Marketing

The hidden difference in good print.

8 May 2023 Stuart Nimmo

So, you’re about to invest in some print-based marketing to help you achieve some physical touch points with your customers. However, you’re looking at the budget and thinking, well I can save some wedge here… Wrong! For anyone with an ounce of common sense, this article won’t be a shocker. It’s the old adage of what goes in adds up to the net result. It always surprises us, when people want absolute top-notch results, and provide artwork for print from the likes of Canva or Publisher. Ask any good professional, and the answer will come back as a resounding Adobe CS suite, in particular, for page layout Indesign and Illustrator. Let’s unpack why…

Downsides of Canva or Publisher…

• Dubious standards of PDF creation within these applications. Adobe invented PDF and when written to the right standards, no issues with fonts behaving differently, colour spaces (or ICC profiles) which reflect the end result are properly curated into the PDF
• Let’s touch on it, both of the two applications mentioned above, don’t have a fine pedigree with nicely finessed typography. The Adobe CS suite maximises the features within OTF (Open Type Fonts), which provides exceptional tracking information on the spacing between characters and utilises the ligatures properly within the additional characters that exist in OTF fonts. Also remember that Adobe was the creator of Postscript fonts in the first place, so the pedigree is there again.
• Colour management starts well before the creation of a PDF for print. How colour is handled whether it is RGB or CMYK (best for print) or other colour spaces. Adobe has influenced and set standards for colour management since the 1990s at the start of desktop publishing.
• The tools within PDF creation for print within these applications are very limited, again Adobe CS suite makes bleed and trim marks effortless, without any forethought.

So, the other downside of the tale is when someone has all the tools and doesn’t know how to use them. Yes, you can have Adobe CS suite, however, knowing how things work goes a long way.

• Image preparation – finessing the detail, and knowing how you make the right technical tweaks can go a long way from average to stunning. We’ve retouched images which needed detail carefully added back in, getting the tonal balance right, and understanding the limitations of the print process for highlights and shadows. Within recent history, it was known to have specialists for this job to maximise the results from scanned transparencies to produce results which were crisper than sharp and visually said wow on the page.
• Accept that certain items like logos should be vector-based artwork; such as .eps .ai .svg and certain types of .pdf – a vector graphic is a mathematical format which describes key points on the outline and tells where to fill with colour or what stroke width to apply. Why are these great; they scale and remain sharp at whatever size you use them. No raggy edges from bitmap raster-based formats which don’t scale.
• Without sounding old, the art of good typography is dead. Back when I was a junior in graphic design studios, senior designers would issue substantive scorn on poorly tracked, kerned characters in typeset copy. The text should flow and connect with good spacing which aids the reader to enjoy reading said textual copy. Again Adobe CS suite allows this to be handled with ease. (also add in Quark Xpress for anyone still using it!)

Design your page for how it is going to be produced, I was taught about designing for the medium of production. Unfortunately, these days aesthetics override considerations of the HOW. We use to have to consider when designing a brand of communications how they were going to be produced. Silk Screen print was still big in the 1990s for large format billboard advertising, limitations of entry-level small format litho printing were totally different from commercial colour litho, however, the entry cost points also reflected this. Designing to meet these criteria along with the client’s budget and also maximising the result.

We can instantly pull out a piece of artwork, which we know has been artworked up properly (or pukka as we say) – it stands out as effortless, it just works. We can always identify the artwork (even before we’ve looked at the metadata on the file which tells us how it originated) which just has small tell-tale giveaways. We know when we see a file from MS Publisher, colour space will be an issue, the colour will shift from corporate colours in RGB (Microsoft’s default colour space) to CMYK, fonts will look uncomfortable on the page, and yes, we’ve seen horrific things to type from Publisher, with additional strokes to embolden beyond Black or ExtraBold fonts.
Equally, we know that the definitions on PDF files from Canva are dubious, with it struggling to define the Art Box / Bleed Box / Trim Box / Media Box / Crop Box’s within the page description in the PDF file – sorry very technical there. PS Canva isn’t big on colour management either.

So as with anything fine in life, the result you get boils down to the quality of what you put in. I will accept over time perhaps the dreaded Canva might get better, however, initial impressions are very limited. So if you’re specifying for print with good results, think about the how, – how it is created, how it is going produced as a physical item, this will affect some thinking. Equally, don’t ask a web design agency to artwork your print… we don’t get involved in web online stuff, as we are professionals in print. Good artwork/design people for print, have decades of working in the environment and knowing how materials will handle different ink coverages. A good print designer / artworker will make very good suggestions when specifying what paper stocks and finishing processes to enhance the end result to maximise the result in line with the design and artwork.

So, why this blog now, we’ve seen some shockers over the past few weeks, call it therapy, if we don’t walk about it, we’ll just get grumpy. So, if you want stunning print, ask us at the beginning. It’s our trade, we’re not agency wallers pumping it to an internet shed, production is on-site, real live for us – real pukka print.

Maximising your opportunity at Exhibitions and Conferences

22 January 2023 Stuart Nimmo

So, you’re either planning on exhibiting or have booked to exhibit at a conference, expo, showcase or another great event to get you and your business in front of some great prospects.

However, you want to maximise it, make it work, and create a great memory about you and your business with a potential customer base. The challenges are…

The sea of Pull Up Banners all competing to be seen, and nothing breaks the monotony of everyone having the same banners.
How are you making this work with your current marketing?
What are you doing to provoke and create engagement with the audience?

Be different…

Use different visual “tools” to be seen
Think 3-dimensional
Have an activity to engage people
Make giveaways relevant
Use the space you have and remove barriers to engaging with you.

Add to the journey…

Where do you want people to go next within your marketing tools, request a white paper. Become a prospect within your CRM?
If needs be map out a pipeline before the event, during the event and post the event with likely actions to support developing prospects into clients.
How do you create value by connecting with you?

Yes, the Pull Up banner might be the staple go-to small exhibition visual tool. However, the commonality of Pull Up Banners means if you want to be seen, thinking differently will help. Breaking up the monotony will make you think about how you dress your stand to add extra points of interest. Easy wins for dressing a stand include branded tablecloths, runners, Tabletop cut-outs or feature graphics. Or even do something fun and engaging!

If you are looking to be different then a Stretch Printed Cloth display system provides a great refreshing change from the Pull-up banner or the Pop-up System. They have more shapes available and equally, add a different dimension to an exhibition space. It is essential to confirm what space you have beforehand and have a plan of how to use the space. Especially as these do occupy a very different space from just banners.

If you are in a small “booth” style pitch at an exhibition, if you have the height – use it! Feather flags might be associated with the outdoors, if you know you’re in a hall with a high ceiling – make the most of it. Just remember the basics of health and safety, and ensure it is safe.

Connecting your marketing: Ideally exhibiting is part of your marketing plan, which links everything together. Ensure you have a great message to connect with the audience you want to connect with. To make attendance at an Exhibition or Conference successful you do need to put in the leg work beforehand. Have you lined up social media content to back up your presence? Have you invited local customers to informally have a chat? Does exhibiting also present the opportunity to provide introductory offers or other onboarding techniques – how do you plan to communicate this, and provide references to accelerate the journey to conversion?

“People like people like themselves.” Understanding the audience at the event is essential. So much communication is done by non-verbal communication, body language signs and the mirroring of behaviours. Before you even start, you can be putting yourself at a disadvantage, be you, people like people. Therefore, if you don’t attire in a three-piece suit – don’t, if your attire is more casual, ensure it matches your personal brand and the brand of your business. Face it, I am well known for distinctive Hoodies, and bright matching trainers, it’s my signature, create your signature which echoes your business’s brand values. It’s a deliberate approach for us to break down barriers by being easy to approach. Branded apparel and workwear can aid in being seen and being remembered – how often in a networking room is it a sea of grey, blues and blacks? (I’ll assure you I am remembered when networking just for my attire)

Once your vibrant personality has caught someone, or equally, you need an opening line to get to talk to someone, an on-stand activity is a great ice-breaker. From simple lucky dips, wheel of fortune, “Play your cards right”, guess the number of sweets in a jar, having a bit of fun is so important, as it provides the opportunity to get to know people.

Which leads to giveaways, or merchandise. Yes, great idea for providing a brand presence for a while after the event with your prospect. However, thinking about this care is essential; Is it useful? Does it have a lifespan which is responsible? – yes, the green-eco agenda is important. Equally if giving away sweets, or other food items, need to think about allergens. Ensuring that your prospect goes away with something different is the key. If you’re just going to use a standard leaflet, remember when it hits the bag, will it stand out? Using unusual shapes, different folds and finishes will add to the look twice aspect. Of course, ensure your print has a measurable Call To Action on it.

Ultimately, what you put into an event will be what you get out of it. Getting the mix, of publicity, presence, and engagement right will help you maximise your return. Delivering your branded message will reinforce your message – just ensure it has a unique memorable hook and you’ll make some inroads to connecting and building great new business opportunities.

Valentine’s Marketing…

31 December 2022 Stuart Nimmo

Valentines is a great opportunity to increase brand awareness and encourage sales and bookings here are some marketing ideas for every business type…

Whether you view Valentine’s Day as a romantic celebration of love and the perfect opportunity to express your feelings for your other half, or you think it’s a commercial event whereby any sense of meaning is killed by a sense of obligation, it is well and truly rooted in our culture (having been around since the 5th Century), it’s here to stay.

Love it or loathe it, here in the UK we will collectively spend £1.5 billion on Valentine’s Day. So, getting on board with Valentine’s Day marketing should be an opportunity you shouldn’t miss.

Valentine’s Day Promotions help boost your business

We all know that florists are probably the prime candidate for maximising their earnings from this day. However, there are plenty of other opportunities. If you are in hospitality forward planning your romantic valentine’s package is essential to maximising your earnings in this traditionally quiet period. Regardless of the business type, you can exploit this annual celebration like a chocolatier packaging their goodies in suitable red heart-adorned boxes.

Whether you wish to promote a product or service, or both, you can align this to Valentine’s Day theme by simply telling your customers you want to ‘show them a little love this Valentine’s Day’ with an offer on products and/or services.

A passionate approach doesn’t have to be between the customer and their respective other, it can be a nice gesture from you to them, keeping it professional and in line with your business messages.

It’s a great opportunity to promote couples’ packages for your services, whether it’s a couple’s massage, couples gym membership, Personal Trainer package or a 2-4-1 offer on a service you offer.

You might consider posting a small gift voucher to existing clients as a thank-you for their loyalty. Direct Mail marketing is very personal and connects your customer with you in a different way than online marketing. Something like a simple money-off voucher can encourage bookings during quiet winter months. Just make sure you specify if the voucher is to be redeemed by a certain time or whether there is a minimum spend. And remember, customers will almost always spend more than the value of the voucher, so you can see a big profit from a small gesture.

Need ideas for Valentine’s Day marketing?

You may feel that Valentine’s Day is corny to implement into your marketing strategy. However, where there’s a will there’s a way! It doesn’t matter what your business type is, being creative with Valentine’s Day marketing ideas and tweaking them to your business, you can get in on the action and capitalise on the 14th of February. Remember, marketing is about making a connection with your customers on a personal level, making them a mile and engage with you.

So, perhaps you own a dog grooming salon. The love that customers have for their dogs is just as real (and often as strong) as the love we have for our other halves, so why wouldn’t they want to show passion for their pup? Create a fun social media posting asking people to share stories about their pets and their first love, or in the lead up to Valentine’s Day ask your customers to send in pictures of their dogs tying in with a small prize draw for goodies will work as well. Great PR opportunity when they collect.

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day has been all about couples, pairs, and twosomes, so why not promote a buy-one-get-one-free, or buy-one-get-one-half-price offer for that special day of the week? Whether you sell building supplies or candles, an offer like this is super simple to implement and allows you to use Valentine’s Day as a marketing tool.

The loved link is an easy one to make as it’s not just people or pets that steal our hearts. It’s special places, hobbies, our homes and cars, and even food!

So, whether you work in travel or the trades, all you need to do is ask yourself ‘what matters to my customers? What do they love? What is their passion? Once you figure that out, creating a Valentine’s Day marketing campaign that comes from the heart, will be easy!

Need some ideas – see this blog…. https://www.had-print.co.uk/blog/?p=198

Or give us a call for more ideas of how to integrate print into your Valentine’s marketing plan.

Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas for the not-so-romantically attached.

Heart-shaped paraphernalia and romantic declarations of love are not for everyone.

You can still capitalise on the love-lust day by thinking outside the box with Valentine’s Day promotion ideas that celebrate the joy of the individual!

Make your customers indulge in self-care and celebrate the importance of loving the ‘one and only you’ or quote Rupaul “If you can’t love yourself then who can you love?”. So, self-care and self-love are just as important. Whether beauty treatments, new clothes or opportunities for self-improvement, they all fit.

How do I plan a budget for Valentine’s Day Marketing?

Depending upon business type, it can be simple gift voucher printing or, if Valentine’s Day is a holiday your industry tends to significantly benefit from (card/gift shops, hospitality/restaurants or spa/beauty), you may want to go all out with a campaign that takes a little more of your budgets, such as having special menus, small gift packages or stunning POS graphics. The beauty is – it’s an annual event, so carefully planned out their re-use potential is there, so almost future proof!

Now is such an important time for moderation, being flash doesn’t inspire so don’t get carried away, so ensure you consider your budget, and estimated return on investment. Make sure it is relevant events throughout the year.

However, you engage or celebrate Valentine’s Day, whether you agree, disagree, like or dislike it, it presents a good opportunity to engage, and connect with your customers. Showing a little love goes a long way to building effective relationships and brand loyalty. After all, if your competitors are sharing the love, is it time you did?