Think of the wasted ad budgets grabbing at the past. So when you are looking to create that money generating list of AdWords for your banner campaign think like a consumer. Think what goes well with your product or service. What does the consumer shop for just before they might need your product or service. What are those words? I am NOT saying to abandon words about your product but think a bit about throwing your net a bit father out. We have the technology to customize our banner ads to what people search for, so we must have the brains to know what the possibilities are that that consumer will NEED or WANT next.

Remember you can FORECAST your marketing dollars or POORcast them in the past.

In business time is everything, so if you are going to utilize India as an outsource make sure to build in two to three times the amount of time into your project’s timeline or be ready to miss important milestones. The only milestone that India really cares about is payment installments. So to be wise,  build your payment installments into a precise iron clad piece mill that will keep your timeline in check and steady on your critical path. Clauses such as must be approved and working to order in your scheduled payment are a must or you will be arguing whether or not they have hit the milestone. Americans (or Yankees as we are called) believe the milestone is not  complete until it is correctly done. On the other hand India has the attitude that it will all be OK in the end and if it resembles what you asked for then they have delivered.

So it comes down to a lot of management and time allocated for proofing on your part if you want to outsource, a few spaghetti spills and you might be losing some of your hair by the end of the project, but you got it cheap. There is something to be said for cheap in a bad economy.

So remember if you want it cheap you will need to spend a lot of time cleaning up the spaghetti stains!

They can enhance color, increase the absorption of the ink on the paper thus speeding up those rush jobs to aid in the drying process and hold the ink in so that with multi handling the ink does not rub off.

It can be applied just after the ink has been applied to the paper (called online) or on a separate machine after the job has been printed (offline)

I am a Matte Varnish lover myself, but have been know to pop some items with a Spot UV.

Types of Varnishes explained:
Gloss Varnishing
This is the most frequently used varnish and I try to stay away from it as it makes a piece look too 1970s but it you are looking for that hey I just waxed the floor look and I can see my own refection, go for it. I think the Satin and Dulls make for a much more rich look.
Gloss varnishes are often used to enhance photographs, as the coating reflects back the light and makes colors appear richer and more vivid.

Matte Varnishing
Matte varnish gives the printed surface a non-glossy, silky smooth look. Sometimes used to ‘soften’ the appearance of a printed image. Small text is easier to read on a surface coated with matte vanish as the coating scatters the light, reducing glare.

Satin Varnishing and Silk Varnishing
This is half way between the I see my reflection (Gloss)  and silky smooth (Matte)

UV All-Over Varnishing
(UV) Ultra Violet Varnishing is a process for achieving an even more pop coating on your printed material. This requires your printer use a special Ultraviolet drying machine. UV coating is like a deluxe version of the non-UV varnishes, with the varnish appearing noticeably richer and more luxurious.

A UV varnish can be applied as either an all-over coating, or as a spot varnish and you guessed it, I love using it a SPOT because let’s face it if everything on the page is coated then nothing stands out. But I have many clients that just adore All-over UV gloss varnish on everything they print. Oh hum, maybe they were deprived of patent leather shoes as a child. You can request All-over matte or satin UV too.

UV Spot Varnish
Spot Varnish is applied to chosen Areas (or spots as the name implies), of a printed piece. It highlights and draws attention to that part of the design. It can provides the additional visual stimulus of having varied textures on a single printed surface. This adds a lot of interest, and can identify the printing as a premium piece of literature in the perception of the reader.

I love to apply a UV gloss spot varnish on top of matt laminated piece. This achieves maximum contrast between the highly reflective shiny UV coating and the light-absorbing matt laminate, and can create a striking first impression. You can even tint your varnish or texturize it.

Textured Spot UV Varnish
Textured spot UV varnish can give some creativity to your piece with a mix of textures on the same printed surface. The tactile properties can make a NFL brochure seem to be printed on the actual ball. The usage is limitless from crocodile, leather, sandpaper and just plain raised. You can Texture spot your client’s logo to give it added dimension.

Tinted Spot UV Varnish
A little varnish mixed with ink makes the ink more scuff-resistant and can add a sheen or dull down the luster of the printed image. Say you have a mirror photo that you add an old photo of your relatives in and are make a Halloween invitation, add some white or grey tint to your Spot varnish an you will get an almost ghostly image. Both of these techniques will yield interesting results depending on the amount of ink relative to varnish. It is always wise to discuss your goals with your printer. Show them actual samples that meet your expectations and take the guess-work out of your job.

Be Spot on on your next print job and Shine!

It’s All About the Little Things
Clients are busy people and anything that makes their lives more difficult, slows down their projects or trips up their days can leave a bad taste in their mouths that just doesn’t go away. Missed deadlines, careless work, or even innocent rework based on imperfect planning can reflect poorly on you and jeopardize your chance of getting ongoing business.
But the coin has two sides – exceptional service, attention to detail and those little touches that show just how professional you really are – they have the exact opposite effect, coloring your clients’ perception in a positive way and making them your biggest fan. Once you’ve captured their hearts, you’ve got them forever. Here are three “little things” that can make all the difference for your freelancing success.

Cover Your Bases (Even The Ones They Never Thought Of)
PROBLEM: How many times have you started on a project thinking you had all the information needed, and then discovered that you had to touch base with the client again and again to get “just one more thing?” Each little check-in is an interruption for your clients, pulling their time and attention away from what matters most – their deadlines. While they may seem to write it off and  sympathize, it still slows the process down. And your reputation keeps getting dusty.
SOLUTION: Every time you have to touch base with a client to get information or decisions that you missed addressing in your planning sessions, make note of it. Take those notes and build a template of questions to ask for the next similar project with them. Soon you will have a detailed checklist that will help you get ALL the information you need as well as all the necessary decisions made up front. Your client will be impressed by how thoroughly you understand the needs of their projects.

Become a Wizard by Anticipating The Next Conversation and Quick Responses
PROBLEM: Your clients’ positive perception of you can live or die based on the speed at which you respond to their emails and phone calls. And while you shouldn’t be a slave to your clients, you know firsthand how much a quick helps you. When your clients know that you’re on top of everything, and you aren’t going to leave them hanging in the dusty cobwebs of email, they’ll feel safe keeping their business with you.
SOLUTION: Set a strict response time and hold yourself to it when a customer contacts you. Make sure you stick to it. And do more than just answer their initial question/concern – look ahead to see if any additional issues might be just over the horizon. What questions might they ask you next, and promptly check in to see if they need more information on anything else. The way to develop this “sixth sense” is to keep track of all your client communications and recognize their patterns. Often one question will lead to another – and if you can do the leading, you not only save them time but also “wow” them with how on top of things you are.

Say What You Mean, And Mean What You Say
PROBLEM: When clients ask you “How long will this take?” it is tempting to give an answer that will make you look like an over-achiever. But that’s a gamble that doesn’t pay off if you can’t deliver. Your clients arrange schedules around your deliverables – and if you’re late, they are late making not only you look bad but your client look bad.
SOLUTION: Learn to become a better estimator by tracking how long your projects really take – not just the work itself, but the interruptions, setbacks and obstacles that happen as well. Over time you’ll develop a powerfully accurate ability to estimate the true timeline of a project, and you’ll be able to confidently give estimates that reflect “real world” conditions. That leaves you with two ways to win – you either make the client happy by delivering on time, or you have fewer setbacks than expected and deliver early. Do this consistently, and your reputation becomes golden.

Clients are prizes and should be awarded to only those who cherish them.

So proofreading is a must in for every document from brochures to emails that might be read by your customers, clients or god forbid your competition who will gleefully hang it on their wall and point it out to anyone who will listen.

On screen read-throughs or trying to spot words that seem awkward just don’t always work. Proofreading is sometimes more important then using a spell checker.

Let’s be honest, misspelled words are defiantly a sign of ignorance and just plain laziness.

There are some types of errors that only become obvious when seen in print. Don’t rely solely on what you see on-screen. Proofreaders’ proofreading marks provide consistency and help to avoid miscommunication. Whether sharing work with others or proofing your own work, proper use of proofreaders’ marks saves time and frustration.

Below are the main proofreaders marks. (click to enlarge)

There’s no need to memorize every one of the dozens of symbols used in proofreading. You’ll become familiar with the most frequently used symbols quickly enough. Keep a chart handy for everything else.

So Prove You’re Not an Idiot and Proof It. Proof It. Proof It.

The Digital Camera
Digital cameras now can record millions of pixels directly to their sensor. There are a lot of point and shoot cameras that look great on the screen but should not be used in high-end photography. When going digital find a photographer with a camera that takes at least 21 mega pixels. Yes you can get away with less but these cameras are almost as good as film.

The cameras of the day that do this are:
the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital SLR camera
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=215&modelid=15710
and my camera of choice
the Nikon D3X which gives you 24 mega pixels
http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/digitalcamera/slr/d3x/index.htm

The Scanner
All scanners are capable of capturing a certain number of pixels per inch (ppi). With high-end scanners you will want a 4000 ppi scanner. Make certain you research the scanner and look for the “optical resolution” and not the “interpolated resolution”. Optical resolution is the pure pixel capture. Interpolated resolution is a manufactured addition of low quality pixel data added by the scanning software.

Understand what you are scanning. Film can contain up to 4000 pieces of “grain per inch” so if you are scanning film you will want to scan at 4000 ppi to grab all the available data. Prints do not contain as much information so scanning above 600 ppi is a waste of time and space. If possible always scan from film, you will get more information.

Here are some of my favorite affordable scanners:
Epson Perfection V700 Photo Scanner
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63056499
Nikon Super CoolScan 9000 ED Film & Slide Scanner
http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/scanner/scoolscan_9000/index.htm

The Inkjet Printer
If you need to make your client a color proof or you are a photographer looking to find a printer to capture the subtle tones in your photos, then put up the money for an Epson.

Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900 printers give you some of the most amazing colors in large format.
http://www.epson.com/proimaging/StylusPro7900_9900.html

But if you are looking for something less expensive and only have the space a desk can afford try out the Epson Stylus Pro
http://www.epson.com/proimaging/StylusPro4880.html

The Web
For screen viewing on the web or in an email the target resolution is 96 ppi at whatever actual viewing size you want the image to be.

Size and Pixels
File size is expressed in MB (megabytes) and there are 4 factors that create this number
• ppi (pixels per inch)
• bits per channel (8 bits/channel or 16 bits/channel) it is always optimal to retouch and edit in 16 bits and then save back to 8 bits)
• dimension (expressed in inches or millimeters)
• number of channels (RGB has 3—red, green and blue; CMYK has 4-Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black; and then Grayscale has 1)

So this means that a 300 ppi, 16-bit 8×10 RGB file = 41.2 megabytes.

So you hate the math of it all?
Then let’s break it down to an easier formula in two different methods. Scan size and camera capture size.

With Scan size relating to output think backwards from your final print size.
If you want an 8 x 10 output open up photoshop and choose File>New which will get you to a dialogue box that works like a calculator. Type in your final print dimensions 8×10 and then choose your resolution (for print you will want 300 dpi (dots per inch), then set your color mode RGB etc. and the BitDepth. The program will give you the ideal target number for scanning. Also if you increase the (ppi) and scan smaller you can still target your file size: for example a 1×1.5 inch file at 2190 ppi, RGB file at 16 bits/Chanel is 41.2 MB. The smaller the dimension scanned the larger the ppi. This means the 1×1.5 inch scan at 2190 ppi when expanded to an 8×10 image in any program the pixels equal 300 per inch which is optimal for printing.

With Digital capture size related to output has many factors: actual megapixel count of the digital camera, physical dimension of the camera’s sensor, as well as acceptable detail and distance of the print being viewed.

Below is a quick guide to camera resolution:
6 Megapixels (your small sensor fixed lens cameras) print size: 13×19.5 (inches)
6 Megapixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 20×30 (inches)
8 Megapixels (your small sensor fixed lens cameras) print size: 16×24 (inches)
8 Megapixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 24×36 (inches)
10 Megapixels (your small sensor fixed lens cameras) print size: 20×30 (inches)
10 Megapixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 27×45 (inches)
13 Megapixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 30×45 (inches)
17 Megapixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 40×60 (inches)
21 Megapixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 55×75 (inches)
24 MegaPixels (your bigger SLR sensor cameras) print size: 70×90 (inches)

Capturing digital images on your camera require you set to Camera RAW or JPEG (best quality). Each camera will have different settings to choose from but you will want to select the best quality on your particular camera.

Important to remember when you are working in a desktop publishing program such as InDesign. Always make your final files to size of your document. Too many times I see designers sending files to print where an image the size of a postage stamp is 5 to 10 times that size. This will make your RIP (Raster Image Processing) drag on, drive your printers mad and sometimes muddle your image. At the same time never make your image too large for the ppi / dpi of the image.

Pixelate your New Years resolution to stay in focus.

Here is a quick guide to building a contract/proposal.

Client’s Name and Address (You need this even if it is your best friend from the 3rd grade or the friendly priest or rabbi from down the street.)
• Name of Client Representative (This could be the person within the company you are working for. So it could be Joe Smith, account executive working for company XYZ.)
• Date
• Designer’s Name and Address (This is you Designer/Writer/ArtDirector whatever title you are giving yourself)
• Name of Project (make the title very descriptive)

Project Description and Specifications:
• Project Goals
• Number of Components (Make this clear so that what you thought was 1 poster or 1 anything does not translate to that plus a multitude of sizes or pieces that the client thinks were part of your oral agreement. Clients tend to think much larger than we hear.)
• Size (Yes size DOES matter. 24″x36″ poster or 234 x 60 Half web banner, etc.)
• Page Count (this is very important if you are doing a newsletter that starts out as a 12 pager and then grows to a 32 pager you really should be compensated, this will cover your need for additional compensation. Same goes for writers, if you plan to write an article that is going to be approximately 3 pages and it turns out to be the encyclopedia, you will need this in writing.)
• Colors (if appropriate)
• Artwork Requirements (including stock or commissioned photography/artwork of any kind)

Third-Party Relationships (such as Service Bureaus, Editorial Services or even Kinkos)

Client Responsibilities (What will the client be providing, such as copy on disk, proofreading, images, etc.. I once ran into a client that promised images of his architectural sites for a business proposal he wanted designed but in the end the client had nothing that they promised so guess who had to find and create them.)

Project Stages, Responsibilities, and Presentations (It is crucial to detail this part out for future negotiations of additional services and costs not anticipated or described.)
• Project stages
• Number of sample pages, layouts, design solutions, etc. included in each design phase (and the outlined fee structure. Most contracts for art directors and graphic designers give the client 3 concepts to choose from and then details out that client will choose one to work out with a certain amount of client revisions (AAs) authorized alterations.).
• Type of presentations included (tight color comps, black and white rough sketches, storyboard, rough cut etc.)
• Number and Complexity of Revisions included within fee structure (Remember clients love to make revisions unless they are paying for them, and when they know they will be paying for them they all of the sudden become much more concise and detailed in their revisions.)
• Deliverables (such as electronic vs camera-ready mechanicals, low- or high-resolution scans, etc.)
• Production Responsibilities (obtaining printing estimates, review of press proofs, on-press supervision, proof-reading etc.)

Usage Rights
(does the client own the project outright? Or do you want to specify any limitations such as type of medium etc. Let’s say you do a concept ad for publication XYZ do you want this project limited to that one publication so that you get a fee for usage in publication ABC? Or do you want to put a time limit on the work? Perhaps you are giving the client the rights for 1 year.)

Project Schedule
(The schedule should include delivery dates for each project stage as well as client approval dates for each stage. If a complete schedule cannot be determined when the estimate/proposal is written, then include any known scheduling information. For example, “The following estimate is based on a nonrush schedule of four weeks.” Never let yourself fall into the trap of having a deadline that forces you to rush due to poor client planning. Remember to include “Rush charges will apply with your standard rush charges explained. The client won’t make you rush if they are paying twice the amount of the estimate unless their wallet can afford it.)

Project Fees (Out-of-Pocket Expenses)
(Include all cost/rates that are not built into the proposal such as color outputs, film etc. Remember taxes. If you deliver electronically you will not need to include state taxes. Don’t get stuck paying Uncle Sam because you didn’t put it in your contract that there will be a charge for state tax.)

Payment Schedule
All amounts due and the date payment is expected. Typically, payments are either made in thirds or adjusted to reflect the project schedule. If you are dealing with a large corporation you will need to know the companies policy. Also, for client revisions,  (AAs) author alterations, and out-of-pocket expenses, include the payment terms such as thirty days. Payments are often due on a particular date or upon delivery (or approval) of certain project phases. The first payment should be due before any work begins on the project.

A well informed client is a happy client. A well documented contract is a creative’s lifeline.

To help you get started here are the mainstays of a good creative brief:

Project Name: (Not a generic name, a name that all your documents can be labeled with to keep you organized.)

Today’s Date: (It is important to put a time frame on everything you start so you can plot your timeline and deadlines.)

Communication Manager: (you can give this a different title if you wish BUT you need to assign accountabilities to have successes.)

Product/Initiative: (The action/purpose. You need to write this down so it is clear and you never lose site of it while forging into the project.)

Project Description: (The general description of the project.)

Strategic Objective: (What does the project support? And how has the product or service been promoted in the past.)

Market Analysis: (SWOT—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.)
• Competitive Market
• Industry Trends
• Product / Service Market History
• Market Potential Barriers

Communication Objectives: (Do you want to generate awareness, change perception, change purchasing behavior, grow market share, etc.)

Target Audience:
• Who is your target audience? (primary and secondary)
• What do they currently believe about the product or service?
• What do you want the customers to believe about the product or service?

Measurement: (How will you measure success — this should tie into the marketing plan such as increase market share, account penetration, number of new leads or sales or even accounts opened.)

Regulatory/Legal Considerations: (keep yourself safe from the beginning don’t build a market around something that will never fly from a regulatory aspect.)

Additional Information: (all the bits and pieces you want to add in such as if you want a specific color scheme or use of a specific theme or even if you want to stay far away from a specific idea.)

Milestones: (Always put in due dates. They will not only motivate you but keep you on track.)

So start dressing up your next project with the underwear it needs to succeed.

Open your ID document or create a new one.
Then choose Window>Output>Preflight
(or for a short cut Command-Option-Shift-F/Ctrl-Alt_Shift-F).
In the panel that opens, select the “ON” checkbox to make certain that the feature is functioning. You can also enable Preflight for “ALL” Documents.

The create a new profile.
Choose “define profiles” which will open a control center.
Click on the + icon, name your new profile click save.
There are 6 sections “General, Links, Color, Images and Objects, Text and Document. Click on the arrow to expand each category for your preflight options. Some of the options offer sub options such as minimum resolution so do a deep dive in this dialog box.

In the Image resolution which is in the “Images and Objects” category you might want to contact your service bureau / printer or publication for their exact resolution needs. Most people  use the following formula: halftone line screen (lpi) x 2.  Also in this category you can activate the Bleed/Trim Hazard checkbox.

Remember to Export your Profile so you can reload it or share it with a colleague. Many people who design for certain publications keep an exported profile named for that publication in a folder on the server. Some nice publications and printers have pre set profiles, call and ask for one. Now your document is a smart document and will help guide you to fix problems before they go to press.

Layers for Text and Art
Not many designers do this but when they do, they not only save time but save on prepress headaches.
Window > Layers (F7)
on the upper right of the dialog box there is an arrow hold down your option key to select New Layer (note that there are other options such as Layer Options which you can assign specifics to each layer) Create one of Text and one for Art.

If you have a reoccurring logo or header you might want to set that up as it’s own separate layer. It is best to layer your text n top of your art unless you are looking for a special effect of text going behind an image.

Transparencies and RGB
PDF/X-4 is great with transparency as long as the printer you’re going to has an Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE) RIP or a RIP with the last version of Level 3 Postscript. Unfortunately the majority of printers are still dealing with Level 2 PS RIPs which don’t understand transparency and can’t deal with it.

Call your printer and ask if their RIP can handle things like transparency and RGB color, you should use PDF/X-1a. PDF/X-1a ensures that transparency is flattened, and converts all colors to CMYK and spot colors.

Creating PDF/X-4 PDF Preset
To create a new PDF Preset, choose
(File > Adobe PDF Presets > Define).
Click on [PDF/X-4:2008],
then click New
Typically, Spreads should NOT be checked, but this depends on the binding method.

RGB Images
Many different applications have the ability to convert images from RGB to CMYK, but the results vary depending on what settings you use and if your images have ICC profiles attached or not. To get the best results when converting from RGB to CMYK, your RGB images need to have an ICC profile attached.

If you have RGB images in your document that you want to convert when Exporting a PDF, then choose Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers) from the Color Conversion pop-up menu. Also choose U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 for the Destination pop-up menu.
Convert to Destination
(Preserve Numbers)
U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2
Click OK to save the PDF Export Preset.

Exporting a PDF using a Preset
Once you have saved your preset, choose it from the File menu
(File > Adobe PDF Presets > PDFX 4 (Marks + Bleed).

Buckle up your next document and Save your Deadline’s Life!

The Sporting Cliche
Athletic men and women crossing the finish line. Jumping up into the air in triumph. Or sometimes if there is a budget, a sport superstar smiling away, ah yes if so-and-so likes this product/service it must be good after all he or she is a “winner”. Sure, the only one winning is the poor actor or sports hero (washed up more than likely looking for a buck) pocketing the residuals or buy out money.

Corn-ball Language
The fluff words: the ‘passion’, ‘innovation’, ‘inspiration’, ‘confidence’ and ‘dynamic’ the more a copywriter uses these words the more lacking passion, innovation, inspiration and confidence the copy has. It is actually non-dynamic. Don’t insult the reader’s intelligence. For instance, by using hyperbole, wornout stock phrases, huffery-puffery that wouldn’t convince a six-year-old.

Too Much Copy and No White Space
Some ads impossible to read without a microscope, the client or copywriter wants to pack in sooo much that no one ever reads it. Think of it like a room, which room feels more luxurious and inviting a clean one or a junk yard that you can barely walk around in?

No Call to Action
Don’t forget the basics. You can have the greatest product or service going, but if you don’t tell your reader where you’re located, how to find you, how to call you, how to e-mail you, how to visit your Web site, how to Fax you, how to recognize you, you haven’t produced an effective ad.

Advertising is all about Sins but some are better left out of our art.