The Latest & Greatest Tech Tools

There are an overwhelming amount of apps out there these days that can help us be more productive and efficient. It’s pretty much impossible to keep up with it all. That’s why we enjoyed CNN’s recent article called, “50 New Tech Tools You Should Know About.”

They did the work of checking out a ton of apps to give us information about the best ones. From that 50, we chose a few we thought our readers would especially enjoy:

• CardMunch: (free) This app allows you to convert business cards into digital contacts. What a great way to create a database without the tedious work of entering all of your contacts in.
• Flud News: (free) A social news reader allowing you to create your own collection of news articles, and it’s presented so you can view it like a magazine. What a nice way to get only the news you want.
• Frametastic: (free) One of the only free and extensive photo framing apps. Frame multiple photos with lots of fun options, as well as easy exporting to your social networks.
• LogMein: (free and paid versions) This app allows you to have remote access to your computer via your iPhone or iPad anytime and anywhere. Now this could surely come in handy!
• My Secret Folder: (99¢): Store your photos, movies, contacts, notes and anything else privately in this password-protected app. The really cool part is that if someone tries to view your files and enters the wrong password, it will snap a photo of the culprit, tag the location of the incident and file it for you. Nifty!
• Springpad: (free): Stay productive with this app, which allows you to record notes, categorize them automatically while enhancing them with useful links, and set reminders and get important news updates related to your notes.

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  We hope you find these apps useful! If you’d like to read the full article from CNN, click here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/tech/web/50-tech-tools/index.html

Sustainable Printing Checklist

Want to know what really makes up a sustainable printing company? There’s more to it than just using recycled paper or being FSC certified. Here’s a checklist that truly sustainable printing companies follow:

• They reduce their carbon footprint.
• They use alternative energy sources (solar, wind, etc).
• They add green incentives to their services and products for clients to take part in.
• They offer to help the community become greener.
• They educate the community about sustainability.
• They use more sustainable materials, such as inks, chemistry and packaging materials.
• They reduce waste and recycle everything possible.
• They transform existing products into greener options.
• They launch new green products.
• They produce environmental profiles and reports for public view.
• They make donations to environmental organizations and efforts.
• They get employees involved with programs that reduce environmental impact.

6 Tips For Setting Up Print Ready Files That Save You Money

It may or may not surprise you to know that about half of the files that are sent to printers are not print ready. What this means is that you will either incur additional costs because the print vendor will need to spend time correcting the files, or you will loose time because you will need to fix your own files to resubmit to the printer. We have compiled 6 tips to help you create print ready files from the gate:

1. Discuss your project with your print vendor before you begin designing it.If you wanted to add a custom deck to your house, you would consult the builder before drawing up the design because you would need their input to know what could and couldn’t be done, right? It is the same with printing. Your account manager can provide you with knowledge and expertise that you might not have considered on your own. They will be able to provide you with ideas of how to keep the cost down on your project, and they will be able to foresee potential problems that might occur with a job if it is designed a certain way.They’ll be able to make suggestions on the best size to use to save you money and get the most out of the paper cut. Sometimes reducing your piece by 1/4″ can save you a considerable amount of money because it allows the printer to run more up at once on the press form. They’ll be able to help you decide how to set up your colors to save the most money by paying for the least amount of colors. They’ll also be able to help you determine if your job should be printed offset or digitally to save money, and much, much more.
2. Understand how printing inks work in comparison to what you see on your computer screen. It is important to know up front that what you see on your screen is most likely not what you are going to get. Every computer screen shows colors differently in the first place, and in addition, the illuminated version of the colors you see on screen cannot be replicated with ink on paper.You will also need to determine up front whether you will set up your project in CMYK or RGB. If your project will be printed in 4-color process using offset printing, you will need to set it up as CMYK. Digital printing can be printed in either RGB or CMYK.
3. Set up your bleeds properly from the beginning. If your image bleeds off the edge of the paper, the printer will need you to include an extension of color beyond the edge of the printed piece. This is called a bleed and it allows the printer to cut the piece down without there being any blank space shown at the edges. If the printer has to add the bleeds to your file themselves, there will be additional charges incurred. The standard amount for bleeds is 1/8″ and your print vendor can assist you if you don’t know who to set them up.
4. Understand how resolution works.Resolution is expressed in pixels per inch and the more pixels a graphic has, the more detail it shows and the crisper it will look. The larger you scale an image, the lower the resolution will be. When images have a low resolution, they will appear pixilated, which means they will look blurry or blocky. On the other hand, if your resolution is too high, the file size will be too large to work with effectively. Digital printing and offset printing processes interpret resolution differently. Digital printing is a little more forgiving for lower resolution images. The best resolution to use is 300 dpi (at the size of the image). Remember that if you take a 2″ x 3″ image that is 300 dpi and blow it up to 4″ x 6″, the resolution will no longer be 300 dpi. It is also important to point out that just because an image looks crisp on your computer screen, does not mean it will print that way. Monitors only need a dpi of 72 to reveal a crisp image, but that same image is interpreted differently when it goes to print.
5. Set up booklets properly. If you are creating a booklet, consult your print vendor to find out if you should lay out your pages as single pages, reader spreads or printer spreads. Every printer has different methods and setting up your file correctly from the start will eliminate excess work and additional costs.
6. Use linked graphics and fonts. Unless you choose to embed your graphics into your file, you will need to link your graphics to your file. By embedding the graphics, you reduce the size of the file and you insure that the graphics will stay intact so the printer can open the native file and print it. If you don’t embed the graphics, you will need to link the graphics to the file so that when the printer calls up the file on their computer, the graphics are carried over. In addition, the fonts need to be linked as well instead of just assuming the printer will have the font because it is in your print file. If a computer does not have a font, it cannot read the font in a file and will usually replace it with the Courier font. When you correctly collect a file for output before sending it to your printer, the graphics and fonts will automatically be linked. Each program handles this feature a little differently, so if you need assistance in performing this task, your printer should be happy to walk you through the process.

8 Effective Ways to Make Sure Your Clients Know Everything You Offer

Let’s face it – no matter what industry you are in, in most cases many of our clients come to us for one or two services. Those services may be different for each client because each of them came to us with a different need. They found us because we fulfilled that need, and now they think that is all we do! Are you with me?

Sometimes, it can feel like no matter what you do, your clients still don’t realize all of the services and products you offer. You’ve probably experienced this in reverse as well when you all of a sudden find out your chiropractor, for example, also offers massage. You’ve been going to the same chiropractor for years but somehow never knew that.

So, how do we get around this dilemma? Here are 8 ideas for you (and we welcome comments on this blog if you have additional ideas that have worked well for you as well):

• Feature a different product or service each month and make all of your marketing that month about only that product or service. Send out a postcard about it, write an email newsletter about it, give out coupons for it on your social media networks, etc.
• Send out a survey listing out all of your products and services, and then ask them what services they aren’t hiring you for that they are currently using elsewhere.
• Put new clients on a keep-in-touch program, where you mail them a letter outlining a different capability each month with a coupon for that service.
• When you send quotes to clients and/or prospects, also send a quote for a related service that you think they would also find useful.
• Print up buck slips (mini flyers) about different products or services that can be mailed out with each invoice.
• If your business is product-based, send a sample of a different product with their purchase.
• Write case studies for each of your products or services and have them printed up. Mail one per month to your clients. In addition, feature one case study per month in your email newsletter and in your social media marketing.
• Print up one flyer each month about a different product or service. Include an exclusive member discount and give them to associations, such as the Chamber of Commerce, to include in their newsletters. Associations love to give additional perks to their members because it makes them look good for getting them an exclusive discount.

Tips on Paper Selection

Choosing the right paper for a printing job can be a daunting task. It doesn’t have to be though. When selecting the best paper type for a particular job, you’re often faced with an overwhelming number of options. Asking your printer for “white” is like asking your waiter for “food” — you’ll have to be more specific than that.

To the educated consumer, the choices don’t seem nearly as intimidating. Before you order though, you’ve got to know the menu. Paper has ten characteristics that affect its cost and appropriateness for a given job.

Surface

The surface of paper affects its look, feel and printability. When paper is pressed at the mill, it passes through a series of rollers in a process called calendaring. Calendaring affects paper in numerous ways. As the extent of this process increases, paper is made smoother, glossier, more capable of retaining ink, thinner, less opaque and less bright. Why does surface matter? Because people do judge books by their cover.

Color

The color of paper is perhaps the most salient of all characteristics. White is by far the most popular color and is generally optimal for conventional usage. Not all white is the same, however — it runs the gamut from ultra-severe hues to softer, more antique shades. Photo white paper is best for accentuating the contrast between light and dark hues. Off-white sheets produce less glare, and are best used for publications such as novels or technical manuals that demand long and uninterrupted attention from readers. When comparing color, always examine paper under standard viewing conditions and with minimal atmospheric distractions.

Brightness

The brightness of paper measures the percentage of light that it reflects. Most papers reflect approximately 60 to 90% of incoming light. Remember: brightness and color are not the same thing. Unlike the color characteristic (which is highly subjective and imprecise), brightness is a strictly quantitative, or measurable, attribute. Brightness is important because it affects readability — high brightness can cause eye strain, while low brightness can produce a blurring effect.

Opacity

The opacity of paper is the degree to which other printing is visible through the page. High opacity, or density, minimizes the visibility of printing on subsequent pages, thus enhancing readability. Opacity increases with the bulk and weight of paper, and is influenced by numerous other factors, including paper color, ink color, coatings, chemicals and coverage.

Grain

The grain of paper describes the direction, or alignment, of its component fibers. Paper grain is either grain long or grain short. When fibers are patterned parallel to the length of a sheet, the paper is grain long. When fibers run parallel to the width of a sheet, the paper is grain short. Grain direction is a critical factor for print jobs because it directly affects usage — for example, paper strength, flexibility, tack and versatility are all impacted by grain direction.

Weight
The basis weight of paper is calculated as the weight in pounds of one ream, or five hundred sheets. Each main grade of paper has a basic size that is used to determine its basis weight. Remember that paper of equivalent basis weight is not necessarily of equivalent basic size. Smaller sized paper that is thicker can possess a basis weight identical to that of larger, thinner paper. Since paper is sold by the pound, understanding paper weight is imperative to successful cost control programs.

Caliper
The caliper of paper is its thickness. Caliper is measured in thousandths of an inch and referred to as point size. In this system, .001 inch equals one point — and eight-point paper would have a thickness of .008 inch. Do not confuse type point with caliper point. Type point describes the height of a particular font; caliper point describes paper thickness.

Bulk

The bulk of paper denotes its thickness relative to its basis weight. For example, uncalendared paper would have a higher bulk than gloss coated paper. Remember though that paper may be bulkier or thicker than another grade, yet still have the same basis weight.

Size
The size of paper describes its physical dimensions. An 8.5 x 11 sheet is 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches long. Access to specific information concerning the range of paper sizes available for any given printing job is essential to containing costs and ensuring efficient usage.

Quantity
The quantity of paper refers to the number of sheets bought, sold or used. A ream is a standard unit of numerical paper quantity. Paper that is “ream-wrapped” is packaged in a bundle of 500 sheets. Cartons of paper are not defined by exact numerical specifications, but approximate weight. Cartons typically weigh around 150 pounds and are used in practice as a standard unit of sales.

Astro-Dynamic is a full service printing solution, bringing you quality, timeliness and fair prices to help you succeed in your marketing efforts.

Do you know what makes print on paper effective and sustainable?

Did you know the following about print?:

1. Print delivers results
2. Print promotes forests
3. Print drives online sales

If you’d like more information on these topics, www.chooseprint.org is the place to go. It’s an educational campaign aimed at addressing misconceptions about the effectiveness and environmental credentials of print on paper.

On the “Print Delivers Results” section of the site, you can find statistics such as this: “Shoppers across all ages say that print—not digital—sources most influences their store and shopping decisions: 69% of shoppers rely weekly on newspapers, and 67% rely weekly on direct mail for sales and product information.”

On the “Print Promotes Forests” section, you’ll find info like this: “Much paper now comes from sustainable forests. These sustainable forests are essentially “tree farms,” where trees are grown as a crop, just like broccoli or wheat. When these trees are harvested, new stocks are planted.”

And on the “Print Drives Online Sales” section, you’ll find info like this: “Studies show that print advertising drives consumers to online shopping. An iProspect study found that 67% of online searches are driven by offline messages, with 39% of shoppers ultimately making a purchase.” For even more information about how print can drive online business, you are welcome to download our free report on our homepage at www.astro-dynamic.com. It’s titled: “Top 5 Methods to Drive Traffic to Your Website Through Print.”

The new redesigned chooseprint website has just been launched, and it’s jam packed with great information. Check it out at www.chooseprint.org!

Direct Mail With Personalization Beats Online Marketing

If you’re looking for a revenue-generating powerhouse for your business, you’re looking for direct mail. Direct mail campaigns are the Old Faithful of marketing—businesses count on them because they’re dependable and promise a consistent ROI.

You can push direct mail’s ROI from consistent to record-breaking with a focus on personalization. Some online marketers mistakenly think their methods are more personal than direct mail. But thanks to Internet cookies, over-sent emails and Google Ad Words, consumers are turned off and tuning out. Direct mail beats digital marketing tactics in the area of personalization because, to the consumer, it feels more human.

The simplest way to personalize direct mail is using variable printing to address your business’s leads by name. But you can go even further than that.

The key to effective personalized direct mail is to get as much useful information as you can from your customers and prospects. Use sales records, surveys and social media to collect good data about your mail leads.

Now it’s time to personalize your direct mail piece. To craft a message that’s relevant to the prospect without being creepy, you’ve got to use your data carefully. Let’s say, for example, that your jewelry store wants to market diamond engagement rings. You’re working form a list of young people who you assume—or hope, for your business’s sake—are single (and you should know that from your data).

It makes sense to write copy that speaks to a buying audience in the mail piece you will send to males. On the other hand, the mail piece sent to females should feature different photos and copy. Although who will buy and who will receive such a gift varies, catering the message of the direct mail according to gender is a subtle method of personalization.

As this examples shows, the best marketers have to interpret the data and use it in a way that tactfully shows consumers that your business is just what they need. But you don’t have to be selling jewelry to personalize direct mail skillfully and in a non-intrusive way. Think about your audience and how their demographic information may affect their buying habits or business needs.

Work from your recipient data to go beyond names in personalizing your business’s direct mail. When you personalize your direct mail piece with a name, you’re working to catch your prospects’ attention. Go one step further—and one-up online marketers—by letting demographics inform your direct mail piece.

For more information on personalization, visit our Variable Data Printing page.
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