Design to Sell: Use Microsofta Publisher to Plan, Write and Design Great Marketing Pieces

Many readers of my blog and my most recent book Cashing in with Content: How Innovative Marketers use Digital Information to turn Browsers into Buyers know that I insist (and often rant incessantly) about content as the most important aspect of a Web site, ebook, white paper, newsletter and the like. I really hate seeing cool deign with nothing of substance in the way of content behind it. But I do have to admit that I don't know a lot about design and decided to learn. Robert C. Parker's Design to Sell provided me a terrific overview of how to use design as a competitive asset. While the book has a focus about using Microsoft Publisher to plan, write, and design great marketing pieces, the chapters in the front of the book gave me the grounding I needed. One of the reasons that I chose this book is that Parker totally understands marketing and content and how to use design in concert with goals. I didn't want to read a book that was just focused on pretty stuff - I wanted to know how design is an important component to enhancing the great content that is created in newsletters, white papers, ebooks, Web sites and so on. Check out Parker's companion blog to his book. Is this an awesome deign or what?

Microsoft Publisher is to desktop publishing design as Microsoft Word is to writing and editing. They're great software -- great tools -- but no substitute for the knowledge and skill needed to be a designer or a writer. That's where Roger C. Parker bridges the gap with Design to Sell, an indispensable instructional tour de force of incalculable value to any Microsoft Publisher user. Don't even think about trying to design a publication using Microsoft Publisher without this book. Stamp out mediocre design! Roger C. Parker shows you how.

Oh how I wish I had this book when I was getting started in design. Not only would it have helped me, but it would have helped many of my clients who depend on Publisher. But this book isn't just about Publisher, it's about solid design principles that many people seem to miss. The good news is that the solutions to bad design aren't as difficult as some people think. Publisher, design, marketing...all in one book that gets right to the point.

I am a freelance copywriter without an ounce of native design talent in my bones. However, in "Design to Sell..." Parker showed me that talent isn't required if you have some common sense. The first myth he replaced with common sense is the myth that high-priced suites of design tools are necessary to get professional results. Showing me how easy it is to get great looking results without spending a ton of money on tools and training more than repaid the minimal cost of this book. You'll have to get your own copy of this book to discover other common sense solutions to great-looking design. If you write for a living, get this book. It makes your work prettier. If you are a graphic designer, get this book. It will improve your skills and business.

Microsoft Word has a tremendous amount of design and formating capability, but Word is oriented to text processing. When you want to go beyond word into things like preparing an advertisement, business card, advertising brochure or something like that, it's difficult to do the things you want just using Word. Enter Microsoft Publisher that will allow you to do these kinds of enhanced layouts. This book really has two major points: First it is a book on design. What makes a good design? What is appropriate (and inappropriate) use of color on printed materials? The goal of this book is not to produce material that helps you sell, not just be pleasing to look at. Second, it is a tutorial style book on using Microsoft Publisher to produce the designs you have created. It does not have a CD, but it does have a companion web site that includes more material as well as downloadable worksheets and templates.