Home staging tips for real estate success
Want to create wow factor for your client’s home showing? Here’s how to transform that first in-person visit into a big saleable impression.
A home walkthrough is very much like any other shopping experience. It’s a chance for potential buyers to get a feel for the space, lighting, furniture and more—emphasis on “feel.” Get to know why home staging can be the touch that turns the tables from initial sniff to must-have sale.
According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2017, 49% of buyers’ agents cited that home staging had an effect on most buyers’ view of the home. About one-third of buyer’s agents said that staging increased the dollar value offered between one and five percent compared to similar homes on the market not staged.
On the other side, 39% of sellers’ agents stated that staging a home greatly decreases the amount of time the home is on the market. What’s not to love? Here are some ways to make staging work for you—from the get-go into the long run.
Network your way into the community
It goes without saying that the home you’re showing to a prospective buyer comes with more than curb appeal. We don’t have to tell you how much a neighborhood matters to homeowners—from the schools to the small businesses nearby. So why not bring the neighborhood into the selling process? Here’s how:
- Build relationships with small businesses, independent service providers and solopreneurs by inviting them to participate your home staging project for mutual benefit.
- Find local artists and ask them if they’d like to consign or show their artwork inside the home. Choose styles of art that reflect the area such as beach scenes for coastal towns or abstract art for more urban areas.
- Use local artisans and designers like woodworkers to showcase custom furnishings that might become conversation pieces in the home. Imagine an upcycled entryway cabinet made from woods native to the region. It’s great marketing for craftspeople and an asset for your showing.
- Negotiate with local bakeries or caterers to prepare small menu tastings for open houses. They get to sample their products; you get some free or discount snack platters.
Remember that through every encounter, you have an opportunity to get to know the neighborhood from its insiders and stock up on selling points for the home sale.
Turn every encounter into a referral opportunity
Meeting shop owners and service providers in the community can only help to build relationships for the long run. A face-to-face connection may make the difference between passing along your Business Card versus allowing you to pin a few to the corkboard.
It’s worth underscoring that your home staging project also serves as a new opportunity, helping local businesses advertise to a captive audience they might not otherwise meet while also opening new channels of word of mouth marketing for you. Offer to take copies of menus or their business cards to leave on your sign-in table. And make sure you connect on social media for future mentions. It’s about neighbors helping neighbors after all. Getting to know each other may help keep your service top of mind when the time comes for referral.
Market your open house with ease
After you’ve done the legwork to line up local help for your home staging, make the most of the connections through your real estate marketing material. Instead of a traditional print Flyer with property photos and standard listing information, create a neighborhood description section in your Flyer where you highlight the service providers who participated. Include their logos as a thank you for their goods and services. And in exchange, ask to leave your Business Cards at their customer counters.
You may even try to put a small co-op marketing campaign together and get everyone involved to share in a direct mailer, newsletter or email campaign that announces what’s new in the neighborhood. Don’t be shy about inviting them to the open house. Tight communities talk, and you may stumble upon more prospects through a genuine conversation.
Make a habit of it
During your home walkthroughs, take note of what potential buyers notice or on what they comment. If a local artist or service provider gets a lot of interest, see if you can sign that person up for home staging projects to come. Consider creating a network of go-to local business owners to replicate a successful experience on your future home sales. There may even be neighborhood artist or small business organizations you can call upon to rotate services through the seasons.
The home staging process creates good business opportunities for a local network of providers. Partnering with small businesses is also a great way to become known as one of the best real estate representatives in the area. In the end, home staging is a double win. It helps improve the present buying experience as well as open and build local relationships for future business to come.
Close the deal with Business Cards, Postcards, and Flyers.
Want to add value to your business? New hires can teach you a ton. Find out how you can get fresh insights from day one that can help shape the way you do things – for the better.
Believe it or not, the people who recently joined your company can help you immensely. Since they have fresh eyes, they can let you know which aspects of your business are in great shape – and also advise on areas that are unnecessarily complicated or unclear.
Make the most of your hiring process by including feedback sessions into their onboarding. Here’s how:
Get insight on day one
Great first impressions are important, especially when you bring new team members on board. Immediately after onboarding, get your recruits’ perspective on your brand.
Since they haven’t been part of watercooler conversations, or seen the back and forth on your company Slack, they can provide the valuable perspective of an outsider. In other words, they’re pretty much like an in-house market research team. This will also make new team members feel like they are part of the decision-making process right from the start.
Start surveying
Before you onboard your staff, ask a crucial question: “From what you’ve experienced so far, what would you say our brand values are?”
Full warning: you might be surprised by their response. The lived experience of your company might be totally different than the adjectives that are listed on the ‘About’ page of your website.
Sabrina Son from Tinypulse suggests a few additional questions to ask during the onboarding process: “What strikes you most about your new job?”, “What aspect of this job excites you?”, “What makes you nervous?” By collecting this information, you’ll learn how to make the first few weeks of your new employee’s experience as smooth as possible.
The lived experience of your company might be totally different than the adjectives that are listed on the ‘About’ page of your website.
Improve processes
Your new hires have a diverse set of professional backgrounds–– so use them! Take advantage of their expertise by asking about the best–– and worst–– parts of their last job. You’ll learn about everything from terribly managed invoicing systems to an amazing “take your dog to work” day. Learn from the mistakes of their last employer, and don’t make them yourselves.
Lastly, ask how they think the onboarding process itself is going. Are they confused by anything? Do they wish that the timeline was different? Even if you can’t help this current round of employees, their answers will serve future additions to your team.
Follow up, follow up, follow up
You can learn a lot from a first impression… but what about a thirtieth? Check in with your newbies a month into their job, and see where they’ve run into some bumps in the road. Use the answers as research for improvement, and use the suggestions for employees in the future.
As Tristan Claridge says in Social Capital Research, “We want to employ people who have the requisite human capital to perform their role and ideally to contribute meaningfully to organizational goals… but once they enter our organisation will they continue to excel?”
If your organization doesn’t maintain a positive and open culture, it can be very difficult for even the brightest employee to thrive. Notice how your new staff were operating at the beginning of their employment with your company–– and compare that to their behavior after operating within your organization for a month. How has their attitude changed? In what ways has your corporate culture impacted them?
While noticing these subtle differences can be a lot of work, it will provide some impactful insights about your company’s culture.
Onboard your new hires in style with branded Business Cards, Letterhead, and Stickers.
Having next-level branding can help your business get noticed. Not sure where to start? Let these 3 entrepreneurs show you the way.
Brand consistency means more than matching typefaces. It can mean everything from a distinct visual style to having your branding on every correspondence with your customers. Here, we caught up with a few customers that have taken their brands to new heights. Because nothing says “I mean business” like branded Stickers, Postcards, and Flyers.
Andrina Manon
Andrina is a freelance illustrator and designer based out of Sydney, Australia. She runs an online shop filled with bright watercolor prints, custom illustrations, greeting cards, and more. She also brings her creative superpowers to magazines, packaging, branding, textile prints and paper goods.
Andrina gets inspiration for her illustrations everywhere, from quirky neighbors to pets that she meets. On the business side, her personal branding is a combination of simple brush lettering and typography paired with lots of color and patterns. “My logo is a little self portrait paired with hand lettering, whereas my branding collateral – like Business Cards, Stickers and Postcards – are like a mini portfolio for my work,” Andrina explained. “Each item features a different print or illustration!”
Andrina uses her Business Cards to showcase the breadth of her work. “I love them because the paper stock is super thick and the print quality is lovely,” she said. “People get quite excited when I offer them a hand of cards and they get to choose their favorite design. It feels like I’m giving my clients a little gift!”
Build a mini portfolio with Business Cards, Stickers, and Postcards
Fiorelisa Varenna
Fiorelisa Varenna started asile F – an online store – with her mother in 2015. Their original intention was simply to declutter their closets. Yet once the stored gained popularity, they dove in and decided to create their own handmade gifts as well. Now, the mother-daughter team has even expanded to a brick and mortar store in Varenna, Italy called – you guessed it – Fiorelisa. They offer gifts and knick knacks, with a strong emphasis on all things cats.
Fiorelisa works with her designer to create a variety of print products that promote her brand: MiniCards for gift tags, Stickers to close their orders with style, and Postcards to thank customers. “I love that MOO’s Printfinity option allows me to print a different image on every Postcard,” Fiorelisa said. “I use them to display photos of my products.”
Fiorelisa’s matte standard Business Cards match the branding of her other print products to create a memorable takeaway. “When I offer my Business Card to someone, they get to pick the card that they like the best. That always makes them smile!” The finish allows her to write a personalized greeting, she told us. “I can write a special thank you, and because the quality of the paper is so excellent, the message always looks great.”
Promote your business with MiniCards, Stickers, and Postcards
Wild Stories
Wild Stories creates custom-designed photo booths that enhance the aesthetic of an event, while also creating the opportunity to remember your night. (No matter how wild.) The idea was created by French couple Marie and Sebastien, who both come from the photography world and are driven by a desire for adventure. That craving led them to transform a caravan into a mobile photo booth, and challenge themselves to capture memorable images while on the move.
Three words describe the Wild Stories mission: quality, fun and beauty. “As professional photographers, we really value the quality of our pictures… and the quality of our communication!” Marie told us. Wild Stories used Printfinity for their Business Cards to highlight their range, which feature pictures of the French ocean, forest, and desert. “We think the beauty of these cards comes from the combination of quality and fun,” Marie said.
Wild Stories also uses Flyers to promote their events. “People can easily see the pictures, they attract the attention, and they stand up to a little wear and tear,” Marie said. “For our meetings, we use Super Business Cards. We feel like they’re pretty classy,” she laughed. In fact, one of their customers even took a few of their cards to use as wall art. “We’re never disappointed with MOO,” Marie said. “The quality is there, and the client service is great. And most importantly, our customers love the results.”
Communicate with customers using Flyers
Heard the news? Our MOO Postcards and Flyers now come in a fresh range of sizes with some brand new paper stocks. Here are some fun ways to put them to use.
1. Mouth-watering menus
They say the first bite is with the eye… so it’s worth making your menus as tempting as possible. Customers pay a lot of attention to menus, so use the opportunity to give them a positive impression. Good quality materials and a professional-looking design show you’re a credible business that cares about perfecting the details, and carefully-crafted descriptions will convey the love and care taken over your dishes, not to mention making their true deliciousness come across. Sarah Hyndman, founder of type studio Type Tasting explores this idea in our interview with her: “If a menu or recipe is written in a Serif typeface, the chef is perceived as more skilful, and the recipe is assumed to taste better”. Want to learn more about why fonts matter? Check out the full article.
Our Flyers make a great basis for a memorable menu for your cafe, restaurant or takeaway. What’s more, they’re available in high-quality paper stocks sturdy enough to withstand minor spillages and general wear and tear, so they’ll last longer. Our Essential Flyer paper stock is 160 gsm, which is 20% thicker than your average flyer.
2. A welcome card for new homeowners
Real estate is all about making people feel at home. If you’re the kind of realtor who believes in thoughtful details, here’s an idea – distil your warm welcome into a lasting memory using a Postcard or two to welcome the new owners. Propped up on the dining table along with a bouquet of fresh flowers, it’s the type of thing that will leave homeowners with lovely memories of their arrival.
It also makes it super-convenient for them to recommend you to other people. Having your card on hand means it’s straightforward for your customers to pass them out to housewarming guests when they’re chatting about the process of buying their home.
Check out our tips for making yourself invaluable to your real estate clients.
3. Loyalty cards they’ll be keen to keep hold of
Repeat business is the best kind of business, which may be why the stampable loyalty card has become a staple for coffee houses and bakeries. But it’s not just for purveyors of morning treats – you can use them to encourage loyalty for all kinds of establishment. Why not invite your customers to collect nine stamps and get their tenth item on the house? Or offer a tenth-visit discount on your services, whether it’s hairdressing, cut flowers or even car servicing?
A good loyalty card needs to be tough enough to stand up to wear and tear, and clearly and attractively branded. Ideally it should do double duty, reminding customers about the quality of your products and services via images and text. Business Cards work well for this job, but if you want a little more room for your design and message (and also to make that precious card more difficult to lose) try using one of our new Square Postcards.
Whether you choose our Original or Super Postcards, or go all-out with Luxe, at least one side of the card can be uncoated for successful stamping (no smudging). And with weights ranging from 330 gsm to 600 gsm, they’re all sturdy enough to put up with an extended stay in a customer’s pocket.
4. Perfectly presented price lists
Like the restaurant menu, the price list is a part of your marketing collateral that customers pay close and focused attention to, so it’s worth getting it right. Look and feel really matter – and that’s especially true if your business is one that’s focused on aesthetics, like a hair salon, nail tech emporium or popup blow dry bar.
Make a great first impression by greeting customers with price lists printed on Flyers. They’re printed on premium paper stock that’s 160 gsm, 20% thicker than the average flyer, so they’re anything but flyaway. While your customers are poring over the options, they’ll notice the quality and care that’s gone into producing your price list.
Try using texture and color to the full and create something that’s part price-list, part souvenir – all the better to keep you front of mind when a customer next needs your services. MOO Flyers are available in a beautiful Pearlescent metallic finish, which makes the colors in your design really pop.
5. Pocket portfolios for ninja marketing moments
Designers, architects, artists and illustrators all know that a portfolio is a crucial marketing tool. You’re probably already well established on digital portfolio platforms like Behance or Carbonmade. But what if you could put a real-life paper portfolio in your pocket ready to showcase your talent whenever, wherever? You never know when you’re going to meet a fantastic new client in the coffee shop or movie theater line.
Printfinity means you can print up to 50 designs in a single set of Flyers or Postcards, at no extra cost. It’s a handy way to get all your best work printed up on high-quality Postcards that will look impressive without breaking the bank.
Prefer your MOO treats with smaller dimensions? Explore our Business Card and Sticker range
From that slogan to a truly iconic can design, find out how Red Bull’s brand identity has paved the way for flyaway success.
MOO caught up with Red Bull’s brand team to talk about the importance of branding and how design is in the detail — right down to the Custom Notebooks handed to the company’s new employees.
Red Bull’s built-in branding
Austrian marketing strategist Dietrich Mateschitz chose April Fool’s Day 1987 to launch his pioneering energy drink. But he took his branding very seriously indeed.
Ask the average person on the street what Red Bull gives you, and you’ll be hard-pushed to find anybody who doesn’t reply: “wiiings!” And most will be able to identify the brand’s iconic palette of blue and silver with red and yellow logo.
“Having a strong brand identity is one of the most important parts of the business,” Red Bull’s brand team tells MOO. “The company is credited with creating the energy drink. We started an entire market, and needed to let people know what our products were all about.”
The brand wanted to create a connection in customers’ minds between the need for energy and how Red Bull can supply it. “Red Bull was a philosophy and a way of behaving, which is connected to the idea of ‘giving wings’ to customers. The tagline has been a constant for the brand.”
Today, Red Bull is sold in 171 countries worldwide, with 70 billion cans flying off the shelves thanks to those wings.
Energy in mind
Red Bull’s always-on strategy relies on a constant online presence coupled with strong branding and design. The company runs sporting events including The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series and the Red Bull Air Race, and owns two Formula One teams.
Its YouTube channel offers its 6.9-million-strong subscriber base thousands of adrenaline-fueled films, including Felix Baumgartner’s Red Bull-funded 39km free-fall from the edge of space, which to date has garnered over 43-million views. And whether they’re emblazoned on an F1 car, a helium balloon on the edge of space, or an aluminum can, the Red Bull color palette and logo, unchanged for over 30 years, are instantly identifiable.
Joined-up design
RedBull’s can design is far from being the only reflection of the brand’s visual identity. The brand acknowledges the importance of carrying this unique approach to strong brand-building throughout the business. And MOO recently worked with Red Bull to design custom, hardcover cloth Notebooks to match its branding.
Following the RedBull’s brand guidelines is more important than ever when it comes to onboarding new joiners. “All new employees get a four-day onboarding experience at our HQ, where they get acquainted with the brand,” the brand team explains. “We needed a notebook for these sessions that perfectly matched our branding.”
“Previously, we were using basic notebooks, so we were looking for a solution that had a minimal look but was premium as well, which is what MOO offers.”
The custom Notebooks follow the Red Bull style guide with its signature color palette, with yellow inserts, a section of blank yellow paper in the middle, and a red wayfinder.
The Red Bull logo is debossed into the cover — “We don’t like the logo to take center stage or shout too loudly,”—and, of course, the brand promise, ‘Red Bull gives you wiiings’ is included too, on the Notebook’s spine.
Collaboration and design
The creation of the Notebooks was a collaborative effort that balanced utility, branding and style, while being consistent with Red Bull’s brand book and other branded stationery, such as their Business Cards.
“It was a very hands-on creative process. We were asked to sketch something that would resemble our ideal branded notebook. Then, working with some of MOO’s technical designers, we made decisions for branding that we were all happy with. By imitating some of the customized options the result was a beautiful, minimal adaptation of our ideas.”
The resulting Notebook fits in perfectly with Red Bull’s other brand materials. And the Red Bull employees can’t seem to get enough: “Everyone wants one—I have to keep some of them hidden in my office!”
Interested in making Custom Notebooks?
We have a dedicated team of MOO Designers ready to take your artwork and add it from cover to cover. Just fill out the form here and one of our friendly Account Managers will reach out to you with the next steps.
Hooray, you’re your own boss! And you’re in charge of keeping yourself engaged, productive and loving your work. Here are some ideas to keep the magic going.
1. Have a plan
Know what you are trying to achieve, short and long term, and follow a plan to make sure you get it done.
Of course that doesn’t mean you need to micro-manage yourself, but blocking out your time helps you understand what you’re doing and when, and make sure you’re not taking on too much.
Whether it’s a detailed business plan or a daily ‘to do’ list, having a plan will keep you focused. Plus, it gives you a boost when you can tick things off the list.
Planning ahead is also easier when you get into the habit of logging your time. Get into the routine of comparing your plan to what you actually achieved in the time, and use it to adjust your future estimates.
2. Break targets down
Work is like food. Some things are so appealing you just want to sink your teeth into them right away, others take a bit more effort to chew through, and some are just plain unappetizing. The solution? Break down the tougher tasks into little ‘mouthfuls’ that are no big deal to digest.
Lifehacker recommends writing down the steps involved in a big task and working through them one by one. The tougher the task, the smaller the bits. Doing this gets you over the hurdle of beginning something – and turning it from an idea you don’t like into a reality you can handle.
3. Reward yourself
You’re running your own business, and that’s amazing. Reason enough to give yourself lots of treats. But there’s also a powerful motivation-gain with rewards, as they boost your intrinsic motivation and create an association between hard work and nice things.
Try rewarding yourself according to your effort level, rather than your achievements. If you handled a simple but unappealing task, you may have worked harder than you did on something complex but fascinating. Give yourself a pat on the back.
4. Work in real-time, not clock-time
Clock-time happens mechanically, in minutes and seconds, but real-time is subjective and very human. It can fly by when you’re focused and engaged, or drag on forever when you’re doing something that doesn’t inspire you. So although you’ve got 24 hours in a day, you can’t guarantee that you’ll spend exactly an hour on this or that with the exact same results – you’re not a clock! Some times are simply more productive than others.
Entrepreneur.com recommends aiming to spend 50% of your time doing things that help your business, and leaving plenty of room for the inevitable interruptions and distractions in your time estimates.
5. Visualize the results
It can be helpful to visualize the benefits of achieving your business goals. Whether it’s a dream holiday, some home improvements or even an amazing new outfit, it’ll be all yours if you keep going.
Try placing a reminder of your goal somewhere you’ll see it often. A wall by your desk is an ideal place to put pictures or post-its that remind you what you’re working towards. Or you could get some Postcards to dot around the place – each with a different picture of your goals, using Printfinity.
Or, what about creating some fun, motivational Stickers? Use phrases like, ‘Yay, almost there’, ‘Way to go!’ or ‘You’re awesome!’ and stick them wherever you track your goals.
6. Be ready for things to go off-course
When things don’t work out according to plan, it can really dent your motivation. But life is full of surprises, and the less attached you are to your expectations, the less fazed you’ll be when they aren’t met.
The key to handling unexpected setbacks is to assess them from a neutral point of view. Look for opportunities as well as disadvantages. Say your main client has gone out of business – that’s bad, because you’ve lost a source of income. But it also means you get to find brand new clients, and maybe even update your prices and product range ready for a fresh start.
7. Set desk hours and take breaks
It’s too easy to burn out when you have no set work schedule. Make work-life balance your mantra, and build breaks into your daily and weekly schedules. If you’re finding motivation a struggle, try putting small breaks in place every hour or so. The act of coming back to your work after a rest can actually boost productivity.
8. Accept the cycle
No one can stay motivated 100% of the time. When you’re struggling, do what you can on your to-do list and be assured that inspiration will return if you just keep going.
Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up. It’s easy to underestimate the motivating power of a team, an office and a manager, so cut yourself a little slack for doing so well without them.
And don’t forget to keep putting yourself out there. Hand out some branded Flyers to anyone who seems interested – after all, the next inspiring job is just around the corner.
Want more tips? Check out our guide to evaluating your business idea.
The all-new promotional product range is here. Time to spread the word in style.
In an increasingly digital world, it’s the tangible items that make a lasting impression. We’ve launched a brand-new line of promotional products that’ll keep your message real. After all, it’s hard to ‘skip’ an ad when you’re holding it in your hand. And with our expanded line of papers and finishes, you now have plenty of ways to make a bold and memorable statement.
From Essential to extra-fancy Pearlescent – our new Flyer papers have landed
Flyers are the perfect way to get the word out about your brand. And what better way to get your brand noticed than with our bigger and better range of papers?
Essential: promote big
With this great value paper, you can afford to promote big. At 160 gsm, our Essential paper is 20% thicker than your average flyer to pack an extra punch. On top of that, it’s uncoated, so you can write those all-important details on it, and 100% recycled. It’s the little things that make all the difference.
Note: this paper isn’t currently available in the US and Canada. Sign up to receive our MOOsLETTER and get all the latest news and product updates.
Pearlescent: luxuriously weighty
How do you level up from Premium? Well, that’s where Pearlescent comes in – our shiny (literally) new 300 gsm paper is thick and metallic. It’s perfect for special events and occasions – this is the kind of paper you have to see to believe. Say it with us: “Oooh, aaah.”
Postcards got more “POW”
Super Postcards. Velvety-smooth.
Need a bold new way to promote your brand? Lucky you, MOO Postcards are now available in our Super soft touch paper. Strong, durable and silky smooth—these are Postcards they’ll want to keep.
All shapes and sizes
Have a big event or brand announcement? Our Postcards come in a range of new sizes, so now’s an excellent time to launch something big with them. Because there’s no better way to make your marketing extra memorable than with stand-out Postcards.
If you’re in the US and Canada, here’s what you can get your hands on:
Standard Postcards (4” x 6”) – Classic size for a classic promotion.
Square Postcards (4.72” x 4.72”) – It’s hip to be square.
Rack Cards (3.67” x 8.5”) – Your message on display.
Half Page Postcards (5.5” x 8.5”) – Don’t let the half size fool you.
Large Postcards (6” x 9”) – Some serious real estate to make a statement.
Fear not, you can still get your hands on Small and Medium Postcards (perfect for a nice hello or to let people know you’ve moved to a new address).
If you’re in the UK and Europe, here’s all you need to know about our new sizes:
Square Postcards (120 mm x 120 mm) – Stand out from the crowd.
DL Postcards (99 mm x 210 mm) – Promote something special.
A5 Postcards (148 mm x 210 mm) – Trusty and reliable – just like your morning coffee.
And if the Medium and A6 Postcard sizes are your thing, you can still snap these up.
So next time you’re in need of some eye-catching marketing materials, elegant announcements, or just a personalized way to stay in touch – it on Postcards and Flyers.
Hidden in plain sight, typography is all around us — and for brands, using the right font is a crucial way of communicating.
Typefaces are big part of our everyday life — but more often than not, they linger on the periphery, influencing our choices without demanding our attention.
And according to Sarah Hyndman, founder of type studio Type Tasting, it’s this subtlety which makes typography such a potent way of communicating. MOO caught up with her to uncover the astonishing power of typography — and to find out how it can express the personality behind your brand.
Passing on a passion
As a child, Sarah was struck by, and grew to love, the colorful typography on her favorite candy packages. But despite her appreciation blossoming at such a young age, after 10 years running her own graphic design business, Sarah found herself falling out of love with typography.
“I got to a point where I was working really long hours, and a lot of that time I wasn’t doing the design work — I was just managing the accounts,” she says. “So I took a step back to do something that would help me fall back in love with design.
“I wanted to bring back the excitement and joy of my childhood, and introduce my love of typography to an audience beyond the design studio. Type isn’t all high-brow — it’s also enveloped in pop culture experiences.” And so, five years ago, Sarah launched Type Tasting.
With a laser-focus on typography, Type Tasting offers events, talks and workshops designed to teach designers and the design-curious alike about the psychology of type — like wine tasting, but for type, Sarah explains.
She’s also published a book, Why Fonts Matter, which looks at how fonts influence us and the subtle power they wield. They can even, Sarah says, alter the taste of our food.
“If a menu or recipe is written in a Serif typeface, the chef is perceived as more skilful, and the recipe is assumed to taste better,” Sarah says. “The point of Type Tasting is to look at type in this way, from the consumer’s point of view.”
Uncovering a hidden world
Type Tasting’s hands-on, experiential events are designed to make the fascinating facets of a world Sarah describes as being “hidden in plain sight” accessible to all.
Events on offer include Type Safari, in which attendees are taken through the history of type to show why different typefaces are relevant.
Type & Perception includes ‘typography karaoke’, which demonstrates “how type can be your voice,” while Font Fortunes reveals what your preferred typefaces say about your personality.
The response to these events has been hugely positive. “People are surprised by the sessions, and there’s lots of laughter,” Sarah says. “People who didn’t think they knew anything about type discover they’re already experts at reading these visual codes.”
The subtle voice of type
Sarah understands better than most the effect typography can have on our perceptions, and why that makes it a powerful brand-building tool.
“Type is our voice, so the typeface you use very much reflects your personality,” she explains. “It works as a first impression, in a very similar way to our clothes. For example, if I set something in a serif typeface, it’s the equivalent of me wearing my glasses — it’s been shown that people interpret words in serif as well researched and more intellectual.”
Every detail of Type Tasting, down to Sarah’s Business Cards, are informed by her passion for typography, as well as for design.
“I chose Luxe for my Business Cards, partly because of the strip of colour around the seam, but also because they’re heavy,” she says. “The heavier the object, the more gravitas it has, and the more important it feels when you hold it.
“My Business Cards also have a game built into them that explains what I do — effectively my elevator pitch — so they become a talking point. Somebody recently said that a Business Card designer is actually creating ‘really cool first impressions,’ so that’s what I strived to do.”
Typography that tells a story
So, what advice would Sarah offer to a small business or brand looking to revamp their identity?
“Think about your brand and the story you want to tell about it to connect with your customers in an authentic and meaningful way,” Sarah advises. “Your branding should reflect your personality or attitude — serious and well informed, open and modern, or relaxed and casual.
“It could evoke a story — for example, the Cooper Black font says ‘70s nostalgia and sunshine’, while Benguiat says ‘80s authentic’ (think Stranger Things). Or you can use it to communicate with a particular tribe, using typefaces and tone of voice to connect with your target audience.”
Sarah offers Coca Cola and Pepsi as strong examples of typefaces embodying a brand’s values.
“Coke’s casual script reflects its 50s heritage. It’s an everyman drink, evoking baseball and Americana. Meanwhile, Pepsi’s logo reflects that fashion of each era, and is more about pop culture and change.”
Ultimately, if Type Tasting can give people an insight into and appreciation for the art and psychology of typography, Sarah considers her job done.
“Typography is one of the most important ways to make a first impression and to communicate your story,” Sarah says. “Isolate just the type styles of a brand, and they communicate a huge amount.
“It’s not about the kerning — it’s about the impression it makes on our subconscious.”