

Don't: Design your document so that the text is written in white letters on a dark background. Research has shown that this is difficult to read.

Do: Design the length of each line of text so that it has a pleasing appearance on the page. Generally, each line should be about 40 characters in length. Don't run margins right to the edge of the page. Following the default line length of your word processing or page-layout software will usually be adequate.

Don't: Use asterisks at the start of each item on a list. Rather, use a bullet point or a number. Many software programs (such as MS Word) contain a function that automatically formats lists. Use this function of your software when possible so that your documents are consistent throughout.

Do: Leave plenty of free space on your document so that it has an attractive, readable quality.

Don't: Use more than two or three font styles in one document. Doing so can make the document look unattractive.

Do: Show your finished documents to others so they can proof your writing and make suggestions for improving the design.

Don't: Use a font that mimics handwriting throughout a business document. Such fonts may be appropriate for flyers, however as long as the font is large enough so that customers can read each word easily.

Do: Take desktop-publishing design classes or read instructional books to increase your design expertise. Font selection is only one of many important issues to consider when designing a readable, attractive, successful business document.

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