tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61173883024830104242024-02-18T22:26:09.063-08:00The Minuteman PressMinuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-38764832646580820372018-01-15T09:43:00.001-08:002018-01-15T09:48:36.231-08:00It's Trade Show Time - What do I Need?<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Questions I'm asked about Trade Show Printing</span></b></h2>
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If you’ve ever been to a trade show such as a local home
& garden show, I’m sure you were dazzled by the large displays, flowers,
rocks and even small houses inside a very large facility. This type of show draws thousands of people
and the cost to participate can be very high to a vendor. Each industry, it seems, has their own trade show
to highlight the products and services of their members. The size and scope of the trade show will
determine the items you need for display.
Here are a few questions I have answered about these materials.<br />
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">This is my first trade show. What materials do I need to get started? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Larger shows will require you to provide
tables, chairs and all display items.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The
only thing offered will be power.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Smaller trade shows will have a 6’ table and a couple of chairs and you
have to ask for power to be provided.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">For the larger show you’ll need a full background display usually 8’ to
10’ wide, tables with a table cloth, retractable banners (either floor or table
top), some type of literature display, and items to hand out to prospects.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">These large shows can also accommodate
displays of your product.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Here’s where I
suggest you map out your area to make sure you have enough room to move and
show prospects what you have to offer.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The items above can be used in smaller shows depending on the size of
your space.</span><br />
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<b> How do I look professional but save money
on my display? </b> If you are in a
larger show you can reduce the size of your background or get creative. There are dozens of new types, sizes and
materials for displays. The can hang,
have multiple pieces to give it a 3D effect, or curve in around your area. You don’t have to stay with the same old
thing – get creative!<br />
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<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><b>I’m on a budget. What items do I have to have for a trade
show?</b> I usually suggest, instead of
a large background display, to get a banner that goes across the top of your
area. 6’ to 8’ wide and proportionate
height. You’ll be able to hang it up on
frames provided by the trade show host. Also, smaller
shows will provide a table and white cloth, so buy a table runner instead of
the cloth. You still have your logo on
the table at less cost. I also suggest
you choose either the floor or the table top retractable banner. The table top is less expensive and can be
just as effective if your message is good. And last, let’s talk about the items to hand
out. You need something with your logo
and information on it that your prospect will keep so to contact you at a
later date. I recommend flyers with
services/products that include a coupon or incentive to contact you. Memo pads and pens are also very effective. If you are on a budget I don’t recommend
buying cheap promotional items that have nothing to do with your industry. Buy chocolate instead!<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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These ideas are props to make your space attractive and draw
your prospect to you. It’s up to you to
do the rest. I’m disappointed when I
visit trade shows and see vendors behind the tables, sitting and staring at
their phones, instead of engaging prospective customers. Too bad, it’s such a pretty display.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>For more information
on trade show materials please give me a call. </b></div>
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<b>Donna Beheydt, 330.922.1765. Idea
consultations are free!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-84396456748357595182017-09-13T06:23:00.002-07:002017-09-13T06:24:16.377-07:00How to use direct marketing to boost business this fall.<div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #384554; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.421em; margin-top: 0px;">
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">Learn why and how to use direct marketing to boost your business this fall…</span></div>
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<figure class="wpb_wrapper vc_figure" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top;"><a class="vc_single_image-wrapper vc_box_border_grey" href="https://www.shop.minutemanpress.com/franchise/about-minuteman-press/our-business/products-services" style="background: 0px 0px; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #00523f; display: inline-block; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: top;" target="_blank"><img alt="Fall Print Marketing Tips: How to Use Direct Mail to Promote Your Business - find your local Minuteman Press design, marketing, and printing franchise at http://www.minutemanpress.com" class="vc_single_image-img attachment-full" height="469" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" src="https://www.shop.minutemanpress.com/franchise/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Minuteman-Press-printing-franchise-direct-mail-fall-spotlight.jpg" srcset="https://www.shop.minutemanpress.com/franchise/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Minuteman-Press-printing-franchise-direct-mail-fall-spotlight.jpg 626w, https://www.shop.minutemanpress.com/franchise/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Minuteman-Press-printing-franchise-direct-mail-fall-spotlight-300x225.jpg 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top;" width="626" /></a></figure></div>
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<a class="vc_general vc_btn3 vc_btn3-size-lg vc_btn3-shape-rounded vc_btn3-style-modern vc_btn3-icon-left vc_btn3-color-primary" href="https://www.shop.minutemanpress.com/franchise/about-minuteman-press/our-business/products-services" style="background: linear-gradient(rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2) 0px, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.01) 100%) 0px 0px repeat-x rgb(0, 136, 204); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 136, 204); box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 18px 25px 18px 60px; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none; top: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank" title=""><span class="vc_btn3-icon fa fa-search" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: "fontawesome"; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; height: 16px; left: 25px; line-height: 16px; position: absolute; top: 28px; transform: translate(0px , -50%); vertical-align: top;"></span>Products & Services</a></div>
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During the fall season, there are ample marketing opportunities for savvy business owners that are looking to grow. Whether you want to capitalize on back to school spending habits of consumers, boost your brand awareness heading into the holidays, or leverage the popularity of football season in your community (including high school, NCAA, and NFL), now is the perfect time to ramp up your marketing efforts.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">Why Use Direct Mail Print Marketing to Promote Your Business?</span></div>
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Using direct mail helps your business cut through the clutter and actually reach your target audience. According to the Direct Marketing Association, the household response rate for direct mail is 5.1 percent in 2017. This is the highest response rate ever reported by the DMA, which has been reporting response rates since 2003.</div>
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By comparison, email marketing has a response rate of only 0.6%. Paid search is also 0.6%, social media 0.4%, and online display ads 0.2%. These stats indicate that direct mail is simply more effective in grabbing the attention of consumers in a way that makes them respond and take action.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">DID YOU KNOW? </span>The USPS now has an opt-in program called Informed Delivery Digest that allows recipients to interact with their physical mail digitally. According to printing blog <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">What They Think</em>, 88% of Millennials have indicated they are interested in using Informed Delivery Digest, which adds an element of cross media marketing to your direct mail campaigns.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">How to Use Direct Mail Marketing to Promote Your Business</span></div>
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Here are three tips for using direct mail to make the most of your print and cross media marketing campaigns:</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">1. Start with stellar, professional creative design. </span>All great print marketing starts with strong graphic design.A custom design that adheres to your branding and relates your brand’s message to your target audience is crucial to generating the response rate you are hoping to achieve. Partnering with your local Minuteman Press design, marketing and printing franchise is the perfect way to make sure your direct mail campaign is properly handled from design and printing through to final production and delivery.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">2. Personalize your direct mail campaigns. </span>Personalized direct mail marketing helps your message resonate more deeply with the recipient. Think about it this way: Would you be more likely to respond to something impersonal that says “Dear Resident” or a more personalized piece that mentions you by name. The good news for business owners is that digital printing technology known as variable data printing makes full-color, personalized direct mail marketing faster and easier to produce while also being more cost-effective than ever before.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">3. Put the customer’s needs first and simply show how your business can help. </span>If you follow the first two tips, your direct mail marketing piece will have a strong design with a personal touch. As important as those elements are, equally as vital is giving the customer a reason to not just read but respond to what you sent to them. When crafting your direct mail marketing message, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and assess their needs (or their wants, depending on your industry), then think about how your business can help them. Your final direct mail messaging should be highly informative yet concise and supremely relevant to the consumer, and it should close with a strong call to action that motivates the recipient to act.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">To Recap: Direct Mail Works! And Minuteman Press Can Help…</span></div>
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Today, direct mail remains a versatile, reliable tool in your marketing toolbox. Your local Minuteman Press franchise will work with you to develop an effective direct mail campaign that has professional creative design, a personalized marketing approach, and messaging that is relevant to your customers and consistent with your brand identity.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;">For more information or to get started with a free consultation on our direct mail marketing products and services, call Donna at 330-922-1765. </span></div>
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Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-85938530172715784162017-07-11T07:31:00.001-07:002017-07-11T07:31:26.665-07:00The Importance of Your Material's Color Scheme<div class="MsoNormal">
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Finding the perfect color scheme for your project can be a
total cinch or an absolute brain buster, depending on your project and
inspiration.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next time you’re struggling to pair colors and find the
visual sweet spot, consider using a helpful color tool that lets you mix and
match until the perfect combo pops off the screen. Whether you’re pairing two
colors, choosing an accent color or picking an extensive array of color
options, you can use tools to blend colors to your heart’s content.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Creating a Palette<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHAaLLbUDizrGR-wfqcREuRBv3_9fIzj_Z1mGn7u6B0RbppMtvcFjuJpyiCX9L0Pq0qdV51sJOyMpKV8Wap208n5oWUWRk6v1BYfZoAi4UgQTtdGGDGjgqZzpa3_QFsfCpELbPJwq6aE/s1600/MMPJulypic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHAaLLbUDizrGR-wfqcREuRBv3_9fIzj_Z1mGn7u6B0RbppMtvcFjuJpyiCX9L0Pq0qdV51sJOyMpKV8Wap208n5oWUWRk6v1BYfZoAi4UgQTtdGGDGjgqZzpa3_QFsfCpELbPJwq6aE/s320/MMPJulypic.jpg" width="320" /></a>Finding a theme color might be a cinch, but what about the
coordinating colors that you need for a campaign? Use a tool like <a href="http://paletton.com/#uid=12A0X0kfKsOa-NSdjABcGkVlifS"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Paletton</span></a> to help you pinpoint color, hue and
coordinating colors by accessing options around the color wheel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can play around with saturation and hues to find the
combination that you like best, or custom mix a palette to suit your client’s
tastes. With options for choosing complementary colors or triads, you can make
unique palettes that fit your project perfectly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Working with an Inspiration Piece<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Of course, sometimes the item that you’re working with
brings a color palette or inspiration color of its own. If you’ve got an
inspiration piece or a photograph, choose a tool that picks primary colors from
a photo of the item and gives you palette suggestions based off that photo.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://colorhunter.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Color
Hunter</span></a> is a great tool that gives you a custom palette based off a
photo that you submit. Use Color Hunter to develop an online color scheme for a
physical place or item.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Setting up Color Mood Boards<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Even simple tools, like <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Pinterest</span></a>, can be invaluable when it comes to
color inspiration and pairing. Pinterest’s board style layout lets you pair
photos in different arrangements so that you can compare color options right on
your computer screen.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’re working with multiple inspiration pieces or have a
few different color choices that you’re trying to test, Pinterest design boards
can provide you the logical layout and comparison options that you need to see
your options objectively. For collaborative projects, you can even invite friends
or colleagues to pin to the design board and help the process along.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whether you’re working on a personal project or a
commissioned piece, it pays to take the time to develop a strong color scheme
for the item that you’re designing.<o:p></o:p></div>
Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-91211680156965330072017-06-06T08:25:00.004-07:002017-06-06T10:13:45.135-07:00How to Maximize Your Procrastination Time<div class="MsoNormal">
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Some days you’ve got laser focus and you get everything done
on your to-do list. Other days aren’t as good—you have a big task that you just
can’t get focused on to complete, no matter how hard you try. Instead of
staring at your computer screen, or staring off into space, here are some tips
for maximizing your procrastination time. If you do these things, just think,
you will no longer be procrastinating.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Check your email. You probably have a lot in
your inbox, so this is a way to make your time a lot more productive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Take your dog for a walk. After all, your dog is probably staring at you staring off into space and he’s probably wondering why
you don’t just go outside already! The exercise will do your dog good, and it
might clear your mind and help you get that task done. If you don’t have a dog,
take a walk anyway. It will get your blood pumping and the creative juices
flowing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> -</span></span><!--[endif]-->Do the dishes. You may feel better when your
kitchen is really clean.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> -</span></span><!--[endif]-->Return phone calls. Maybe you have a list of
people you need to call back, so this might divert your attention just enough
to be helpful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Clean your office. Organize your papers, clear
away clutter, and finally wash that coffee mug. If your work area is more
organized, maybe you’ll think more clearly and be more productive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPGets-RRe7ctO8QITwhyphenhyphenChOFXEz8kpFf9nsyijL7lWZhNOVKBr9HhEgmjg24h6WtZNUf5Cv0mF-wLlEVPjWIl96-L6WAIBDpYJ53kVvI06lXDniwN-k4LLdioTehAvNNylfl7SRRoEg/s1600/MMPJunepic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPGets-RRe7ctO8QITwhyphenhyphenChOFXEz8kpFf9nsyijL7lWZhNOVKBr9HhEgmjg24h6WtZNUf5Cv0mF-wLlEVPjWIl96-L6WAIBDpYJ53kVvI06lXDniwN-k4LLdioTehAvNNylfl7SRRoEg/s320/MMPJunepic.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Set goals. Review your goals for a bit. Are you
accomplishing them? What are your setbacks? Add a new goal: Stop
procrastinating!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> -</span></span><!--[endif]-->Pay bills. We’re not sure if this will make you
feel better or make you feel worse, but it might be nice to knock a few of
these out of the park.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> -</span></span><!--[endif]-->Watch TV. Decide that you’re going to take a
quick break and watch 15 minutes of TV just to clear your mind. Then it’s back
to the task.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Read. This is the same concept as watching TV.
Read a chapter, a magazine article, or a couple of online news articles. It
might be just enough to give your brain something to focus on so you can later
return to your task.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Exercise. Maybe a few sit ups or push ups, or
maybe a few jumping jacks will get you going!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlm6_0sc1ta6fdtqYitu3oft_YC9_e2XRWAdnjN84wYgaHIJYNpt4CtlsGwDVyAo4rPI0gX1NocbGPD_miT7C4EDKGMRpAwN4CHhMpk41C6nXWHQ471rSPy1WDUZkaK4pCr2ou86b8pw/s1600/healthy-person-woman-sport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlm6_0sc1ta6fdtqYitu3oft_YC9_e2XRWAdnjN84wYgaHIJYNpt4CtlsGwDVyAo4rPI0gX1NocbGPD_miT7C4EDKGMRpAwN4CHhMpk41C6nXWHQ471rSPy1WDUZkaK4pCr2ou86b8pw/s320/healthy-person-woman-sport.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> - </span></span><!--[endif]-->Meditate. Try to push every nagging thing out of
your mind and just focus on your breathing for 5 or 10 minutes. You’ll be
surprised how well it works to clear your head.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> -</span></span><!--[endif]-->Power nap. Take a short 15-20 minute snooze, but
don’t forget to set an alarm. You’ll wake refreshed and ready to conquer that
task.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-17685505252156233042017-05-15T12:49:00.002-07:002017-07-24T10:29:58.070-07:00Keep Your Copywriting Simple Stupid<div class="MsoNormal">
Marketers can often get caught up in word counts and
creating lengthy messages. No matter
what you’re writing, it’s important to keep your copywriting simple. More words will not mean that your message is
better received. These three tips will
help you keep your writing simple and readable.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Have a Purpose with
Your Writing<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This means that you need to consider what your purpose is
and how you can connect with your audience.
Determine what your purpose is before sitting down to write your
materials. Are you trying to sell a
webinar? Do you want them to sign up for
an estimate? Are you selling them a new
widget? This will help you connect with
your audience. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You also need to think about your audience to help you get
into their mindset to determine what motivates them, and what will convince
them to go through with your call to action.
You will want to try to be logical and emotional as you consider the
different reasons your readers may respond to your writing. People like facts to back up what their
emotions are telling them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Less is More<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You want your writing to be easily readable, and that can be
accomplished by trying to keep your writing scan-able. Aim for clear and concise over verbose. In fact, you should aim to hit a 5th or
6th-grade level understanding for your writing because this means that it won’t
take long for your audience to get your message. There are websites that will grade your
materials to let you know what grade level you wrote it at to help you get a
better idea of what constitutes what grade.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSb6oWeSb778sLZR3FUdbac4eWiVKujcHJvxWYmSbkSOeHXI5mt0XCkFzbHFqONR43AWVTq-xfaIfPCn7Q_eI887v5c6bQoCSy_1Ohf-JrS1eGQhmse9Ho2obUAYUv15e-fJJ_fCqwq4/s1600/MMPMAyPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSb6oWeSb778sLZR3FUdbac4eWiVKujcHJvxWYmSbkSOeHXI5mt0XCkFzbHFqONR43AWVTq-xfaIfPCn7Q_eI887v5c6bQoCSy_1Ohf-JrS1eGQhmse9Ho2obUAYUv15e-fJJ_fCqwq4/s320/MMPMAyPic.jpg" width="320" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<b>Wait to Send<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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One of the best things you can do is write something, and
then set it aside before sending it out. This gives you a chance to read it
over again with fresh eyes to ensure that you don’t need to add any final
touches or change things up. It can be
helpful to read things out loud as you may notice things that you missed when
reading quietly. At this point, you can
also ask for other eyes on your work to see what they think. Bad grammar or spelling can be just as big a
turn-off as work that’s too wordy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Following the KISS method of keeping your copywriting simple
stupid will help to ensure that your readers actually read through what you’ve
written. Short and sweet is often a
powerful way to go in your marketing as it helps to connect the person with
your message without clouding it with unnecessary extra information.</div>
<o:p></o:p>Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-27677011659362100042017-03-31T08:26:00.001-07:002017-03-31T08:26:10.828-07:00Get to Know Donna Beheydt of Minuteman Press Stow<div class="MsoNormal">
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Donna Beheydt is the dynamic President-Owner of Minuteman
Press in Stow, OH. She’s been in this role since founding the company in 2009
and has made great strides in local leadership, as well as innovation in
printing for the community.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Minuteman Press was born out of a desire to see a new
opportunity for businesses to print locally in the Stow area. Donna saw a need
for this densely concentrated center of economy to have another option for
local printing. The location was right, and she knew that the company would be a
hit from day one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KqkyXMfsIN4V6qdXfB0XDsjNOEfq88Z510fOGZRYrSd8X-8K_9FsLx9gLOFCkFnWlPqr38zKQg2GcAACYm_nhOCGQQ3ZgNjwkXqn5Cb_8WYTofUiwLkQI5WNXnm6O3dDaWEdnOIsM8Q/s1600/DonnaSMMMP.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KqkyXMfsIN4V6qdXfB0XDsjNOEfq88Z510fOGZRYrSd8X-8K_9FsLx9gLOFCkFnWlPqr38zKQg2GcAACYm_nhOCGQQ3ZgNjwkXqn5Cb_8WYTofUiwLkQI5WNXnm6O3dDaWEdnOIsM8Q/s320/DonnaSMMMP.png" width="320" /></a>And it was. Since opening its doors in 2009, Minuteman Press
of Stow has serviced a variety of local customers for all of their printing
needs. This location allows Stow business owners to invest their money right
back into the local economy by choosing to print onsite at the Stow location.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If anyone knows about local leadership and innovation, it’s
definitely Donna. She’s passionate about investing back into the community
through servicing local businesses and hiring locals for jobs at Minuteman
Press. Donna is proud of the local investment that drives the daily operation
of Minuteman and gives back to the community in a host of tangible and
meaningful ways.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Additionally, the company is a proud member of chambers and
associations in the Stow area and beyond, including the Stow-Munroe Falls
Chamber of Commerce, the Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce, BNI, and Goldman
Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Donna also has great advice for others looking to get into
business in Stow or in their own communities. She recommends that interested
individuals get to know the community where they want to start a business. That
they get to know the business owners who operate there, because they’ll
generally want to help new entrepreneurs get their feet on the ground.<o:p></o:p></div>
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She also recommends that new business owners join chambers
and BNI in order to stay on top of local and national small business happenings
that may impact their companies. Involvement with these organizations can also
help to build personal networks - a vital component to gaining the trust of the
community and getting the help necessary to get a business off the ground.
Organizational involvement can help with marketing, too, as it will give
business owners the opportunity to learn more about marketing to locals - a
skill that Donna views as critical to business success.<o:p></o:p></div>
Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-32518691278367730302017-02-10T07:31:00.003-08:002017-02-10T07:31:59.134-08:00Why Printed Promotional Items Are Still More Effective Than Digital Marketing<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
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Our modern culture seems to have
us brainwashed into believing that digital advertising is the only realistic
and successful form of marketing these days. An idea has spread that any other form
of advertising is simply wasteful, and that anyone who is not spending most of
their marketing budget on the internet will be left in the dust. It is no
surprise that most of these ideas have been pushed onto us by-- guess who--
online marketers. They would have us believe that the internet was God’s gift
to small business, and we should all line up to throw our advertising dollars
at them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
While digital marketing certainly
has its benefits, it is far from being the end all and be all for small
business advertising. In fact, for many types of businesses, particularly small
local businesses, there are many other areas of advertising where their
marketing money could be better spent. One advertising vehicle that seems to be
constantly overlooked in its importance and efficiency is the printed
promotional product. Many people think
of printed promotional items as only being business cards or flyers on windshields,
but the most effective marketers can get much more creative than that. This level
of creativity combined with the personal touch of a gift normally shows huge
returns on the small investment normally required. In fact, a recent survey
showed that 52 percent of people who received free promotional gifts from a
business had a more positive impression of the company afterwards, and 50
percent said they used those products daily. So, what are some of the benefits
of printed promotional items that could make it a better option than internet
advertising? There are more than you might think.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3qFRbcXo3ogLffNmvnLRCMmV8Ok1NFyMQ9R_9QNu6d0b0HqJSMfcGg7mMTtLAysNe4pqfYOYRhAoICUn1QOq4SyPTrui7nOhRZjUK8I4_8xe_YbaF710FLv1PLmjvq4fBNMnk85KjVo/s1600/IMG_4705.JPG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3qFRbcXo3ogLffNmvnLRCMmV8Ok1NFyMQ9R_9QNu6d0b0HqJSMfcGg7mMTtLAysNe4pqfYOYRhAoICUn1QOq4SyPTrui7nOhRZjUK8I4_8xe_YbaF710FLv1PLmjvq4fBNMnk85KjVo/s320/IMG_4705.JPG.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b>- Brand Recognition</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
One of the most important things
a small business can do is get its name out there. Any successful company, big
or small, knows the importance of brand recognition. While your company’s name
and logo may be seen for a few seconds with a digital ad, it could be seen many
times daily on a properly created promotional item.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b>- Targeted Advertising<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Social media and other internet
advertising is great for reaching a worldwide audience, but can present some
problems for advertising locally. If you are a car dealership, lawyer, small
local shop or any other company who would only need to advertise on the local
level, your budget would be much better spent on printed items. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b>- Low Cost</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Social media advertising is free,
right? Well, not exactly. Anyone who has ever tried to run a social media
marketing campaign knows that it can get very expensive very quickly. Printed promotional
items are usually very low-cost and have the potential of yielding a very high
return.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b>- Stick Out With Creative Items</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Advertising is all about catching
your target’s attention in a positive way. One of the best ways to do this is
with a creative printed promotional item that could be specific and useful to
your customers. If you own a bar, try printed bottle openers or beer coozies.
If you have a computer repair shop, have your company’s name and logo printed
onto USB flash drives for your customers.<o:p></o:p></div>
Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-89343550209189107772017-01-16T07:32:00.005-08:002017-01-16T07:32:56.975-08:00The Dos and Don'ts of Business Cards<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Business cards are a powerful tool that often
gets overlooked thanks to the Internet. Having business cards on hand are a
great way to pass on your information when networking or even engaging in
social pleasantries. There are some general guidelines with dos and </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">don’ts<span style="color: red;"> </span>for business cards that you
want to keep in mind when purchasing them and handing them out.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dos<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- Include ONLY the
necessary information for your </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">audience.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <br />
They need to know your name, the name of your business, and the contact
information that they’ll use to get in touch with you later.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- Include several ways
of being able to contact you, such as your website or email addresses and your
phone number. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Some people prefer
reaching out with a telephone call while others like being able to shoot off a
quick email requesting a quote or asking a question.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Make your
cards stand out for their readability over their creativity. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Fonts that are hard to read may be cute or whimsical, but
that may end up with your prospective client looking for someone else to do
business with because they can’t read your contact information. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Try to stick with the standards
and style of your industry.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Think
of your business card as an extension of your brand, and keep this in mind with
the style. If your business is a non-standard type of business, you can
loosely express this in your business card.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Stick to
a standard size business card for your card stock</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. A different size business card may look interesting but may
make it hard for someone that stores their cards in a file or card box.
Graphic designers and other artistic businesses may consider going
outside of the standard size to an unusual sized or shaped card, but most
traditional businesses should avoid this tactic.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- Use a practical
layout.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> You’ll only want to use the front of the
card to make it easier for storing as well unless you have vital information
that needs to go on the back. For instance, if you do business in other
countries, you may want to have one side in English and the back side in
another language. This is making good use of your business card’s space.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Work with a designer. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They
are trained to<span style="color: red;"> </span>come up
with a creative and interesting business card that fits your business without
falling into the pitfalls of many of the don’ts. A designer has a trained
eye that will help you to produce the best card possible for your needs.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- Proofread your
information before sending it off to the printer.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Typos, spelling errors, and other mistakes can make your
business card, and you, look unprofessional.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- Keep your business
cards handy at all times to be passed out to other professionals and potential
clients. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> You never know when the opportunity may present
itself to introduce your business to someone you meet through friends, church,
or at other events.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxif4FARHK6luexxFK1G6LaQCnkQadnaAiiwPy0-xuahtYWJFE1sH4eIx_vBgY2O4CXPSoRKiDneClGGFskVNmrW_AYbfdXHMQyY_Oys8lP_-xquCLG41M1uwmufk3wBLAZBGWY_-Ro1E/s1600/MMPJANPIC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxif4FARHK6luexxFK1G6LaQCnkQadnaAiiwPy0-xuahtYWJFE1sH4eIx_vBgY2O4CXPSoRKiDneClGGFskVNmrW_AYbfdXHMQyY_Oys8lP_-xquCLG41M1uwmufk3wBLAZBGWY_-Ro1E/s320/MMPJANPIC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Don’ts</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Use<span style="color: red;"> </span>a crazy color for your business card is not recommended.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> A nice pop of color on your logo or elsewhere can help your
business card stand out, but printing the card on brightly colored cardstock
may make it hard to read for your potential clients.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Put<span style="color: red;"> </span>a coupon or discount for your services on your card.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> This can be seen as unprofessional and will demean the
brand image that you’re trying to present with a professional looking card.
This doesn’t mean you can’t offer discounts or coupon codes, but your
business card is not the proper place to advertise these types of deals.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Go overboard with graphics.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Including too many pictures, clip art, or other
types of artwork can make your business card seem too busy and unprofessional.
You only want to put what’s necessary on your card. You may want to
add some personality with a picture of a dog you’ve groomed or a room you’ve
remodeled, but make sure it works with your business card. Too much may
get your card overlooked. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">- </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give<span style="color: red;"> </span>out cards that look like they’ve been through the ringer
</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You want your business card to be in pristine
shape as you are handing out a card that represents you professionally and your
business. It can be a good idea to invest in a little storage case that
keeps them in great condition while allowing you to keep them in your pocket or
purse.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Following these </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">simple rules for
your business cards will help you put to use one of
the most simple, and well-proven<span style="color: red;"> </span>tools that you have for
success. Don’t worry about a prospective client fumbling with their phone
to input your number or trying to find your company’s website while you stand
around. Instead, reach into your pocket
and produce one of your professional, tastefully simple and
highly effective business cards. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-4370608341510919162016-12-13T09:23:00.002-08:002016-12-13T09:23:25.220-08:007 Tips to Make Working with a Printer Quick and Easy<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">No matter what your print project
is, whether it be flyers, brochures or a presentation, there are ways to make
it go smoother by keeping certain things in mind. You can help streamline the process by having
certain things in order before even approaching a printer. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Here
are </span></b><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7 helpful
tips </span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">that you can do
to help keep things</span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">
</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">smooth with
your printer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1. Pay attention to what size you
send in and what size you're ordering.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Proper sizing is important when
working with a printer. If you send them a file that you created in 8.5 x 11 but
request something that's 11 x 17, or vice versa, don't expect it to be easy. Those
dimensions don’t scale up equally and can take much effort to create. This is a
common problem when printers receive files and doing this will only irritate
and make more work for them. Your graphics may change size and the project
could end up not looking like it’s supposed to.</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2. Make sure to follow the
directions of the printer and send in the proper file type.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Printers should let you know what
they need from you in order to move forward. These things will include the type
of file that they work with. Make sure you send PDF files to your printer. If
you send them something in Word, Publisher, Corel Draw, or even InDesign, they
can have a hard time printing it. Even if those files are setup properly, it
adds an extra step that can mess up the vision of what you wanted. If you send
a PDF to begin with, you can avoid all those problems that can happen during
conversions. This will save a lot of time and headache for everyone.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCil_Q2TfX-IZxLTLmwIUdqwLx7XbJ9mtSWQ5i1j1kwqnnEsmpGHA8uQ2s3whBlERWW-7gqE_p5OJqyyOqIp6EXW2OklsBiNmqOWpVNKQU6T7M5fIhY6PPEFlYRTsZO5HaUTTTkN609iA/s1600/MMPDECPIC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCil_Q2TfX-IZxLTLmwIUdqwLx7XbJ9mtSWQ5i1j1kwqnnEsmpGHA8uQ2s3whBlERWW-7gqE_p5OJqyyOqIp6EXW2OklsBiNmqOWpVNKQU6T7M5fIhY6PPEFlYRTsZO5HaUTTTkN609iA/s320/MMPDECPIC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3. Review the entire proof before
responding.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">To make the editing process
efficient, make sure to look over the <b><i>entire</i></b> proof before you start
requesting changes and avoid sending multiple emails of changes. Also, the more
detailed you are in looking things over, the quicker the changes you request
will be and the faster you can get your print project to where you want it to
be. Remember, it’s the smallest mistakes that are the easiest to miss so be
thorough before approving your proof!</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4. Don’t try to negotiate down
prices.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Printing companies are just like
most any other company. They won't haggle with you, so don't try. The prices
are set for a reason and you will be expected to pay them, just like every
other client. Printers don't play favoritism. Trying to get the price down will
only irritate the printer and waste everyone's time.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5. A printing company's job is more
complicated than you think it is.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The process is more complicated
than just hitting “print.” There is a reason you're paying professionals. The
equipment that is used is much more complicated than what you may buy and use
on your own. Completing your request takes </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">multiple
people, multiple computers and often times even multiple printing machines.</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6. Plan for production and
turnaround time.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_qzdtzyom19u6"></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Standard
production time can take between 3 and 5 days. The turnaround times are given
because there is a schedule that these companies need to adhere to in order to </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">satisfy
all of </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">their customers. While rush jobs can be taken on, you
can't expect each order to be rushed. You also have to keep in mind that rush
jobs will cost you extra. It's better for both you and for the printing company
if you simply plan ahead.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Know
what you want going in.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Make sure you
design your print project in detail before sending it into a printer. You want
to have a clear vision of what you want and have it executed before you start
the printing process. The better you plan your print project, the easier it
will be for both your printer and you to get it done and done properly.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By making sure
to plan ahead, you can assure that your experience with a printing company is a
pleasant and positive one. This will also help you build a lasting professional
and profitable relationship that can help you with all your printing needs
going forward. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.0pt;">
<br /></div>
Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117388302483010424.post-61477253176472190652016-11-11T10:50:00.001-08:002016-11-11T10:50:29.487-08:00Why Your Company Should Invest In A Graphic Designer<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.0pt;">
<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You already have a lot
on your plate whether you're running an entire business or managing your team.
Adding design work on top of that can be a lot to take on. Print materials are
important for marketing your business out in your community, but doing it all
yourself can be a very daunting task.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.0pt;">
<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While you may think
that if you do it yourself, you'll be saving money, could you also run the risk
of your materials not turning into an effective campaign. You may wonder if the
color scheme or the wording you chose is effective. Fixing things later on will
make it much more expensive than if you hired a professional in the first
place.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIjNjMDP9HDLuTUiO4Zkg6rj2l_tRo8NCfKJ9TUAJCR71q4eGQTGWykwSMLvpnf4W5X0cXJSDte8tx5ZCNOguS7NKSVuwRacaStrnVTvi2vcife6KorFZlGf1fsSjKWAMCakk6Vj4KZ0/s1600/pexels-photo-52608.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIjNjMDP9HDLuTUiO4Zkg6rj2l_tRo8NCfKJ9TUAJCR71q4eGQTGWykwSMLvpnf4W5X0cXJSDte8tx5ZCNOguS7NKSVuwRacaStrnVTvi2vcife6KorFZlGf1fsSjKWAMCakk6Vj4KZ0/s320/pexels-photo-52608.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These people are
professionals for a reason. They will customize specific designs for your
company. They have experience with what works and what doesn't. They know the
most effective approaches to communicate to your customers as well as what your
competitors in the market are doing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reasons to Invest in a
Graphic Designer for Your Print Materials:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- It will save you
time and money.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You may look at hiring
a graphic designer as an initial investment that you don't want to pay, but it
will actually end up saving you money. To get yourself up to speed with
Photoshop, Illustrator or other programs, you may need to invest multiple hours
of your time. Even then, there will be a lot that you won't be able to learn
and you would have wasted hours of time where you could have been productive.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A graphic designer has
spent so much more time in the necessary programs. You could never hope to
catch up. This is the same as someone new in your field having a hard time
catching up to you. You wouldn't expect someone new to your field to do
something perfectly after just a few hours of basic training and you can't
expect that you will be able to design something that is perfect in that amount
of time either. A graphic designer knows how to navigate through these programs
and move forward in a timely manner.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- It will help
everything look polished and professional.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By using a graphic
designer, you can be sure to receive a polished and professional product.
Designers are well-versed in design theory, color theory, and grids and ratios.
They studied how to put together print and online materials. Designers
have the best eye visually and take the guesswork out of it for you.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Your marketing
materials will be consistent and help build your brand.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Graphic designers will
use fonts and colors that are consistent and complement each other. Again, they
know how to put things together that work together and help to build brand
loyalty.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- It will help you
stand out from your competitors.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you use a template
to design your work, whether it be something you bought online or a template
you use in a program, it will look like everyone else's. Don't you want your
company to stand out? A graphic designer will produce original work for you and
ensure that you aren't violating any copyright laws. The same can't be said if
you pull images from Google. That could get you into trouble.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Graphic designers
can see things in a different way.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your company is extremely
important to you. You may be more emotionally involved than you realize. As
with many things, having an outside perspective can only be good for you. This
person will be able to notice things that you may not have. A graphic designer
can step back from the project and look at it objectively.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- They can help you
execute what you have in your head.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You probably have a
vision in mind for what you want your materials to look like, but trying to get
there on your own could be very difficult. A graphic designer can help you
express what it is you're looking for and also act as a collaborator to help
you find the best ways to realize your vision. This person is an expert in what
they do and can help design something that not only fits with your vision, but
that will prove to benefit your company from a marketing and sales perspective.
It's about giving your company the best image it can so you can be as
successful as you want to be.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hiring a graphic
designer isn't about admitting that you aren't up to designing your own
materials. It's about giving your company the best start it can have. You are
investing in your company's brand and its future by consulting with a professional.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Minuteman Press Stowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10332036943514088755noreply@blogger.com0