Stickers are a fun way to promote your business and brand. Check out the video below and read on to learn how you can use Design Pickle to create easy, personalized stickers for your marketing efforts.
We’ve all driven behind people that sport six bumper stickers on their car. We’ve also frequented coffee shops full of sticker-covered laptops from brand loyalists. A well-designed sticker can become a major part of your company’s fan culture and branding. It communicates a simple, but eye-catching message about your company and raises awareness for your brand. While designing a sticker can seem like a simple process, there’s a lot of things to consider. In this blog, we share tips for designing stickers that are an effective and valuable marketing asset for your brand.
Step 1: Size, Shape, and Type
The first thing to consider when designing a custom sticker is size and shape. From entryway banners to client gifts, stickers serve a multitude of purposes and therefore are available in a wide array of sizes. It’s important to note that if you choose an unusual shape, it will impact your final printing costs due to the sticker needing to be specially cut.
It is also important at this stage to determine the transparency of your sticker. A transparent sticker allows light and/or a surface to be shown around your design. Solid, or opaque stickers will not show the surface through the sticker. To help make your decision, consider where you’ll be placing the decal. Glass and plastic are ideal surfaces for transparent stickers, while opaque stickers are common on more weathered surfaces.
If your sticker is going on the inside of a window and viewed from the outside, you’ll want to make sure to reverse the image before printing so it shows in the direction you intended.
Step 2: Design
Once you’ve determined size, shape, and sticker type, the fun part awaits – the actual design. A great sticker features design and color that draws in attention but is not crowded with text. Because stickers are often viewed in passing and not up close, use text sparingly. Rely on color and visual elements to communicate your message. Keep in mind that stickers and decals are usually noticed from across the room or a car length back. The brighter and simpler your design, the more effective it will ultimately be.
If you are going to use text on your sticker, use bold typography to aid with legibility. If your sticker takes too much effort to comprehend, people won’t bother trying to figure it out.
Above all, your sticker’s design should incorporate your brand elements and be a reflection of your personality. This marketing tool should be cool and fun. Consider trying a new variation of your brand style that may translate better on a sticker. Keep in mind that a sticker is a commitment from someone to promote your brand. The design should be something that represents you and your business, but also entices someone to use it.
Step 3: Technical Considerations
When designing a sticker or decal, make sure you have clear standards from your sticker manufacturer. Following their recommendations for resolution and file type will be key in ensuring the quality of your sticker. You’ll also need to have your designer take bleed into account; you don’t want part of your design getting trimmed off because you designed right up to the edges of the file. Usually, you’ll want at least ⅛” (or 5mm) of bleed area to avoid this.
Last, make sure your designer is using the CMYK color model instead of RGB. Most printing services print in CMYK, and an RGB file risks your sticker printing differently than you designed, or being refused altogether. If you have any doubt, just double-check with your print provider to be sure.
Step 4: Test
The last step is to make a test order of your stickers. The reason we recommend testing your sticker is not only to double-check all of the aforementioned parameters, but also to see how sticky the end product is. A sticker is a commitment, but it’s also an extension of someone’s experience with your brand. If the sticker is so sticky that it will never peel off without applying a ton of GooGone and a razor blade, you’re providing a poor brand experience. Order a few stickers and test them on a variety of surfaces. Try removing them after a week or two and see if you have a positive experience yourself.
Whether you’re designing a massive wall decal for your office or a small sticker to hand out at events, Design Pickle is the best resource to get quality designs for your stickers. Our team will take the technical aspects off your plate and transform your ideas into eye-catching, original stickers sure to get the attention you want. We’ll handle the bleed, color space, file types, and other details so you can focus on the design (and then we’ll create that too!).
Check out our work for examples of Design Pickle’s creativity in the real world. Download the Ultimate Guide to Design Pickle to find out more about how you can use our services to rapidly grow your business.
