RGB – How Vivid Are Your Images?

Computer monitors emit color as RGB (red, green, blue) light. Although all colors of the visible spectrum can be produced by merging red, green and blue light, monitors are capable of displaying only a limited gamut (i.e., range) of the visible spectrum.

CMYK versus RGB color spectrum

Whereas monitors emit light, inked paper absorbs or reflects specific wavelengths. Cyan, magenta and yellow pigments serve as filters, subtracting varying degrees of red, green and blue from white light to produce a selective gamut of spectral colors.

Like monitors, printing inks also produce a color gamut that is only a subset of the visible spectrum, although the range is not the same for both. Consequently, the same art displayed on a computer monitor may not match what is printed in a publication. Also, because printing processes such as offset lithography use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) inks, digital art must be converted to CMYK for print.

Printers may prefer your files in the CMYK mode, as this is the mode required for the printing process.

It can sometimes be difficult to visualize the reason for color shift in color space conversion. The best way to see the color differences between the CMYK and RGB color spaces is to look at a color gamut comparison chart. In some areas the RGB color space is “outside” the CMYK space. It is these colors that will be affected by a conversion from RGB to CMYK.

How to Find the Right Resolution

The topic of resolution and graphics in printing is vast and often confusing, even overwhelming at times. It is important to have an understanding of resolution on any printing job. How it looks on screen is NOT necessarily how it will look in print.  Before you panic at the thought of what you don’t know about resolution, here is a breakdown of the basics:

-          Resolution refers to the number of pixels in an image. Resolution is sometimes identified by the width and height of the image as well as the total number of pixels in the image. For example, an image that is 2048 pixels wide and 1536 pixels high (2048X1536) contains (multiply) 3,145,728 pixels (or 3.1 Megapixels).  Keep this in mind when you are resizing objects to print.

-          Printers can put dots of different sizes, intensities, and even shapes, onto the page, which can change the way the finished product looks. Many printers use “optimized dpi,” meaning their print heads optimize the placement of ink drops to improve the quality of prints.

-          More is not necessarily better. For the majority of daily uses you’d be wasting ink to print everything in the highest possible resolution. When I print out shopping lists, I set my printer to “draft” quality so the document comes out fast. It doesn’t look perfect, but who cares? As long as I can read it when I’m in the supermarket, it’s good enough.

-          For a letter or business document (even one with graphics), 300 dpi is going to  look fine. If it’s a handout for the board of directors, 600 dpi will look great. For the average photograph, 1,200 dpi is excellent (only pros would need to print something at twice that). Resolution is more than just dpi, however. The kind of ink used can trump the dpi numbers.

The Great Paper Debate: Matte vs. Glossy

High quality printing can save you time and money. Choosing the right paper is a key to achieving the best outcome. Matte and glossy paper both have pros and cons, and choosing one finish over the other can completely transform a design. If you are unsure about whether glossy or matte stock is best for your next project, here are a few points to remember:

- For postcards a glossy finish is typically the best choice for because most postcard design have a large photograph or image on one side. A glossy finish will make that image crisp and clear to viewers.

- If your postcard or brochure has a lot of text, then a matte finish may actually make the text easier to read. Your postcards can have a gloss finish on the primary side to highlight images and a matte finish on the back for increased legibility of the type and a surface that’s easy to write on.

- Reasons for using matte paper on a postcard vary. Perhaps you want to highlight that the card is printed on recycled stock. Or maybe your postcard design includes foil stamping, embossing or a color combination that will stand out better on matte stock than on gloss.

- For business cards with a traditional look, use ivory or white matte paper stock with a black or navy serif font. If you plan to order a large quantity of business cards at one time and don’t know which finish to choose, try two separate print runs, one with glossy and one matte paper to see which treatment works better for you. Or ask your printer to show you samples of similar designs on the different papers.

Creating Buzz with Newsletters and Media Kits

Smart companies use newsletters to create buzz around their brand. Routinely sending target audiences pertinent materials has consistently proven its value in turning prospects into customers. Media kits, also known as press kits, are a great option for keeping your company in front of editors who work for publications or media outlets your prospects and customers follow.

Create a theme. Creative concepts can break through the clutter of information on the Internet. Theme-based newsletters and press kits are great attention grabbers that can help personify your company. Press kits must capture the spirit of the product, company, organization or event.  They need to contain timely, newsworthy material, appropriate for the publications that receive them. The same is true for creating newsletters or any print collateral. Always inform, not just dazzle.

Start small. Some new companies send out massive mailings of print materials – newsletters, flyers, media kits – without first establishing a relationship with the receiver. Wrong approach. First try small, more traditional methods such as a telephone call or a personal introduction so your prospects are more likely to read the material you send them later.

Get it right. Mass distribution of materials can be expensive and ineffective. If you inundate people with non-informative clutter it turns them away from what you really want them to know. Especially when distributing media kits, you need to focus on what you’re trying to accomplish and selectively send mailings to your target editors or reporters.  For smaller media outlets, a smaller packet or just a press release may work; for larger national media, individualized mailings are more appropriate.

Follow-up.  Follow-ups are just as important as the initial mailings. Experts agree that three days is the standard waiting time for a follow up call, unless breaking news or time-sensitive information is involved. Be ready to explain why your company should be profiled. And be patient – it can take time to build relationships. But the reward is a chance to keep the powers that be buzzing about your company or brand!

How often do you use newsletters and media kits to reach your audiences?

The Resurgence of Industry and Custom Print Magazines

It’s true. The rumblings within the industry say print magazines are making a big return. Even in this frenzied iPad era, custom print magazines and advertising in magazines in general are still proving to be a highly effective means of building a loyal following. As you continue to develop your business take note of how this print magazine revival can boost your company brand and help meet your goals.

Here’s how you can benefit from the print magazine return:

1. Print magazine ads drive readers to your website.

More than half of readers took action or had a more favorable opinion about the advertiser in response to magazine ads, according to recent Affinity Research.

2. Magazine advertising delivers consistent results. Studies show that print magazines boost other media’s effectiveness including online and mobile media. In addition, magazines deliver results more consistently throughout the purchase funnel than TV or the Internet.

3. The most desirable consumers read magazines.

Heavy magazine readers are likely to be among the highest spenders across most product categories. In consumer magazines, you want to highlight multiple ways to use your product to keep consumers enticed.

4. Magazine audiences are more potent than you think. The average monthly magazine influences approximately 60 percent of its audience within a month’s time, and the average weekly magazine accumulates nearly 80 percent of its audience in two weeks.

5. Custom print magazines really work. To get the full attention of your target audience use custom print magazines. They deliver your company’s message in a professional way and make you stand out from your competition. The original content from industry experts gives your readers valuable information and incentives not available elsewhere.

How do you plan to utilize the print magazine resurgence to further your business this year?

How Are You Using QR Codes in Your Print Campaigns?

Is your initial response to the title of this blog post, “What is my QR code”? Well, QR codes (or Quick Response codes) condense information into two dimensional op-art squares that connect offline media to online content via a smartphone. Also known as mobile tagging, QR codes act like URL references on offline media and other flat surfaces.

From magazines to product packaging, these little tags are popping up everywhere these days, and here how they can work for your business:

A QR code example. Trying scanning this with your mobile phone, what do you see?

Stay ahead of the curve

QR codes are fairly new in the market place, therefore this opens the opportunity for your business to capitalize on this growing trend and impress your clients. Not only can you use QR codes to attract new prospects, but they can also encourage users to spend more time with your print materials.

Attract the masses – mass media, that is

Attract prospects in locations that you might not consider marketing your products and services. Place QR codes on a broad range of print materials such as business cards, conference materials, store signage and windows, product packages and flyers.

Convert shoppers

Give prospects more relevant information when and where they want it. Research shows consumers prefer to get product and sales information via their smartphone when they’re in retail establishments rather than consult store personnel. Retailers can benefit by placing QR codes on products, shelving, circulars and signs to provide information that helps close the sale.

Make it easy

Your QR codes should link to a URL that is optimized for mobile viewing. Depending on who you are targeting, you may want to provide instructions on how to use QR codes since they are relatively new. Your QR codes should be at least one inch square and placed in an easily visible area.  Give people incentives for scanning your QR codes.

How are you using QR codes to market your business? Share your tips with us!

Top Print Advertising Tips To Use Now

Top Print Advertising Tips You Need to Be Using Now

We talk a lot about the importance of consistently implementing and strategically tracking your company’s print marketing strategies, but that is not all there is. In order to have a successful print marketing campaign, never underestimate the basics: attractiveness. Basically, it has to look good!

Try these tips from Marketing Minefield for your next campaign to engage your customers, and keep them coming back to you.

1. Use a simple layout

Don’t overcomplicate the advert – if it looks cluttered people won’t even attempt to understand what it’s about, they’ll simply turn over the page. Use one picture or image as opposed to many.

2. Focus on one proposition

Concentrate on transmitting one simple clear proposition. As Jay Lipe, president of Emerge Marketing in Minneapolis says “The more focused the message, the more impact.”

3. Use photographs instead of artwork drawings

Photographs can be likened to the real world and as a result they tend to resonate better than artwork – research suggests by as much as 26 percent.

4. Use color if possible

Without color your ad will not only be noticed less but people will also perceive it as being     bland before even reading it. You should never be afraid of color-remember you are competing against the uber-colorful digital world. So get creative!

What is the most effective and attractive print ad out now in your opinion? Share your comments with us!

How to Make Your Print Marketing Stand Out – Week 2

Week 2 – Hire a Printing Company that Understands Brand Marketing

Would you purchase a car without a steering wheel? Sure, you could turn the ignition and use the pedals to make the car move. You could even use the gear shift to make the car go forward and backward. However, you will not be able to guide the car the way you would like.

This is the equivalent of working with a print company that does not understand brand marketing. Any professional printer can present a high-quality print marketing piece, but will they help you achieve the goals of your marketing campaign?

Here are some questions to ask a printer before beginning your marketing project:

Have you completed work for my industry before? A company that understands the nuances of your industry should be easier to work with. You won’t have to explain the language used specifically in your line of work and they may be able to offer insight to tactics that have worked and, more importantly, tactics that have not worked for their clients in the past.

What other options may work better to promote my business? Can they offer alternative suggestions to your initial idea? This is not to say that you don’t have a sound marketing approach, but a good printing company should be able to help you build upon your marketing idea to strengthen your customer impact.

What has been your success with this type of print marketing? Has this company received any awards for its printing creations? Do they have any large corporations with repeat orders as their clients? Investigate the success of this company with your desired marketing communication method.

Corporate Graphics of America provides marketing expertise with beautiful custom printing. Want more information on how we can complete your print marketing project? Email us at sales@corpgraphicsinc.com today!

How to Make Your Print Marketing Stand Out – Week 1

We see them everyday – brochures, postcards, catalogs, door hangers and calendars. What is so special about these items? Better yet, what makes your company’s print materials stand out from your competition and get noticed by potential customers?

This month, we will outline the steps that you should take to ensure that your print marketing pieces make a positive impression on your client base. At the end of this blog series, you will be ready to formulate a strategy for your print marketing pieces and determine the success of your marketing campaign very easily.

Week 1 – Take a Look at Your Overall Brand Strategy

What are your goals for your company in the next month? What about the next six months? What about the next calendar year? Before you begin to work on a print marketing campaign, you have to determine your business goals in advance.

In addition to your business goals, be sure to also consider the following:

• What type of marketing does your target market notice most frequently? If you are working with existing clients and they respond well to print newsletters, you know what type of marketing to use. However, if you are looking to branch out to a new market (i.e. teenagers), you should take some time to research the methods of marketing to which they are most responsive.

• How will you present your message? Are you mailing postcards or will you be distributing the postcards in person on sales calls and business expos? Will your message be presented in stages from a series of different marketing pieces? It is important for your customers to understand how you are sharing information with them to generate the best response.

• What will a successful campaign look like? After deciding the best type of marketing piece to distribute and placing it into the marketplace, how will you know that your message was received? What will you gain from a successful campaign? Outline these goals before sending out print collateral, then wait for the response!

What has been a successful campaign for your business? Send us your comments!

Why Print Media is Essential to Your Marketing Strategy – Part 2 of 4

Week 2 – Engaging Your Potential Clients

Print media remains to be one of the best ways to engage your potential client base, for a variety of reasons:

It’s easy to share and pass along to people. Create a scratch-and-sniff card for a candy company and send it through the mail to your clients. An email message does not smell as sweet!

It causes potential customers to make a decision. Will you peel back the discount behind Door Number #1 or Door Number #2? Entice your customer with a deal on a piece of print collateral.

It can be viewed multiple times in the course of a day. You can close an email, and it’s out of sight. You can place a card or a menu with a magnet on the back and see the same marketing message every time you look at your desk, bulletin board, refrigerator, etc…

What print material have you used to engage your clients in the past? Send us your comments! Also, email us at sales@corpgraphicsinc.com for your complimentary Corporate Graphics of America calendar. It has listing of our various services included for your reference!