During the Superbowl this Sunday you'll see some of the most creative advertisements of our time. Pay particular attention to the Pepsi ad but you won't need to listen. It is all images - no words. Why would they consider this strategy for such an expensive ad? One reason all savvy marketers are aware of is that 93% of communication is non-verbal and that people - your prospects and clients - are more effectively persuaded by solutions that they can see.

When you create your marketing materials the graphics, as well as the layout, are as important as the words. This fact is especially true online whether you are creating an email newsletter or updating your website. Sure, you can grab a few free clip art images off of the web but are they really conveying your message the way you intend? If you had the skills or time, wouldn't you create an image that communicates your ideas more effectively? I'm continuously amazed at how our graphic artists improve the effectiveness of our client's marketing materials.

If you're a small or mid-sized business owner, add a line item in your budget for a corporate identity package if you haven't done so already. Remember, the vast majority of prospects are looking at you more intensely than they are listening to or reading your words.

Use a professional graphic artist to create effective graphics for your website and/or blog pages, marketing handouts, and email newsletters. They can:

• Translate your ideas into images that convey confidence
• Select the best color paletes for maximum impact
• Save you time, resources, and lower the stress level of your inhouse employees
• Significantly improve your proposal graphics, which are often overlooked but one of the most important elements of any proposal

Your website or email newsletter may be the first time a prospect has contact with your company - make your first impressions count.

FYI: PepsiCo will air a 60-second commercial filmed in American Sign Language this Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3. The ad spot is called "Bob's House" and it will air during the pre-game show. The commercial was created by and features employees of PepsiCo. More info on the Superbowl ad can be found in this Boston Globe article.