Filed under: Printing Help | Tags: commercial printing, customer service, file preparation, printer, printplace
The wealth of online printers has brought the once expensive and time-consuming use of professional printing to the masses. Working with an online printer isn’t difficult. Most online printers today have unique software systems and easy to use graphic interfaces so almost anyone can create a professional looking printed product with minimal fuss.
Online printing has become so commonplace, that even someone who is not a design professional can create a fabulous business card, brochure, booklet and more. Easy to use software programs, even that old standby, Microsoft Word, can be used to create your custom marketing piece. However, there are a few things that you should look for in an online printer and think about prior to submitting your work for printing. The following tips will make the process just a little bit easier.
User friendly transaction processes. One of the things that you should look out for when printing online is the transaction process. The processes of order placement, payment and uploading files should be smooth and very user friendly. The best online printers usually have a sequence of step-by-step processes that are easy to understand and that make it easy to see progress. Some of the things to look for might include:
- Easy to use options that allow you to select paper stock type, quantity, finish, front and back side printing and more.
- Instant online pricing.
- Online templates for all types of products and folds.
- Quick and easy upload processes.
- Instant online proofing.
- The ability to store old jobs for a period of time for easy reordering.
Easy to use templates. Templates make the process of creating printed materials much easier. The best online printers will provide free, downloadable templates for most any type of software being used. When you use a template, it will not only make the design process quicker and easier, but you will also gain a certain assurance that there will not be problems with your file when you upload it to the online printer. The printer should easily accept your design since it was made using their template.
Use high resolution images. To lessen any issues with your design images, it’s important for them to have high resolution. A lot of people make the mistake of putting low resolution images in their designs only to be disappointed when the final piece is returned with a pixilated look. To lessen any resolution issues, it’s important to use photographs or images that have a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) or larger. A quick way to check what your file will look like on your printed materials is to view your work onscreen at 300%. If your image looks pixilated on the screen, there’s a good chance it will look pixilated on your printed piece as well.
Use the right color model. Your personal computer is probably set to display your piece in RGB color. While this mix looks vibrant on the screen, most online printers use a CMYK process for printing. It’s important that your files be submitted in CMYK color mode or the color on your printed piece will be off. To ensure you are creating your document in CMYK color, check the Help section of your software. It can tell you how to be sure you are creating in the correct color model. It is also important to keep in mind that variations in the color printed can be a result of the computer monitor not being calibrated to a printing press. If color is a concern, a hard copy proof should be made available (although there is usually a fee for this type of service).
Submit your layout in the correct format. Be sure to submit your file in a format that is accepted by the online printer. At PrintPlace.com, we accept files that are in .pdf, .tiff, .eps and .jpg formats. A .pdf file is preferred, and there are plenty of free and/or very low cost .pdf makers online if you don’t have one (do a search for free .pdf maker and you’ll see a wide variety of results). Online printers like PrintPlace convert your file into an immediate .pdf proof, so submitting in this format is a great way to see how the system sees your file. Be sure to follow all the printer’s other specifications for things like bleeds, embedded fonts and file resolution to ensure that your printed piece looks exactly the way you want it to.
Knowledgeable and friendly customer service. Finally, an online printer would understand that different printing companies have different printing requirements and that customers range from novices to expert designers and print brokers. The online printer you select should have a knowledgeable staff that can meet your service needs any way you choose – by phone, e-mail or live chat – to answer any questions you may have about your printing project. They should be able to answer questions from the simplest to most complex, like: Why do gang run printers require a bleed? Your prices are low, how good is the quality? Are sample packs freely available? What’s the difference between offset printing and digital printing? Understanding the online printer’s printing process will go a long way in helping you achieve your desired result.
Using these tips, and understanding your online printer’s submission specifications, will ensure your printed piece looks as good as you expect.
These days, graphic designers are often categorized by their medium of choice: either Web or print. Those that are new to print or are trying to make the leap from Web to print, often make these common printing mistakes.
1. Designing in RGB instead of CMYK
Printers don’t print using RGB (red, green and blue), the colors that computers emit to produce what you see on-screen. Printers produce colors by combining cyan, magenta, yellow and black. (Actually, cyan, magenta and yellow pigments act as filters, subtracting varying shades of red, green and blue from white light to produce color. CMYK is considered subtractive colors, whereas RGB colors are considered additive because adding the colors together produce different colors.)
CMY = subtractive
RGB = additive
Printers use CMYK to produce color for print, which means when you’re designing something on your computer, the colors you see will be RGB. You can switch to a CMYK palette, quite easily though in Photoshop by changing the “Color Mode” option to CMYK Color. If you submit an RGB file to a printer, you’ll likely be asked to convert it to a CMYK file, or the printer will print your file without concern about the color accuracy. It’s up to you to make sure that your color is set correctly.
2. Not using Rich Black
When you have large black text (meaning not body text) or any image that needs a lot of black, it’s best to use Rich Black rather than just standard black (which is 100% K). 100%K looks like a dark gray, a washed-out black. Take a look at the image below to see the 100%K black on the right. (You might have to move your position in front of your computer screen to see the difference.)
What you should see is that the circle on the right is slightly lighter than the Rich Black circle on the left. The difference comes from using the other CMYK colors to fill in the black color. Rich Black is created from combining all four colors to saturate the color.
The problem with using Rich Black is that the registration, or alignment, of the plates can be a bit off. This creates a kind of 3D look to your text.
You can easily fix this by outlining your text with .5 of 100%K. Outline just inside the text or image so that registration is not noticeable.
3. Using the wrong resolution
A blurry image can make an otherwise great brochure or design ineffective at best and confusing at worst. Most printers print at about 300 dpi (dots per inch). The resolution of a computer monitor is 72 ppi (pixels per inch), which is the default setting in Photoshop and Illustrator.
All you have to do is change the dpi to 300 or more (some printers print at 600 dpi), found in the File – New menu that comes up when you start your document in Photoshop.
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: Printing Help
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a brochure as ‘a small book or pamphlet, often containing promotional material or product information.’ However, brochures can be large also and their contents may vary depending on the situation. Even in this cyber age, brochures are not out of fashion. Businesspersons still like brochure marketing for the personal touch they carry in communication with clients. Customers or would-be customers can read about the company and its products at their leisure. Brochures are excellent marketing tools that give customers all the relevant information they need before making a purchase. Apart from attracting new customers, a brochure helps a business organization to stay in touch with its existing customers, build loyalty and reinforce credibility.
In order to be effective, a brochure must satisfy certain conditions in terms of both content and design. A hastily prepared brochure without proper planning can serve no real purpose. To create the required effect among customers, a brochure must be attractive-looking and contain all relevant information.
- A brochure is supposed to convey a direct message in a visually attractive manner from a company to its customers. The success or failure of a brochure is determined to a large extent by the quality of information it includes.
- It is human nature to look to some visual cues first. In a brochure, a reader will see the pictures first, and then the headlines, charts and graphs, captions, before finally moving to body text. Therefore, a brochure must be so prepared that a reader can have an idea of the content by just having a look at the pictures and the headlines. The essence of the main points you want to let people know must be conveyed by the headlines and captions. People might lose interest if they are hidden in the jungle of body text.
- Brochures mostly cover three main areas: products of a company, its services, corporate or organizational capabilities of the organization. These can be divided into a number of sections in a logical sequence such as introduction, products, services, features, benefits, applications, specifications, testimonials, FAQ, company history, call to action, mission statement, awards, contact details etc.
- If the cover of the brochure is not attractive enough, customers may be put off even before opening it. Make the cover visually attractive and begin selling on it. List the merits of your products or services on the cover itself. Make your customers open it with some teasing offers like ‘offer valid for a limited period only’ or ‘see inside and save money.’ If you use your logo on the cover, make it smaller so that it doesn’t become the focus.
- After the cover, the introduction section should give a brief account of the company, its products or services, its objectives etc. Products and services sections will contain a brief description of them. The above mentioned sections and those relating to features, benefits, applications, and specifications are included in most brochures for the benefit of customers.
- Including testimonials in a brochure is extremely important. Readers will definitely be influenced and willing to try a product or service when they read those comments made by satisfied users. The user’s permission may sometimes be necessary before you can quote him/her.
- A ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ or ‘FAQ’ section is essential for the success of any brochure. This section should answer common questions a customer is likely to ask regarding your product or service. If your company does quotes, it is better to have a separate questionnaire that the customer can fill out and send to you.
- Remember that if your brochure only says why your company is great, or why your products are the best, people in no time will throw it into the trash bin. To make them keep your brochure longer, you should include general information that would be useful for them. For example, if your company deals in computers, you can include in your brochure a piece of writing entitled “How to improve your computer’s performance.”
- Don’t forget to include what can be called calls to action. Examples of such calls include “Act soon”, “Log on to our website to order now!” or “Contact immediately.” A brochure is effective only if it brings in business to your company. For better results, you can also include your offer and a response mechanism on each page of the brochure.
- Last but not the least, never forget to include your address, phone and fax numbers, website and e-mail at a convenient place in the brochure which is easily visible
