Practical Sales Training™ > Selling Communication Basics > Readable Text
What is it?
Readable text is text that your audience can easily see, read, and understand at a glance. It sounds simple, but poor readability is one of the most common mistakes in marketing and sales materials. Tiny fonts, low contrast colours, or overly decorative typefaces might look creative, but if people have to squint, zoom, or guess what they are reading, they stop reading altogether. In sales, that means you lose attention, and when you lose attention, you lose opportunity.
How does it work?
Readable text works by removing friction. When your words are clear and easy to take in, your message flows smoothly from your content to your reader’s brain. The less effort it takes to read, the more likely someone is to engage, absorb, and act. But if your text is too small, too light, or blends into the background, it creates instant resistance. People will skip, scroll, or move on, even if your message is strong.
The goal is not to make text look exciting, but to make it effortless. Good design should support the message, not compete with it. Every letter should be visible, every line should breathe, and every reader should feel comfortable engaging without strain.
How can you use it?
Before you focus on clever copy or design, make sure your text is readable everywhere it appears — on screens, in print, and on mobile devices.
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Check contrast: Dark text on a light background (or vice versa) is easiest to read.
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Increase size: Aim for a minimum of 16px for digital and 10pt for print.
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Avoid clutter: Give your words space with clear margins and line spacing.
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Choose legible fonts: Stick to simple, professional typefaces over decorative ones.
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Test visibility: Step back from the screen or print it out to see if it’s still clear.
Readable text might not win design awards, but it wins attention. And attention is what converts readers into buyers.
Example
This super busy poster is hard to read as there is just too much going on to make it easily readable/skimmable.
See also
