Ever wonder whether your content or design fits your market’s needs? Gather a few members of the staff who normally don’t have editorial or design responsibilities, a group of students, an intern, or even a reader panel, and ask them to complete a hypothetical makeover assignment:
- Redesign the periodical’s layout.
- Evaluate your type treatments, and revamp using new fonts and sizes.
- Design what you believe is a perfect “Table of Contents.”
- Review last year’s content. Rank the top twenty pieces in order of quality.
- Mark up the five largest photos or illustrations appearing in your periodical or on your Web site in the last six months, and “retouch” the images by hand to make them more compelling.
- Write what you believe is an ideal article, using whatever formatting and style best fits readers’ needs.
- Develop titles and copy for three new standard columns or features.
- Increase the pulling power of three advertisements by revamping copy or graphics.
- Sketch three new cover designs that might “wow” readers.
- Pretend that three of the world’s top business writers (or leaders in your industry) were preparing copy for you. Draft the copy you think they would provide.
The hypothetical copy and design ideas you receive might give you insight into your readers - and more important, creative options you can use to keep your periodical or Web site fresh.
