New Studies Show Facebook a Powerhouse Marketing Tool

I just recently read a very, very interesting article about marketing tools for social media.

I am including a link to show the studies comparing Facebook, Yahoo, Google, etc. It stated that the average time spent on Facebook per person in January was 7 hours.

It also shows an example of fan base for a company's Facebook page and how the study concluded that the number of fans grew the business. I am going to try that next. We need more Fans on the Clinton Press Facebook page. Come check us out!

Here is a link to the interesting article:

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-new-studies-show-facebook-a-marketing-powerhouse/

Problems with Photoshop files

Good Morning,

I know it has been awhile since I have blogged. I have been extremely busy at work these day. We have a new sales lady and tons of work. So today I have a few minutes to finally write.

I want to talk about a file I received a couple of weeks ago. It was a very unique and different pocket folder design that came in. I have never seen one like it. The designer was trying to achieve a 1 color pocket folder design. But the files were in photoshop in cmyk. I had to explain to the designer when doing 1 color it would be best to do a monotone or to draw the design in illustrator to be able to control the shading and gradients and the color better.

The pocket folder had to match in 3 places so it had to be broken down and the designer had to go back and get her to design it in illustrator. That way we could use the one color pms design in 3 spots on the pocket folder so that when it folds up and together, all images overlap and meet and match up in the same place.

So if you want to use a pms color with a line drawn design do it in illustrator it will save you time and frustrations when you send it to your printer. Vector art is always better if it is a drawing and not a photo.

Thanks and have a great day!

HOW TO REMOVE AN IMAGE FROM A PDF

Happy Monday,

Every now and then I get a pdf file that may need something taken off of it. For example, crop marks, color bars or page information. Sometimes we may need to remove some text or an image from the pdf.

If I am lucky I receive a pdf that I can do that to. Here are step by step instructions of how to do this. Some pdfs will work this way and some do not. Just try it out to see if it works for you. It is actually a wonderful tool to have if you need to manipulate a pdf file.

First open your file in Adobe Acrobat Pro I use 9 most will work as long as it is pro versions. Next go to the Tools Tab at the top, scroll down to Advanced Editing and over to Touch up Object Tool. Next hold down the command, option, shift buttons and select the item you wish to remove from the pdf.

You will see a box around that item, now press the delete button, it should disappear from your pdf. This is a great option to use on pdfs for minor changes! Have a great week!

Nikki :-)

Indicias

Good Morning my friends,

Okay we have been completely swamped lately so therefore I am a week or two behind on my blogging. But I am back and want to talk about Indicias today. There are a few regulations when it comes to putting one on your mailing piece or envelopes.

First of all you need to talk to your printer to decide if you will be using their mailing services. If so they will probably put their own Indicia on the mail piece before printing it. But if you already have your own number and Indicia made up just let your printer know.

There are a few different ones depending on how you will mail the printed item.

First Class Mail - Presorted looks like this but of course you would use your own number or the printing company would use theirs: It is 200% of actual size so you can see it better.

The real size is .875 x .875.

Next is the Presorted Standard -Class Mail (This used to be Bulk Rate Mail, but the term bulk could not be used after 2001)

Next and last one we usually use is the Non-Profit Organization Indicia, you must have your own Indicia mailing number for the non-profit company you are with.

So if you have any questions contact your printer or local post office. Thanks and have a great week.

Variable Data

Happy Friday!

Happy Labor Day Weekend also, I hope everyone has a safe one, wherever you may go! I learned something new this morning while working with my variable data program. As you know we have the capabilities to personalize your printed mail and other printed items at Clinton Press.

It really and truly is a wonderful thing to do and a lot of companies are going this route. Only one catch, you have to have a pretty accurate database from Excel to go with it and that is what makes the variable data work.

We ran into a problem trying to figure out how to triplicate names in an Excel Database. Well after one whole day of trying it wasn't working the way it should. (If any of you out there know how to make a name appear 3 times vertically please let me know it would be very helpful in the future). So Clint had the idea of making multiple pages in a document and so after thinking and trying I did just that.

Basically I copied the page into my pdf variable file 3 times. Then I copied and pasted the variable data blocks to each page. Wow, after composing the file it actually made 3 of the same names in a row over and over until it reached the end of the database. Thanks Clint for the idea, it worked! Sometimes 2 or 3 brains are better than 1! Yay!

You are probably wondering why we needed the file triplicated anyway, well we were running variable data on carbon copy collated sheets (pink, white, yellow). The sheets come collated in the color order and we needed to print the same information on pink, white, and yellow sheets.

That way it would stay collated and in the exact order that the customer sent in the database by department and alphabetically.

Contact us if you would be interested in doing some variable data printing, it really is an awesome thing! Have a great weekend!

Nikki McDonald

A Day in the Life of a Prepress Department

I apologize to my people and fans and followers for not posting in a couple of weeks. It has been hectic and crazy busy here in Greensboro at Clinton Press. And that is exactly how we like for it to be, busy.

So I will share a little about what we have been up to. Lots of designing going on these days in prepress. We have a new saleslady and she is doing well, she has brought in a few design jobs. The design jobs take a little longer than our normal jobs sent in by ad agencies or graphic designers or our clients.

We have tons of work all over the plant so therefore some days our prepress department, Kathy and I have to go to other areas of the printing company, mostly bindery. We are very well rounded and experience in most all places of the plant. Kathy is the girl that does everything. She is my partner in prepress, she handles the proof making, plate-making, etc.

On top of all that she answers the phones, writes job jackets does billing, shipping in the shipping department, she is the go to girl for Clint Jackson our boss and owner of Clinton Press. Thank God for Kathy Shelton I don't know where we would be without her.

We have also been trying to find a prepress person to take my place for 6 weeks maternity leave somewhere around December. I am due during that time. We plan to have everything running smoothly, so not to worry. You will still get your jobs on time in the same professional manner and beautiful print quality, as always. Yes we have been busy at Clinton Press! YAY! I will make sure to get back to my regular posting schedule.

Have a great weekend!

Introducing Our New Saleswoman at Clinton Press

Good Morning Everyone!

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our team at Clinton Press.

Her name is Kerri Lindley. She will be a wonderful addition to Clinton Press, we are very excited to have her. Here is a little bit of her background:

Current

• Owner at KCL Creative
• Star Alliance at Broach and Company

Past

• Contract Graphic Designer at SLAM, Inc.
• Graphic Designer at Crago and Company
• Contract Graphic Designer at Genre

Education

• Appalachian State University

Public Profile

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kclcreative

Kerri is a graphic designer and now will be a graphic print specialist with us at Clinton Press. Stop by and meet Kerri today!