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What is RSS

Ever wondered what RSS stands for? It means Really Simple Syndication. Not all websites offer RSS feeds, but if they are available they are indicated by an orange and white logo

Reading blogs and surfing the internet is a brilliant way to keep your finger on the pulse with relevant news, whether it’s about your business, the area you live or even just topics you’re interested in (eg: current affairs, Photoshop tutorials, celebrity gossip)

You can even use RSS feeds as a helpful resource for devising new concepts and topics for your own email newsletters, blogs and social media sites.With so much information available on the internet, it can be laborious visiting all your favourite websites to read articles or blogs you find interesting. RSS feeds save you lots of time and makes it easier for you to keep track of news and updates.

So how do you start using an RSS feed? First of all you will need a news reader, also known as a feed reader or RSS reader. Microsoft Outlooks comes with an RSS Feed and if you don’t have access to Outlook, then Google offers a free, simple to use reader which you can access on line. It’s as simple as logging in and choosing the content you want to get by subscribing to the relevant RSS feeds.

On your favourite websites, look out for the orange and white logo, then click on the icon to view the RSS feed and copy the URL or website address from the web page that opens. All you have to do then go back to your Google reader and click on subscribe in the top left page and paste the link into the field provided. Any update for that website will now feed directly into your reader. Repeat for as many websites as you want and then all you need to do is login to Google reader when you want to check for updates. It’s easy, so what are you waiting for?

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The Need-To-Knows About Newsletters

To create a newsletter that works, there are a few things you really ought to know to make it worth your while.

  1. Newsletters should be like All Bran – Regular, same time, same place.  If your clients receive newsletters at regular intervals, they will get into the habit of keeping an eye out for them.

  2. Don’t overcomplicate it. Keep the size of the newsletter manageable. There’s no point creating a four page, double sized document every month if you’re struggling for quality content. A well-produced double-sided A4 sheet should be ample.

  3. Proper formatting saves time. Create a template which can easily be edited and changed at a moment’s notice. Use a program specifically designed for creating newsletters like Adobe Indesign or Microsoft Publisher. This makes it much easier to edit or manoeuvre images and text without unintentionally altering other elements

  4. Limit colour.  While it may be tempting to turn your newsletter into a rainbow, try to restrict the amount of colour to images, the main banner and maybe the background. Keep in mind the more multi-coloured, the more expensive it is to print if you’re sending it off to a printer. 

  5. Make it readable. Stick with a font which is easy on the eye. For more information about font selection refer to the article “The Art of Typography”.

  6. Don’t be afraid to embrace white space. The idea that you must jam-pack information into every little corner can clutter up a newsletter making it look junky. White space provides an element of appeal and makes it easier to read

  7. Be Bold. Without eye-catching headlines which intrigue your customers to read the body copy, a newsletter would be a big waste of time. A bold face type will help distinguish the headlines from the text.

  8. Give it flair. Newsletters don’t have to be a snooze fest. Make your content as vibrant and interesting as possible. Your customers don’t want to hear about what has happened at your company. They want relevant information that effects them – handy hints, updates on the market, ways of saving money etc.

  9. Two sets of eyes are better than one. Check for mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Also get a colleague to proof read as well. Get a second person to proofread for you to ensure you have missed any little errors.  Potential customers will measure your professionalism by the quality of the material you produce.

Now you’ve got the basics, how about giving your own newsletter a go? If you’re not confident, choosing a proven professional will save you time and money.

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From Brief to Beyond

No matter what size or what your company’s speciality, marketing and branding are essential to growing your business. Corporate identity, professional logos, websites, letterheads, brochures, business cards and signage are all aspects you’ll need to take into consideration. Whether you’re looking for a fresh approach to an existing business or just starting out, the best decision you can make is to engage a proven professional.

Large advertising and marketing agencies can lack the personal approach and send costs skyrocketing, which is where a graphic and web design studio can afford the time to develop an understanding of each client.
So what happens after you select a graphic design firm?

The Quote

A free, no-obligation consultation can be arranged to discuss your needs. From there a detailed cost estimation is developed. After the brief, the final invoice cost will be finalised or revised based on the specifications required.

The Brief.

The purpose of a creative brief is to give the graphic artists and copywriters an opportunity to discuss ideas, target audience, desired reaction of the target audience, sizes, layouts, styles, print finishes and a chance to sense your company’s unique aspects.

What’s expected from the client?

  1. Provide us with a style guide if applicable. This will list the typefaces, colour definitions, guidelines for logo
    use etc.
  2. Existing businesses should bring logos in EPS format (Encapsulated PostScript). JPG formats limit the design and the print quality may not be as good. No logo? No problem. Just ask your graphic artist to design you one.
  3. A selection good images at 300dpi and content you wish to have included are paramount. If you don’t have images we are able to source them for you from a database of stock photos or co-ordinate with a professional photographer.

After analysing the information collated from the brief, the creative team will develop a concept which is then presented to you for approval and changes for fine tuning.

Final Proofs

The print ready artwork in high resolution with bleed and crop marks will be sent to you for final approval.

Your print material can easily be developed to be replicated on your website. Synchronising the look of your marketing material shapes your brand, connects it to your company’s essence and packs a powerful punch visually.

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Digital Printing or Press Printing?

Your marketing material is designed. Whether it’s letterhead, business card, brochures, flyers or posters, it’s time to send it off to the printers. Now comes the big decision of how to get it printed! Press printing or Digital. What’s the difference between press printing and digital printing?

We’ve highlighted the pros and cons to try and help you weigh up your printing options.

Digital Printing

Digital printing is cheaper. It’s about half the cost of press printing as it prints directly to paper. There’s no need to bother with film or plates. You get faster results and some printers can even provide a same day service depending on their work load. However the digital printing process uses four colours – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CYMK) mixed together create a variety colours. Different set-ups and settings on digital printers can produce an extensive range of colour results. There is no guarantee you will get the exact same yellow from printer to printer or batch to batch of ink. It also limits the assortment of colours available. If you’re after vibrant reds and sunset oranges, press printing would be the better option. Digital printer also limits your paper section and finishes. If you’re wanting to print posters in a size bigger than A3, press printing is your only option. Most digital printers are limited to size and generally 297mm × 420mm the biggest they can produce. You’ll also find the paper density (GSM) is also limited. If you’re after thick card or any other sort of material, then you’ll need to opt for press printing.

Press Printing

Naturally with the extra work of producing film and plates, press printing is going to be around double the cost of digital printing. With making the film, plates, setting the press, running the jobs and the time it takes for drying, cutting, folding and finishing. If you’re after a quick fix, then digital printing is your best option. The benefits are there is an enormous spectrum of paper colours available, a wide range of thickness, textures and speciality papers like non-traditional paper and metallic are amongst your options for stock.Traditional press printing can also accommodate a wide range of paper sizes and shapes, perfects for large posters and signage, so when it comes to printing your imagination is the only limit.

In summary, if consistent colour is not an issue and you want a fast turnaround for your brochures, flyers and letterheads, you can’t beat digital printing for cost. When you need poster sized marketing material, metallic finishes, embossing and vibrant colours mixed to exact specifications, choose press printing. If you’re still unsure, talk to a proven graphic design agency. They deal with printers every day and can probably recommend a reliable, cost efficient solution.

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The Write Direction for Company Profiles

Writing a profile for a brochure promoting your company can be a daunting process. So how do you know where to begin?  This straight-forward guide to what to and what not to include should steer you in the ‘write’ direction.

1. Put yourself in prospective client’s shoes.

What would you want to know about the company? What is it that you do better than your opposition?

2. Brainstorm.

Make a list of all the points of difference your company can boast about. What can you offer than no one else can?

3. Use the KISS factor.

Keep it simple. You may be an expert in your field and throw around technical jargon as fluently as you speak your native tongue, but keep in mind the average Joe reading your brochure won’t be buzzword savvy. Too much techno speak can be a turn off. Even if you are sending it out to people in the industry, it’s advisable to use clear, easy to understand language.

4. Provide useful, relevant information.

Include the key management team and photos if possible, descriptions of company products and services, location of business, contact numbers and try to infuse it with some personality to make it more interesting to those who land on your web page.

5. Avoid using corny mission statements.

Yawn fest. Seriously, who reads these anyway? The text needs about what you can do, not what you hope to achieve

6. Make it personable.

People relate to people. Some companies like to have a little fun with the staff profiles to make them seem a little more approachable and often include quirky questions eg: Worst Christmas Present ever received or make amusing comments about their personality. You don’t have to include this, but it certainly makes it more readable.

7. Be precise.

This should be fairly obvious, but don’t claim your company can meet obligations it can’t. With the internet, the world is a very small place and it only takes one or two people to post negative comments on a blog which can easily affect your business.

8. Don’t waffle.

Keep it short. Customer’s won’t read long screeds of text. The reader should be able to pick up the main gist of what your company is about in just a glance. Those who are interested in knowing more can always be referred to your company website.

9. Don’t wing it.

If you’re not competent you can write a great company profile, there are tools available online to help you construct on, or simply enlist the help of a proven professional. You will still need provide information outlined in steps 1-4, but at least it will give you time to concentrate on the areas you excel in. 

Now you have 9 easy steps to follow, what are you waiting for? Get brain storming.

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SEO – What is it?

SEO – three little letters with colossal ramifications to websites, but what does it all mean?

In basic terms SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. Essentially it is enhancing the content on your web page to increase the number of people driven to your website via search engines like Bing, Yahoo and Google. SEO encompasses copywriting, to designing search engine friendly web pages to building links.

You could be missing out on valuable revenue from people who wouldn’t have known your company existed otherwise, if your web site had not appeared in the list of results found by their search engine of choice.

SEO also has the power to improve where your business is ranked. Those companies listed closest to the top of the page are likely to receive more visitors to their site. It is believed almost 90% of people will not look any further than the third page of results.

Many elements effect where your business ranks in search engine results and may include basics such as the number of other sites linking to your website, static text links, keywords and clearly written content.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why hiring the services of a skilled professional to revamp your website is worth every cent. SEO is an intricate blend of strategies and process. What works with Google and Yahoo, doesn’t automatically work with Bing and the way engines can search are subject to change daily. As technology increases, search engine optimisation is going to become gradually more significant to your marketing strategies. If you are unable to keep up with the constant changes, your business will be left in the dust. It requires continual time and effect. Therefore it is definitely worth its weight in goal to engage the services of a proven professional to ensure your site is fully optimised to its potential.

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The Write Way to Advertise

What chance does your business stand in a competitive market if you are not pushing your product or service? One of the most crucial ways to increase your sales is through advertising. Success or failure of most advertisements reverts back to one thing – the ad itself.

One of the most important aspects of advertising, apart from having the graphics, logos and images look professional, is the way it is written. The main objective is to make the reader want to purchase the product or service. It sounds hard, but there is a simple formula to follow.

1. Use words that will attract attention. (Words like free, new, last chance, bargain, discount)
2. Make it interesting
3. Create a desire for the product or service
4. Elicit immediate action

The one basic rule of writing copy for advertisements is: If the ad does not grab the attention of the reader, it will be quickly forgotten. The most successful advertising copywriters always adhere to the above method.
If writing is not your forte, then it’s best to outsource your work to a professional copywriter. It may sound expensive, but it’s better to get it right the first time than to spend hundreds of dollars on advertising and have little or no results.

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4 Essential elements for successful direct mail campaigns

There are a multitude of theories and formulas you can try when it comes to direct mail campaigns but the most successful campaigns have four essential elements in common.

1. Your Offer
Every good direct mail campaign has an offer. People love freebies. Instant giveaways are an incentive to purchase and far surpass the motivation to purchase for a single entry in a prize draw. Ensure you research your giveaway and keep it straightforward without hundreds of terms and conditions. If the reward is likely to be attractive (e.g.: IPod, Flash drive, Vouchers) make it the feature of your campaign.

2. Your Presentation
Professional results are imperative. You won’t get a good response if your company comes across as looking dodgy with sub-standard images, logos, design and copywriting.
Not a trained graphic designer? Don’t have the gift of writing clear, concise copy? Then outsource the work to someone who knows what they are doing.

3. Your Customer Database
Businesses close down and senior staff change jobs so customer databases can quickly become outdated. Ensure your database is kept accurate. There is no point sending a flier to someone who has moved or has asked to be removed from the system.
A good database will include as much information about your customers as possible. Look for patterns with their information to group them into smaller, more manageable groups. By doing this, you can target individuals more likely to take up your offer.

4. Fine Tune it
Critique your own work. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer. Be critical, if you received this direct mail campaign would you respond immediately or simply delete it?
Does it read well? Is it eye-catching? Tweak it until your 100% satisfied it couldn’t be better.

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8 Ways to make your advertising work

Advertising your business is a costly, but necessary investment whether your business is the size of the Donald Trump Corporation or run from a dark corner in your garden shed. How can you be sure to capitalise on your cash outlay? First you need to do research on what makes advertising work. If you’re reading this – then you’re already on the right track.

  1. Make it Relevant. People won’t pay attention to anything which does not apply to them. Learn to understand your customers wants, needs, hopes, desires and problems.
  2. Outsource it. Typing up a blurb yourself with clip art on some brightly coloured paper only looks unprofessional  If you don’t have graphic design skills or can’t string a sentence together; find a proper design artist and copywriting expert. 
  3. Be succinct. Long screeds of waffle won’t be read. If you must use blocks of copy, break it up with attention-grabbing headlines.
  4. Guarantees work. A 100% guarantee of your work or service is one of the best tools you can utilise in advertising. It’s an assurance of quality.
  5. Call to Action. (Advertising jargon for making your customers get off their behinds NOW to use your service or product). Make it crystal clear what they need to do to acquire your business and give it a sense of urgency. E.g.: this week only.
  6.  Fine Tune it. Double check everything from the grammar to the graphics. Make sure the language used is simplified and remove any excess words.
  7. Reach your target market. If you don’t know what magazines, website, radio stations, TV channels or papers your customer’s frequent, make it your business to find out
  8. Track responses.  The best way to do this is to key each ad with an exclusive code so every transaction or lead can be recognized and linked to the source it came from.

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