There you are again…
Sitting in front of your screen watching the hours fly by as you struggle to choose the perfect fonts for your client.
Sound familiar?
If so, you’re not alone.
I’ve been in your shoes more times than I can count!
But along the way, I’ve learned some key tips and techniques to get unstuck while making decisions in a fraction of the time.
And I want to share some of them with you today so let’s get right into it!
As the saying goes, “a stitch in time saves nine.”
By doing a little leg work upfront, you can quickly narrow down your choice.
I’m talking about familiarising yourself with the major font types, such as serif, sans-serif, script, and display fonts.
Each of these has a different personality!
So if you get to know them like the back of your hand…
You’ll know exactly where to start looking as soon as you understand your new client’s unique brand goals.
But there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
With just a touch of competitor research, you’ll be surprised by what you find.
Are certain fonts overused?
Is there a common pattern among industry leaders?
What seems to resonate best with the audience?
Here, it’s all about standing out without straying from your client’s branding goals.
Now, I know what you’re probably wondering…
If this is about saving time, then why not dive into the work right away?
In the same spirit as a previous Instagram post, a little planning can go a long way.
And what you’ll find is that a few minutes of work early on can save hours of aimless iterations and client rework down the road.
Now back to the tips!
As brand designers, we’re in the business of people.
That’s why it’s so important to consider the emotion you want your audience to feel.
From playful display fonts to assertive sans-serif typefaces, there are countless options to choose from.
Just remember, there may only be a handful that fully capture the right emotion.
For this reason, I highly recommend comparing fonts to make the best decision possible.
Here, consider placing all of your options in a side-by-side comparison.
That way, you can quickly see which one stands out. In most cases, the simpler the better.
This is because simpler designs are generally easier to customise, letting your full creativity shine.
****☝️ But before you dive in, remember this… ☝️****
Don’t fall for the trap of using trendy typography.
Although tempting, I can tell you from experience that even the most popular trends don’t last.
And when you’re creating a logo or concept brand, timeless designs mean better client outcomes.
The bottom line?
By breaking your work into stages, you can get better results in a fraction of the time.
As tricky as typography can be, these techniques can turn bottlenecks into breakthroughs for your workflow.
Chat next week,
Abi 🙂
P.S. My YouTube video has even more tips that I use every day for client work. I hope this helps!
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