There are three terms that seem to cause more confusion than any other when attempting to explain something to a client: vector files, PMS colors, and ‘allow for bleed.’ When some of these phrases come up it is just like the deer in headlights look. Honestly, words like PMS colors and allow for bleed can strike fear in the heart of somebody caught off during a meeting. While this terminology may seem trivial, it is critical that what the phrase meaning is understood by all parties. The reason for this is simple: when lost in translation, the final product will more than likely not be what you envisioned.
However, when the words are broken down, they lose their intimidation factor and will prove to be invaluable for the future. The trends away from old technology will never stop so being familiar with the meanings will be an asset. In this article we are going to breakdown exactly what vector files and PMS colors are as well as what it means to ‘allow for bleed.’
Vector Files
In order for you to understand what a vector file is, first you have to understand the anti-vector file; the raster file. Now, raster may ring a bell, as it is the most popular term associated with images online. Raster files use many colored pixels or individual building blocks to form a complete image. JPEGs, GIFs and PNGs are all Rasters. The issue with these guys is their inability to be resized clearly because of their fixed number of pixels. You probably notice this issue when attempting to stretch a rastire picture. The image will often be distorted and grainy with an overall lack of quality in the image. While this has been a practice for sometime, the vector file has given other options. In short, Raster images limit what you can do later with your pictures.
The Vector Fileis great because it, on the other hand, allows for more flexibility. The vector file is a cutting edge design, constructed using mathematical formulas rather than individual colored blocks. Vector file types such as EPS, AI and PDF (not all PDFs are vector) are excellent for creating graphics that frequently require resizing. The vector allows you to stretch, shrink or do whatever you want with your image with clarity. The same logo for your shirt can be shrank for your business card without losing any detail. The take away from this is you should start taking a hard look at vector files. It will make your life much easier down the line.
PMS Colours
PMS stands for Pantone Matching System and it plays a critical role in selecting the correct colors for any product, design, or image. The benefit of the PMS colours system is that it has become a largely standardized color reproduction system. By standardizing the colors, manufacturers from anywhere can look at the Pantone system and see that the color is an exact match. There is no guessing involved because it is numbers, not words communicating what you want. By submitting the right PMS Colour you are giving over an exact diagram of what you want.
Allow For Bleed
‘Allow for Bleed’ is a method in printing to ensure that the artwork covers the entire page. Essentially you print your logo at least 1/8 of an inch beyond the edge of the page. By doing so this accounts for any misalignment of the printer or any other small mechanical variations. As a result there is no chance for there to be that thin white border to show up around the outside when it is finished. When it has been allowed to bleed cutting the artwork can be done with greater precision because it is at every corner of the page. There is no border in any area of the artwork you did not want. Allow for bleed means your artwork is completed perfectly at the edges. It allows for a smooth cutting process.
Overall, these terms are not difficult to digest when you know what they mean. Following this article Vector Files, PMS Colours, and what it means to ‘Allow for Bleed’ should be clear. Using the correct terms and files will insure a final product you predicted.
The month of February has arrived, and LOVE is in the air. Just walk into your nearest shopping centre or convenience store and the proof will stare you in the face. Over-sized teddy bears, pink and red hearts, sappy Hallmark cards, and chocolates galore are everywhere. Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and it’s time to show your LOVE and appreciation. It doesn’t matter if you’re single; this isn’t just about romance. If you own a business, you still need to demonstrate your gratitude for others. Read on to discover just how to make clients LOVE you.
Promotional Products
It’s crucial to make your customers fall head-over-heels in LOVE with your service. However, passionate letters won’t get you quite the reaction you’re looking for. In 2016, we discussed the importance of showing your gratitude in order to make your clients happy. There are many ways to show your clients that you’re grateful for their loyalty, and using promotional products is a very effective approach. Everyone loves receiving unexpected gifts in the mail, especially when these items are tailored and personalised. Not only does gift giving make your client feel special, it also sets you apart from your competitors. A client who feels loved is much more likely to recommend you to their friends and family.
Getting your clients to LOVE you requires research and analysis. If you’re not sure what to gift your clients, perhaps you don’t know them well enough. Dig deep into your demographic, discover their wants and needs, and then surpass what they expect. Nowadays, great customer service just isn’t enough. Each client wants to feel important and be addressed personally.
Solution-Based Content
In addition to receiving personalised gifts, people also want readily-accessible information. Sure, there are always search engines like Google and Bing, but why not make your clients’ lives easier by offering your own material? It’s up to you whether you choose to provide data-driven reports, business newsletters, or revelatory blog posts. We highly recommend doing this within your marketing automation. Find out what your clients’ biggest concerns are, and write a detailed article offering effective solutions. Share new trends in their field, and become their go-to source for cutting-edge news and quality service. This will not only make clients LOVE you, it will also increase your engagement and trust. When your clients become successful because of your assistance, everyone wins.
This Valentine’s Day, make your clients LOVE you like it’s your very first encounter. Remind them why they chose you out of the thousands of businesses that offer your service. Skip the roses and LOVE letters, but don’t shy away from gifts altogether. Whether it’s a simple thank you note or a special promotional product, don’t let this holiday go by without recognising your clients. These small actions are sure to make each customer feel the LOVE- and reciprocate as well. There is no time in business for unrequited LOVE.
If you need assistance in selecting the perfect promotional product for your clients, please don’t hesitate to ask! If you are not sure how to provide your clients with information they are seeking, let us know! We at Red Tomato are here to answer your questions and help you become the best version of your company.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Please leave any comments, questions, or additional ideas about how to make clients LOVE you below!
The future is here; we are now able to create our own realities. Therefore, we as marketers need to be on the forefront of integrating our messages into those realities. The two most prominent digital trends of 2017 are branded content and augmented reality. As a result, marketers must successfully combine the two to communicate with a futuristic audience.
Augmented reality combines computer-generated images with the user’s real-world experience, creating a composite view (think Pokemon Go). Virtual reality is a three-dimensional image or environment generated by a computer. As a result, both have exciting marketing potential in the upcoming years. In this article, we’ll be focusing on blending branded content with an augmented reality experience.
While augmented reality is appealing to innovators and creatives alike, it’s also an amazing channel to send your message to your audience. Why? AR creates a memorable and immersive experience for viewers.
AR Smartphone Application
Pantone recently achieved this with their new AR smartphone application. Through the app, users take a picture and can use the “colour picker” feature to reveal to them exactly what shades are in the photo. When using the app can also generate custom colour palettes based on users’ Instagram photos. As a result, Pantone created a successful AR experience for their audience to interact with their brand and portray themselves as a tech-savvy brand.
As we described in our 5 Senses article, customers are more likely to remember your brand and its message when they experience it with more than one sense. Therefore, the same applies to augmented reality. AR is an innovative and trendy channel to make your brand come to life and to deliver your message to your consumer, however in order to make that messaging stick, it needs a tangible partner.
For example, a promotional calendar that combines a branded gift with technology. BIC created a smartphone app that animates a calendar’s images when scanned. This type of promotional merchandise integrates a tangible product with technology to create a full sensory experience; making your messaging memorable beyond a single digital moment.
So how can you begin to integrate an augmented experience into your marketing efforts? A 360-degree video or an augmented reality mobile application is a good start. Just remember, while delivering your message through AR is creative and new, making your messaging stick means creating a mixed experience between virtual and tangible.
No matter which way you look at it, marketing just isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of newspaper ads and radio broadcasts; social media has taken hold of brand marketing. Now we have hashtags, memes, and of course, emojis. If you want to stay in the game- and ahead of the curve- you’ve got to keep up with the latest and greatest. It doesn’t matter if you grew up listening to the Beatles or One Direction. Millennials hold the key to success, and you’d better pay attention. As you will see, using emojis in brand marketing couldn’t be more important.
Emojis are massively growing in popularity. Your grandma may even use a happy face 😀 or a heart ❤️ while texting on her iPhone. Even Facebook has added several emojis to their original thumbs-up button. In this age of technology and information, the meaning of what you write sometimes isn’t obvious. People want to express their emotions and make themselves understood. For this purpose, emojis are perfect. They represent a universal language that won’t get lost in translation.
So, what does this mean in the field of marketing? Can emojis actually help you grow your business? Yes, absolutely. Using emojis in brand marketing is one of the best ways to engage with millennials. Generation Z has grown up surrounded by digital information. By using emojis, you can simply, creatively increase brand recognition and improve communication. Emojis are the Ernest Hemingway of content marketing. One symbol can say more than any tweet’s 140 characters. They are simple, expressive, and don’t waste their time getting their point across.
By inserting emojis into your promotional marketing, you will grab millennials’ short attention spans. The benefit of using emojis in brand marketing isn’t just that you’ll look cool doing it (though you certainly will). They are very mobile-friendly, and since most people are glued to their phones, using them is a wise move. In addition, Google rank favors websites that are mobile-friendly. Adding that smiling cat 🐱 or sushi roll 🍥 emoji to your text could actually make your site pop up more frequently.
Now, before you go crazy writing your entire “About Us” page in stars 🌟 and beer mugs 🍻, do some research. Make sure you understand the meaning of the emoji, but also know who your audience is. While using emojis in brand marketing certainly helps you connect with younger people, not everyone is going to be into the same thing.
Look at your demographic. If you feel that using emojis could help you reach them, begin slowly and do some trial runs. Use one or two emojis to expand on the meaning of your message. Start off by testing the waters on social media. This includes calls to action (CTAs), status updates, and responding to clients’ comments. Once you have mastered your strategy, start using emojis in your newsletters, mobile push notifications, and even on your website.
Overall, emojis help to improve communication and relatability. They add a personal, friendly edge to plain text. They are very likely to engage your followers, increasing likes, shares, and comments. Emojis are considered a language- one that is the fastest growing in history. So, if you want to connect with millennials, you have to learn how to speak their language. With websites creating complete urls with emojis and Apple installing an emoji toolbar, it is certain that this is one trend that will not disappear. Don’t let your brand suffer because you’re afraid to throw in that winky face.
Here at Red Tomato, we’re awfully proud of the Australian made promotional products we offer and the suppliers who produce them. So we thought we’d use Australia day as an excuse to highlight this.
It’s a great time to recognise what exactly we’re doing for our economy and our community when hunting out the Australian made logo. As an Australian owned and run company we ourselves are always looking to support other local businesses in the promotional products industry. By doing so we believe we are forming a basis for growth for our economy. So why not make every day Australia Day and surprise and delight your clients or colleagues with an Australian made promotional product? They’re sure to love it.
Here are 5 reasons why we love Australian made promotional products here at Red Tomato:
1. Get creative – custom products are easy to create from local materials.
By using local materials, we’re able to create custom solutions for your brand with ease. Beautifully embossed stationary or metal work with intricate details is no challenge for our Aussie suppliers.
2. Australian made products have a relatively quick turnaround.
By buying Australian, there’s no waiting for overseas shipments – so your products are delivered in a timely fashion.
3. We’re using local materials, which are often great quality. Think of premium Australian leather products.
Not only are we supporting the Aussie hands that make the products, but also those who take care to produce local leathers, timber, and metals.
4. Supporting local businesses is always a great feeling, and it’s good for our economy.
For every $1 million dollars of manufacturing business in Australia, there is the following flow on effects (australianmade.com.au, 2017)
5. You’ll know your merchandise products have been made with ethical work practices in mind.
Knowing that you’re supporting the high work standards which our Australian government has put in place gives you peace of mind.
What are your favourite Australian made products? Leave us some pictures in the comments section!
