 Wide Format Goes Cross Media Up-and-coming technologies like the web, mobile, QR codes, text messaging, and augmented reality are causing print, one of the oldest advertising mediums, to become interactive. Today's marketers are spending billions on out-of-home advertising and point-of-purchase displays because they realize that consumers can now be engaged at the point of interest. Large format can become an integral part of the cross-media mix. Consumers can use their smartphones to interact with signage, QR codes, and augmented reality applications at the very time when they are most likely to buy. It has never been more critical for today's printers to embrace digital technology, the web, data, and the plethora of media channels that are now available. A recent report by InfoTrends discusses the trends that service providers will need to consider to drive success in 2014 and beyond. It considers where the market is headed with cross-media communications, how social media and mobile technologies will affect the printing industry, the role that high-speed inkjet will play, the tools that will be available to streamline workflow, and the vertical markets that will offer the greatest opportunities. If you would like to learn more about this subject, simply contact June Crespo at jcrespo@wsprint.org and we will be pleased to email you an executive summary of the report in PDF form.
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Designing For Digital:
Rich Black Inks
Often in offset lithographic printing, large black objects are printed using what are referred to as rich blacks. A rich black contains all four process inks: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Less frequently it could be a mixture of black and some other ink, usually cyan. Rich black is useful in large solids to produce a "darker" black that prints more evenly on the press sheet than simply using 100% black.
A typical rich black mixture is 100% black, 30% cyan, 20% magenta, and 20% yellow. Rich black is often regarded as a color that is "blacker than black." While this is not accurate from the point of view of color theory, the difference can be seen on the printed sheet.
When using rich black with digital however, the type of digital press must be considered. Some digital presses, because of the characteristics of the toner, actually reproduce better blacks without creating a rich black. Others will reproduce rich black much like an offset press.
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 Boost Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important because according to recent studies, 81% of prospects check out a firm's website before selecting a service provider. Making that initial connection smooth and successful can make all the difference between a lead and a new customer. Lee W. Frederiksen shares the following tips from his Top Website Best-Practices to Boost Your SEO book.
Be User Friendly and Error-Free. Make pages functional and easy to navigate without the frustration of bugs or missing content. A good place to check for site errors is Google Webmaster Tools, under the Crawl Section.
Be Keyword-Aware. Keywords are important but don't overload a page or site with them. Consider the word's difficulty and search volume in relation to your industry niche. Use a keyword difficulty tool (Moz has a very helpful one) to gauge how competitive a keyword is. If it's highly competitive, choose another one and then use it naturally - 2-3 times on a page is a good guideline.
Be Structured Coherently. Pages on your site should be linked in an organized, hierarchical way, helping folks find related, relevant information as smoothly as possible. The result should be a clear, organized sitemap, an essential website element both to the search engines and to your users.
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 WSPA Book of the Month
As your role as a print service provider evolves, take advantage of Kubis's advice, experience, and knowledge about "print-plus" concepts so you can adapt to the new needs of the marketplace and manage all aspects of your clients' programs.
WSPA Member Price: $60.50 Non-Member Price: $82.50 Available at Printing Industries Press Printing Industries Press is proud to offer the widest selection of graphic arts titles in the industry. In addition to technical titles covering every aspect of the printing process, you will find economics, sales and marketing, and human relations information as well. Several types of resources are offered including primers, textbooks, training materials and how-to guides, and various downloadable products. Use the links on the left side of the the store's webpage to navigate through the subject categories and keywords to find what you're looking for.
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 Screening Employees: Better Be Safe Than Sorry
Every person you hire has the potential to be a blessing or a curse to your business. Most people you interview are trying to impress you, and some may not limit themselves to the truth.
Consider the study by American DataBank:[1]
- 30% of employment applications contain false material and information
- 40% of résumé information is misrepresented
- 45% of potential employees have either a criminal record, bad driving record, workers compensation claim history, or bad credit history
- 95% of companies are victims of theft, yet only 10% discover it
- 72% of all negligent hiring suits are lost by employers
- 40% of American drivers have a violation on their driving record and 25% of American drivers don't have insurance at all
- 30% of business failures are caused by employee theft
Negligent hiring lawsuits, theft, and workplace violence are risks you take when you hire a new employee. Sometimes, a bad hire can have devastating financial consequences for a business when that person's actions cause property damage or harm to others-or worse. The good news is that your chance of hiring the right person is greatly increased when you follow professional employment screening practices. Completing a background check is a small price to pay to protect your company.
If you have hiring responsibilities, check out the employment screening services offered through WSPA's insurance partner - Federated Insurance. Federated's Shield NetworkSM program can help you protect your company, your employees, and your customers without breaking your budget. For more information, CLICK HERE.
[1] American DataBank, Employment Statistics.
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Weekly Photo Feature:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Each week E-Connects will share incredible photos on just how lax companies can be when it comes to safety.
The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees.
Drive much?
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Quote For The Week
"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I learn, involve me and I remember."
Benjamin Franklin
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