When we work with our clients, we always strive to continue to market and network for brands beyond any print or Web design
that we may create and deliver.

One example was helping to deliver Dr. Wizard to College Magazine. Joe Webb created a blog called “Dr. Wizard” geared to college students who were seeking advice online on all topics. We think it’s a great niche and love Joe’s writing style. The partnership for College Magazine includes inclusion of exclusive articles posted on www.collegemagazine.com. In return, College Magazine is mentioned on the Dr. Wizard blog which is currently receiving about 1500 unique visitors daily. We feel it is a great match for College Magazine as Dr. Wizard has signed a book deal which will surely increase his exposure, as well as our clients.

University News in St. Louis, Missouri recently published an article about the blog and I was interviewed for the piece.

College Magazine is a print publication on the East coast with currently a small distribution of 40,000 magazines to Universities and Colleges in Maryland, DC, and Virginia.

It started out to be a great day. I had planned to take Jacob to his first circus. I bought the seats down front, went to the pre-show so he could see the animals and acts up close, bought him his $12 bag of cotton candy (insane!) and we were ready to have a great time. The pre-show ended, the lights dimmed, and we went to our seats.

The show started and mayhem began. There were clowns, animals, motorcycles, lights and entertainers running all over the stage floor… which the size of a hockey rink. I was pretty entertained and Jacob seemed to be as well (since he had his cotton candy). There were so many acts to watch and they all had interesting talents. About 30 minutes into the show Jacob started to ask when we could leave. 5 minutes later, he asked again. 3 minutes later, he asked again. 1 minute later, again and again. I wondered why he wasn’t really enjoying the show and really couldn’t keep his eyes on the different entertainment. Then it dawned on me that what I had been discussing with myself (in my head) is the same reason that Jacob wasn’t really enjoying the show. There was WAY too much going on at once. The circus had NO focal point. Neither of us could really enjoy a specific act because we were too busy looking around to make sure we weren’t missing anything else.

The lack of focal point at the circus is the same issue we have in graphic design. Campaigns without a focal point lack interest and confuse viewers. This is the same thing I tell beginning graphic designers, as well as many of my clients that want to clutter up there page with information and text. Information overload on paper is just as bad as visual overload at the circus. We don’t know where to focus and rather than trying to work it out, we lose interest and move on. To follow my own advice here, I’m going to end this anecdote. Bottom line though…my advice to the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey is to drop it from a three ring circus to maybe just one ring.

By Les Kollegian, Creative Director

Tips Small Business Owners Can Use to Lower Costs and Maximize Visibility

If you are a small-to medium-sized business, you’re probably hoping to get your business on everyone’s radar with traditional marketing techniques. But what if you lack the funds of a Fortune 500 marketing budget? You’re already marketing your company on the Web and through print collateral like business cards and direct mail postcards. Now, how do you create a brochure with the “wow factor” of your larger competitors? A brochure that makes your customers sit up and take
notice? Here are seven secrets you can leverage to your company’s advantage:

1. People don’t read. Get your point across…FAST!
Okay. So I know you are reading this now, but that’s because I got your attention with a catchy headline. If I give too much information in the text, I will lose your interest. You will stop reading long before my “call to action,” requesting you learn more about me online. Now I’ve lost the opportunity to convert you to a new customer. People are low on time. Deliver your point with minimal text. And keeping it minimal also saves you the money of having to print more pages.

2. Effective design is important.
Remember that old saying, “Kids, don’t try this at home!”? Well, it also applies to you. If your business is not a graphic design firm, do NOT try to design your own brochure. Graphic design professionals are aware of how specific markets react to certain layouts, based on psychographic and demographic research. Effective design is what gets reader attention, keeps it, and most importantly keeps your brochure out of the trash.

3. Odd-sized pieces grab attention.
The 8.5″x11″ tri-fold is essentially worthless. Yes, it’s inexpensive to make and print. But is it an effective way to get your prospective clients attention? No. We all get way too many brochures in the mail and they get lost in the shuffle. An odd-sized brochure differentiates your business from the rest at first glance. If you are not going to mail them, I have had much success with square brochures, usually 6″x 6″. If considering a direct mail campaign with a brochure, make sure you keep postal regulations in mind. It should be wider than it is tall. 4.5″x11.5″ is a great size to stand out from the pack.

4. Sometimes, 4-color is actually cheaper.
Before digital printing was available and offset was a must, we used to design with minimum ink colors to save money running through the press. The more ink, the more the cost. Today there are plenty of printing companies that do 4-color work by “gang” running them with other projects. This means that your brochure is being run on the same large sheet as other brochures, folders, etc. Bottom line…who cares? At the end of the day, you save money by sharing the paper. A company I have successfully used to print inexpensive brochures and other collateral is http://www.zooprinting.com.

5. Thicker IS better.
Ever get a flimsy business card and just think how cheap it feels? How does it make you feel about the company distributing it? The same goes for your brochure. When you receive something with
substance, it feels more important. You’re more likely to keep it or take it more seriously.

6. Don’t waste paper…Low runs can still be cost effective.
Many of my customers want to print large runs because they save money on a per-piece price. While this is true, it doesn’t matter if you end up throwing away unused brochures. Usually it is best to create a low run and get feedback from your prospective clients. Once you feel the brochure is effective and will stand the test of time, now it’s time to do a larger run.

7. Use stock photography…There’s no need for that expensive photo shoot.

Okay…some people may say that stock photos are over-used and that they are not as effective as a photo shoot. This may be true. However, photo shoots can be extremely expensive and unnecessary unless you need to show a specific product. There are now stock photo sites where new images are being uploaded by semi-professional and professional photographers daily. High-res images can be purchased for under $10 on sites like http://www.istockphoto.com and
http://www.dreamstime.com.