What's that Lassie? Grampa got lost at Kinkos?

Have you ever felt like Grampa? Trapped at the print shop knowing only one thing - that printing this project is going to cost a lot of money? Well, if Lassie could talk, type, and knew something about printing here’s what she might tell you.

Arf, arf, arf, (English, Lassie in English). Well, in my opinion, for small runs and budget conscious business owners, there are three cost effective ways you can produce your printed promotional material - offset printing, high-speed duplicating, and colour photocopying.

Offset printing is a traditional form of printing requiring printing plates, paper or metal, and is used for one to four colour printing. The larger the run the more cost effective but be prepared for plate preparation and set up charges. The more colours you have the more you’ll have to pay. The minimum run for offset printing is between 500 or 1,000 copies.

High-speed duplicating is a technologically advanced cousin of the photocopier. Producing press-like quality and it is terrific for documents and runs under 300 copies. There are other options that let you place graphics, photos and text without traditional scanning methods. They both have features that can enhance your hardcopy printouts, sharpen photo images, insert covers and customized dividers. Some duplicators can even bind your document!

Colour photocopying is the most cost efficient method for producing small runs of full colour promotional materials. High quality. No plates or preparation required. You can print from a hardcopy or directly from your disk. Perfect for adding colour to black and white documents, reproducing photographs and producing magazine-like quality products. Some nifty features include colour matching, image merging and converting smaller documents, like a business card or flyer, to poster or banner size.

Whatever option you choose make sure you call for quotes. Printing is a highly competitive field so ensure you get the most bark for your bite. Woof!

Learn to drive the marketing bus

Who is driving your marketing efforts?

When it comes to creating marketing materials non-profit organizations run into many roadblocks. First, they must stretch valuable donor funds to cover basic advertising, event promotion or sponsorship recognition but can't appear to be wasting money on their own promotional efforts. Then, they can get trapped in a cycle of in-kind support services, student-based initatives and volunteers. The real work of marketing gets side-stepped in favour of the gifts - and personal bias - that sponsors, students and volunteers bring to the table.

Now as a community-building objective this approach is great. It takes all types of people and talent to produce a good marketing pieces but the website project your student intern designed might not match the looke or messages you send in your sponsorship packages. They need to match and its your job to do it.

So, before handing over the marketing keys to anyone take some time to make a few simple choices and stick to them. Doing so will help to define your brand and give you a professional look and feel to your materials. Here's a few tips:

1. Use only two or three fonts in all your material (one for titles, one for body text and one for special occasions.
2. Decide on a colour palette (primary colours, neons, neutrals, earth tones or pastels).
3. Replicate these choices in all your promotional materials - both print and online.
4. Have one clear key message for each piece that you create (i.e. support us, volunteer with us) so the reader can quickly identify with your need.

These four simple steps will go a long way to helping you create a clean and consistent image for your organization. They will also help you guide those people who donate their time and talents to your so they can do their best work for you.

Sending your files to a printer

Whenever possible, talk to your printer before you begin to design your promotions. Be as clear as possible in describing what you want to do, so together, you can determine the best quality for your job. There may be some production issues you might not be aware of or extra costs you might not have considered.

Schedule your printing due date at least two days before your final deadline. This will allow time for any last minute changes, shipping considerations and plenty of time for production. Plan for mechanical breakdowns and delays. Add an extra day for any binding, folding or laminating that you may be having done. Quality work takes time.

Leave a phone number that you can be reached at 24 hours a day or another contact in the event of an emergency. If your project is time sensitive, like a proposal, you will want your printer to notify you immediately of any problems. Don’t assume they will take any action without your confirmation. Make it easy to find you when the questions arise.

If you are printing directly from a disk make sure your printer can support the software program that you created your promotion in and bring with you the following information:

1. A list of the files you are printing.
2. A list of the fonts that you have used.
3. A list of the software programs used to create your publication.
4. Any changes required to improve the quality

Many print shops offer a wide range of pre-press, consultation and coordination services so make use of them all. Find a printer that meets your requirements, your budget and is willing to work with you to help you make the best choice for your projects.

Six simple rules for evaluating logo designs

To test the effectiveness of your logo design ask yourself these six simple questions:

1. Does it look balanced from all angles, all sides and especially upside down?
2. Does your logo lose definition when photocopying or faxing?
3. If in colour, does your logo look equally attractive in one colour or black and white?
4. How does it look if you reduce and enlarge your logo on a copier?
5. Will your logo fit well with all your promotional needs from letterhead to packaging?
6. If your logo was reduced down to a silhouette, would it still make sense?

By addressing the questions above you'll give your logo the best chance to succeed in a highly visual world.

Finding a good designer

Judging a graphic designer by their portfolio alone may not be enough. The quality that makes a designer right for you does not lie in the glitzy presentation of past achievements but in a willingness to form a successful working relationship with you.

Find someone who relates well to your project, has experience producing your type of promotion and shares your vision of how things should be done. Of course you should ask for references or call past employers to determine your candidates skill level because you will be paying well for their services. That’s why it’s essential to make sure you have the right fit.

If you do not feel secure in choosing a freelance designer or have a project that requires a variety of disciplines then contact an advertising agency that has a reputable team of professionals to meet all your needs.