THE LOGO DESIGN PROFESSIONALS

It's your logo. Take care of it.

BY BRIAN NEFF

It's not uncommon to have a logo. There are good ones out there and there are bad ones too. But what's really uncommon is someone getting the maximum value out of that small piece of art. Here's some advice about your logo:


Keep it Consistent
Take care of it. Guard it. Protect it. While that advice may sound funny, most people, if offered the chance, will alter your logo. Don't believe me? Just look around and see how many great logos get misused.

Speaking of logo abuse, the biggest problem a recent client had was this - everyone in the office wanted to adjust the logo. In fact, they just couldn't leave it alone. Whether it was stretching it or changing colors, everyone wanted to add their personal flair. It didn't take long before a nice, clean logo looked like a collage you once made in elementary school. All along the way, the consistent look that the logo should have had, kept changing to match each individual's tastes. This could confuse your clients and convey instability.

Use Professional Designers
While it's admirable to let your uncle's wife's cousin take a crack at building your website, it might not be very wise - especially if it's not what they do professionally day-in and day-out. Read more...

It is better to be first than it is to be better.

BY AL & LAURA RIES

Marketing is not a battle of products. Marketing is a battle of perceptions. And to win the battle of perceptions you have to become the leader in a category. Prospects assume the leader must be better because "everybody knows the better product or service will win in the marketplace."

How do you become the leader? You launch a new category you can be first in. It doesn't have to be a big technological advance. Sometimes the simple ideas are the easiest to get into the mind. Read more...

Looking for the right printer? Follow these easy tips.

BY PAUL BROWNING

You have many options when it comes to printing, and it really pays to find the right printer. There are a lot of factors that you need to consider: quality, quantity, expertise, and price. There are a number of online options available now, but chances are you are going to want a local printer.

Here are some things you should consider:

• Make sure your job is printed on-site. If you go to a copy shop, your job will likely be sent to an off-site printer. They mark up the price and you pay the extra cost. Plus, if they are sending the printing to someone else, that means they don't have the expertise needed to get the job done right or the equipment there on site to make needed changes if something went wrong.
• Need digital printing? If you need a small amount of printed materials, you need digital printing. For example, if you wanted to print only 100 tri-fold brochures, digital printing would be ideal. In this case you'll want to ask the printer if they have digital printing capability.
• Make sure to check color swatches and see a proof. No good printer will ever run your job without showing you a proof. If this is the first time you are printing something and have had design work done online, it is a good idea to see the actual color swatches that will be used. Adjustments can be made easily at this point.
• Ask for a press-check on large jobs. If you are running a large quantity job, you might want to take the time to go to the printer when they start printing the job and see the first pieces as they Read more...

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