Filed under: Printing Help
One of the most important aspects of printing – and often most overlooked – is taking the time to prepare your file for printing. It’s easy to get excited about the finished product of your design, but if your files are not set up properly you may not get the results you expect. One of the most frustrating things that can happen is to get back a printing project from the presses that does not appear as you imagined. Imagine the headache you would have spared yourself if you had known these simple tips in preparing files for your postcard card printing job. So, here are a few considerations so you can prepare your files for printing properly.
What does your printer use?
A quick call to your printer can save a lot of headache. You may find that your printer can only accommodate files of a certain type or only files that have been saved in a certain format.
For example, a common format for printing is to use a PDF (portable document format) by Adobe. If your printer can only accept certain file formats or will not be able to guarantee the quality unless a certain file type is provided by you, then that quick call or email to your printer can save you a lot of time later.
Software Differences
Many small businesses design products in Microsoft Word while professional design firms might use Adobe’s Photoshop or InDesign, to name a few. These software systems are very different in the way they display and print information.
A common example is that some software does not include images in the save files. This can also be because of the type of file format that you may be using. Make sure you know how your software packages the information so you get all of the right parts and pieces to your printer.
Reverse Compatibility
Not everyone has the latest greatest. Most major software companies release a new version of their particular software every few years. A great way to make sure your files will be compatible with older versions is to use the “Save As” feature in your software. Pick the oldest version (within reason) that will give you the same design results.
If you cannot live without the most recent version’s new tools, see if you can flatten the effects just for the file you send to the printer. Instead of upgrading, some printers use conversion software to save money, and the results may not be what you expect.
Color Systems
Another important point is to make sure your files are in CMYK colors as opposed to RGB colors. Most design software packages will give you the option of switching between color systems, but if you are using generic word processing software, you may not have the option to change to CMYK.
If you cannot supply a printer with a CMYK version of your design, request a digital proof of your file to check the colors. Most of the time you will not have any problems, but the two color systems can clash on occasion.
Conclusion
Taking the time to prepare your file for printing can mean the difference between professional or unexpected results. With a little due diligence, you should be able to make sure you supply your printer with files they can use. Remember that if you are ever in doubt, just ask for a digital proof so that you can catch any errors before it’s too late.
When it comes to marketing, many companies rely on one or two media like TV and Internet to communicate with customers. But there are plenty of customers that don’t use these types of media or who downright resent companies that get in the way of their leisure pleasure. To create a balanced marketing campaign, you need to use multiple venues to reach customers and prospects. A Web site is important to a marketing plan, but so are magazine ads, postcards, brochures, billboards and other more “traditional” (read: non-techie) marketing materials.
As much as people are on the computer, they still like to have something concrete in their hands when they’re doing business with you. If a company can’t send me a print brochure and a business card, that makes me think it’s not legit and I won’t do business with them. Also, people like the portability of brochures – it can be stashed in a purse to be read later and it doesn’t need any kind of electricity or battery power to run it. Basically, traditional marketing materials are just easier and more convenient to digest at the customer’s leisure.
To help you in your marketing endeavor, I’d like to share 8 tips for writing brochures that will help your brochure catch prospects’ attention and make them your customers.
1. Place a compelling headline and/or photo on the front panel. Too many brochure covers just have a company’s boring logo or the company name on it. That’s not enough to motivate someone to pick up your brochure. Give the reader a benefit or a solution that you know he’s looking for. It’s even better if you have a photo of that benefit or solution to show that you’ve got the goods.
2. Answer your reader’s questions. When deciding what info to include, ask yourself what a new customer would want to know about your business. Write out all the questions and the answers to those questions, and then just delete the questions when you lay out your brochure. A FAQ isn’t a bad idea, but a brochure full of FAQs is not appealing.
3. Tout benefits instead of features. Customers don’t care about features of your product or service; they want to know benefits – “What’s in it for me?” Answer that question in a list format or with some photos so that it’s clear what the customer will get out of using your product. If you aren’t sure what your benefits are, write down a feature and then add the words “which means that” to the end of it to get your benefit. For instance, “This car has a sophisticated airbag system … which means that … you and your kids will be safe in a collision.” That last part is the benefit – what you want to focus on in the brochure.
4. Write like you’re talking to a friend. Academic, formal, dry speak will not make a customer want to buy from you. Use the word “you” a lot to talk directly to the customer. This engages people and encourages them to read on to find out more of what you want to tell them.
5. Include a call to action. On the last panel of your brochure ask for that sale. Ask for the reader to call or visit your Web site to order. Ask the prospect to stop in your store. This is what your brochure has been leading up to, so don’t forget to blatantly tell the reader what you want her to do. And then give her the necessary info to do it. This means including your telephone number, Web site URL or address (and maybe even a small map) to your store. If you don’t tell people how to take the next move, they won’t take any move at all.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: advertising, branding, environmental ads
Metaphors, shock tactics and Photoshop tricks all have their place in advertising. These environmental ads from Ads of the World use these techniques, as well as old fashioned brain-powered creativity, to produce ads that make you stop and think. Some are quite powerful and are likely to get even those who don’t care about the environment to at least take pause.
In an oh-so-not-subtle move, Bund, a German environmental and nature conservation group, shows the effects of too much CO2 in the environment (below). Of course, cars produce carbon dioxide, but not as much as cows do when they fart. Are they going to attach these balloons to cows’ butts as well? I’m not trying to downplay this idea – it’s a great one, very creative – I’m just saying if they’re going to point out one originator, they should point out the other big one. And the image of a balloon on a cow is pretty funny, and funny almost always leads to a great ad!
Shock tactics work well too. I have to admit I was slightly appalled that anyone would put a spin on the 9/11 tragedy, but this ad definitely made me look twice.
I didn’t realize how much I knew about the images of 9/11 until I saw this ad and thought about the placement of the fire and smoke. Then I read the fine print which reads “For nature, every day is 9/11” and I thought “Whoa!” Someone’s got guts here! This ad has enough shock value that I want to show other people – which is exactly the point. A good ad gets passed around and gets attention.
The next ad is great because it has two meanings. Take a look:
To me, the first thing I thought was “if a monkey can put in a low-watt light bulb, so can I.” But the text says “If you don’t preserve nature by using low-wattage bulbs, who will?” which is definitely less insulting than what I thought the ad was saying. I wonder if anyone else thought the same way I did. It makes for a brilliant ad – people insulting themselves without the advertiser having to do it.
And of course, Photoshop magic is still alive and well, as seen in the next ad.
At first glance, you might not even notice that the “fish” are bottles and trash floating in the sea. The colors of the ad are beautiful and reflect what people normally think of the sea. But then seeing the bottles makes you do a double-take. The text also hits home since people supposedly respect the sea and the wonderment it can bring. It’s a bit of a punch in the mouth, huh?
These ads are inspirational in that they make me want to do something for the environment, and they all made me stop and think. Beautiful colors were used and Photoshop was adeptly applied to create new images from the norm. The environment can be a hard thing to sell, and these ads do it very well. How inspiring is that for those of us with actual products to sell?
