Type Tells a Story

If you write it down, we're going to judge it.

Not just the words, we're going to judge you even before we read the words. The typography you use, whether it's a handwritten note or a glossy brochure, sends a message.

Some typefaces are judged in a similar way by most people you're addressing (Times Roman in a Word document or Helvetica on a street sign or Myriad Pro on a website) but even when you choose something as simple as a typeface, be prepared for people to misunderstand you.

If you send me a flyer with dated, cheesy or overused type, it's like showing up in a leisure suit for a first date. If your website looks like Geocities or some scammy info marketer, I won't even stay long enough to read it.

Like a wardrobe, I think a few simple guidelines can save amateurs like us a lot of time:

Would have missed this post by Seth Godin if @ideabook hadn't pointed it out in his Twitter stream. It's an idea I have some passion for, as I've read a few too many documents formatted in Comic Sans or some other crummy font. I also rely on Ideabook for ideas and inspiration. It'll take only a few minutes to read Godin's post, but it can work wonders for your image.