Have you ever had patients ask questions that they could easily have answered themselves, if only they read the poster board? Or, have you ever spent the better part of an hour setting up your poster board, only to see no one is reading it. If so, you know how frustrating it can be to create a poster board no one pays attention to. Fortunately, we have some ideas on how you can change this.
1. Focus on a Theme
We recommend that you create a monthly theme for your poster board. A unified theme will give your poster board a more cohesive look, and it will be particularly appealing to patients who are specifically interested in that topic. For instance, you might have a month where you answer patients’ most frequently asked questions. Alternatively, you could develop your theme around those items you’re trying to promote each month (e.g. skin checks, care plans).
2. Feature Staff Members and Their Interests
It’s human nature to be curious about the people we come into contact with. To that end, consider featuring a different staff member each month. Make it candid and personal, giving patients the opportunity to feel that they’ve learned something interesting about the staff member in question. For example, if a doctor likes traveling, you could feature her vacation photos. If another team member is a talented home cook, you could display some of his favourite recipes.
3. Remember Less Is More
The most skilful graphic designers know that less is more. Too much colour can be distracting, rather than effective at pulling people in. Instead, use a generous amount of white space which will not only help draw the eye, but will also break up various sections into easily discernible ‘chunks’ of information.
4. Divide Your Poster Board Into Sections
To design an attractive poster board, use sections and headlines. Large headlines will help patients easily determine what the poster board is about and if they find the headlines intriguing enough, they’ll be drawn to learn more.
5. Display Your Board in Front of Patient Chairs
Think about where the majority of your patients tend to sit when they come in to your clinic. If possible, place your poster board prominently in front of these seats. Doing so will give patients something to do while they’re waiting. If it isn’t feasible to place your poster board in front of these chairs, try placing it near the magazines so people can look at it when they get up to grab something to read.
6. Put Your Flyer Stand Next to Your Posters
Another great location to place your poster board is adjacent to the flyers you display in the waiting room. When patients are perusing the flyers, they’ll be much more likely to notice—and read—your poster board.
7. Include Some Entertaining Pieces
Avoid making your poster board overly serious. Instead, include some items on it that are more entertaining in nature. For instance, you might want to include a section of funny memes, medical-related humour, a cartoon, or even a picture of a staff member taken outside of work.
