Category Archives: Business

The Risk of Over Designing

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Simplicity is often seen, but it s a concept that is not easily explained. For some graphic designers, it’s second nature. For others, it involves much forethought. Today’s designers are trending toward more simple, clutter-free designs, as they return to simplicity. Here are some examples of how the traditional theme of less is more is used:
Advertising
  • Not only can simple ads grab attention, but their short and to the point messages are also easier to comprehend. The concept of “less is more” is especially effective when writing ad copy.
Catalogs and Brochures
  • Catalogs and brochures are expected to be a vast source of information, yet readers appreciate when they are simplified, organized, and easy to read and comprehend. Simplicity is often its own reward since it encourages increased use.
Packaging
  • Like a poster, a package needs to attract the eye within seconds of its initial viewing. In recent years, shelves have been jammed with products whose designers have attempted to out-design one another. This gives simple package designs featuring primary colors, bold copy, white space, and clean design the ability to effectively break through the clutter.
Identity
  • Not only do logos convey the personality of a company, but they also offer a memorable impression. Simple designs that incorporate a company’s complex ideas are the root of a logo’s power.
One of the perks of being a designer is the ability to develop a personality or character for a company or product. For designers, simplicity means a return to basics, but not at the expense of creative design.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, graphic design, marketing – 318.868.3351

Designing Successful Newsletters

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Newsletters have become a great way for businesses to spread information, “tell their story,” solidify customer loyalty, and increase sales.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind while designing your company newsletter:
  • Content Is Important – Successful newsletters provide interesting content for their readers, in addition to product information from the newsletter provider.
  • Color Draws the Eye – Use multiple colors of ink to draw attention to important articles and information. Two-color newsletters are very effective, and full-color newsletters are gaining popularity.
  • Pull Quotes Create Interest – Pull quotes create interest and increase the likelihood that an article will be read. These quotes are taken directly from the article and focus on interesting, key points.
  • Good Design Provides More Room for Copy – A well-planned and designed newsletter can contain 20% to 30% more content than a casually designed newsletter. Seeking advice from professional graphic artists is often profitable. They can help design an effective template for your future use.
  • Good Back Page Design Is Important – An estimated 15% of readers start reading at the back page of a newsletter and work their way to the front page.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, graphic design, marketing – 318.868.3351

THINK

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Thomas Watson, who founded IBM in 1924, placed on the wall behind his desk a single framed word: THINK. It became the corporate motto of one of the most influential companies of the century.

Think. The handiest source of new product ideas is your mind, if for no other reason than that you are always carrying it around with you. You have a mind. The next step is to open it and keep it open. What you want is to be open to change.
Management guru Peter Drucker has made the observation that most successful innovations exploit change. In his 1985 Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Drucker defined seven specific kinds of change that are sources of innovative opportunity:
  • The unexpected, including unexpected success, unexpected failure, and unexpected events.
  • Incongruity between reality as it actually is and reality as it is assumed to be.
  • Innovation based on process need.
  • Changes in industry structure and market structure — especially those that catch everyone unaware.
  • Demographic shifts.
  • Changes in perception, mood, and meaning.
  • New knowledge, including the scientific and the nonscientific.
We are keenly aware of the effect of change in the graphics and arts industry. Few industries have undergone as much change during the last few years as printing. While two of our heroes are Johannes Gutenberg and Benjamin Franklin, we also deeply admire Steven Jobs, Michael Dell, and Bill Gates. We anxiously embrace new technologies and see the changes as opportunities — not something to fear or dread. We just thought you needed to know.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, graphic design, marketing – 318.868.3351

Effective Use of Varnish

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Just as varnish on a dresser or table protects the wood and gives it a nice finished look, the varnish used on printed pieces enhances their look and durability. If you are interested in using varnish on your next printing project, here are a few things you should know:
In-line press varnish, where the varnish is applied to the complete surface of the printed piece, is a relatively inexpensive way to add a lush finish, and may be less expensive than printing on glossier, cast-coated paper.

Spot varnish is a great way to maximize the contrast between matte and gloss surfaces. It allows you to apply varnish to a certain image or graphic on your printed piece, such as a logo or photo, while leaving the rest of the piece unvarnished.
While you may think of varnish as a glossy coating, a matte varnish can be used to protect your project from scuff marks without adding the shine of a glossy varnish.
Certain varnishes may yellow over time. If you have a project with a long shelf life, be sure to let our print shop know and we can help you find an appropriate varnish.
A UV varnish is applied off-line and is cured with ultraviolet light. This process gives the surface an exceptional gloss and rub resistance.
If you would like to use a varnish to polish off your printed pieces, it is important that you work closely with our print shop staff to ensure that your project will be completed to your specifications. It is our pleasure to help you navigate this process.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, graphic design, marketing – 318.868.3351

Perfect Your Proofing

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It may seem like there is never time to proof something thoroughly the first time, but when it is not done, you may end up making time to do the entire job a second time. Just what are some of the things that should be checked during the proofing process?
Here is a list to perfect your proofing strategy:
  • Proof the text. The first place to start is the text. Review all text for spelling and grammatical correctness, check punctuation, and most importantly, accuracy of content. Making changes to text later in the production process will only slow things down, so make sure that everything is perfect before moving on to the next step.
  • Proof the images. Viewing the images on your computer is a great place to start, as long as your screen is calibrated properly, but keep in mind that the colors on-screen will not be a perfect match to the colors that are printed. Be sure to check the size and resolution of the image. For high-level image quality jobs, it may be wise to have a physical proof rather than just an on-screen proof of the images done on professional proofing equipment—you will get a better idea of the true color of the piece.
  • Proof the pages. Checking an entire page of an original can be done on screen, but it is also a good idea to print out the pages. Look over the typography, placement of images, illustrations and text, as well as hyphenation and line arrangement, page format, and bleeds.

The difference between a thorough proof and no proof at all is the time you may spend having to redo a job. Taking the time at the beginning will save you time and money in the long run.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, graphic design, marketing – 318.868.3351

Self-Mailers

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Companies can save substantial amounts of money by eliminating the need for envelopes. The possibility of creating a self-mailer should be considered with any direct mail piece.
A self-mailer is simply a piece of mail that doesn’t require an envelope. All of the necessary mailing information is located on one of the outside panels.
Because self-mailers do not require envelopes, you must be more creative when designing the format, since you don’t have the luxury of an envelope to contain any extra sheets of printed material.
Here are some things to consider when designing a self-mailer:
  • Will the delivery address be printed directly on the self-mailer, or will self-adhesive labels be used?
  • The amount of written material in the self-mailer will determine the overall size of the mailer.
  • Information needs to flow quickly and smoothly from the initial pitch to the fine print. The fewer words needed to convey your message, the better.
  • The type of closure needs to assure safe passage through the mail. Staples are used often, but many people find them unappealing. Miniature self-adhesives are available in many colors, shapes, and sizes.
  • If perforated sections are used, keep them in mind so that nothing can slip loose while being passed through the mail.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, design, marketing – 318.868.3351

Customer Survey Lesson from the Census Bureau

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Customer response forms, whether they are surveys or feedback requests, are an invaluable part of your company’s go-ahead plans. The feedback you receive helps to drive your marketing and product improvement efforts. But, if these response forms are not pleasing to the eye, and easy to use, your customers will be more likely to throw them away than fill them out.
If you are preparing your company’s survey or feedback forms, take a lesson from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 1995, while they were beginning preparations for Census 2000, they spent time rethinking the effectiveness of the Census forms in creating a desire to participate. They realized the forms were unappealing and hard to follow, and because they wanted to generate a 100% response rate, they needed to find a way to boost people’s desire to participate. What they came up with was a fresh look that combined fact gathering and encouraging language with a fluid design and color scheme.
While the sheer volume of participants in the 2000 Census make this project seem irrelevant to the information gathering of a small company, there are many things that can be learned about form and function from the Census design.
  • Keep your design simple.
  • Use colors that set people at ease.
  • Consider the use of rounded shapes and lines, which are more appealing than rigid boxes.
  • Inform the participants of the value of their responses.
  • Make your form a safe place to divulge information.
Customers want their voices to be heard. When you ask them questions about themselves, you are giving them a place to participate in the future decisions of your company. Presenting your request for information in a way that makes them comfortable and eager to participate will increase your response rate and ultimately, your bottom line.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, design, marketing – 318.868.3351

DESIGN – Variation on a Theme

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Choosing an appropriate color palette is an important step in creating great design. Using the right mixture of colors is what gives life to the images you create and combine. But perhaps the best way to ensure you are using your colors to their full potential is to experiment with the placement of each color.
This variation on a theme, as seen above, serves to change the look and feel to give you a look that supports the image’s message. The key to variation is experimentation. When you stumble upon the combination that works best, you’ll be glad you took the time.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, graphic design, marketing – 318.868.3351

Spicing Up Your Voicemail Greeting

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“Thank you for calling. Today is Monday, March 17th. I’ll be in meetings all morning and… blah, blah, blah…” Voice mail is one of those “conveniences” most people love to hate. They hate recording an outbound greeting, and they hate leaving inbound messages. But using voice mail doesn’t have to be as painful as a root canal without the anesthetic.
Here are 4 ways to make your voice mail fun, memorable, and a better marketing tool…
  1. Educate your customers. No, that doesn’t mean telling them you’re either on the phone or away from your desk. And it doesn’t mean letting them know what day of the week it is. Instead, try sharing a useful tip relating to your products or services. Let customers know how you can help improve their bottom line. Update the message frequently, with new and different advice.
  2. Inspire them. Start your message with a daily quote or quick anecdote that’s enlightening and inspiring. Your customers will appreciate the daily lift and might even encourage their colleagues (your potential customers) to call and hear the message, too.
  3. Involve them. Ask one or two of your best customers if they would be willing to record a brief testimonial to use on your voice mail message. The customers who provide the testimonials will enjoy the experience and probably encourage their peers to call and hear it. Your other customers and prospects will hear the testimonials and know they’re in good hands trusting you.
  4. Entertain them. Add a spark of humor to your voice mail message. Offer a “celebrity” endorsement, if you’re good with impersonations… or even if you’re not so good with them. (Robert DeNiro from Taxi Driver: “You talkin’ to me? You must be talkin’ to me, because Phil isn’t here right now.”) Poke some gentle fun at yourself. (In a harried voice: “The ringing. I hear the ringing… then the voices. Always the voices.” Second voice: “Hi, this is Gene’s psychiatrist. He can’t take your call right now…”) Share a humorous anecdote or (clean) joke of the day. Have fun with your voice mail message, and make it a treat for customers who call and cannot reach you.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, design – 318.868.3351

Backstage @ Disney

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If you visit any one of the Disney Corporation’s facilities, you have experienced a phenomenon they call “Onstage and Backstage.” It’s quite a simple concept, and one that Disney has definitely perfected. The “Onstage” area refers to anywhere that guests may roam freely, while “Backstage” is where the cast members (employees) travel from one part of the park to another, take “Disney-free” breaks, and get into costume. For Disney, the separation between onstage and backstage is essential in maintaining the magical feel of their facilities.
Your company most likely has a similar onstage (customer area) and backstage (production area) structure. And while your employees may not use your “backstage” area to don their Mickey or Minnie Mouse costumes, there are things that go on behind the scenes that most of your customers are not privileged to see.
That is, of course, unless you offer to take your customers on a tour of your facility. At most Disney facilities, visitors can take a ride backstage to see some of the inner workings of the magical world. The same can be done at your business. Allowing your customers a peek at the inner workings of your company and introducing them to your staff will improve your relationship with them. And, showing them any impressive machinery or workflow systems you have in place will increase their confidence in the work you do for them.
Take a lesson from the Disney Corporation and see what kind of response you get from offering backstage tours of your company. You may be surprised to see how many people would be interested in getting to know your company better, and the effect their knowledge can have on furthering your relationship with them.

http://www.ParagonPress.net – #1 in Shreveport, LA for printing, direct mail, design – 318.868.3351