Association Media and Publishing and ASAE & The Center co-hosted a lunch and learn session titled “Design on a Dime” last week, including a panel of association professionals moderated by Network Creative Director Jen Smith.
The session covered a number of ideas and insights as to controlling time and money when it comes to design work. A few take-aways:
1. Plan, plan, plan. Use a creative brief or request form to gather all the information you need to begin a project, including budget, business objectives, target audience, schedule and deadlines, design medium, quantity, format.
2. Talk it out. Involve all “stakeholders” from the beginning of a job, including the designer. By bringing the designer into the loop early, she or he will have the right sense for the piece they are creating. Understanding the purpose and goals of the piece is crucial to designing it.
3. Strategize. Try to foresee all uses of a brand’s look and feel, or just know that there may be uses you haven’t thought of yet. A designer needs to know that while they may be starting with a single element, it needs to develop into a larger strategy.
4. Customize artwork. Consider creative ways to make custom artwork: Photograph members or stage props that are specific to your field or industry. When using stock imagery, find ways to personalize the artwork for your audience. This will help you avoid cliche or overdone imagery.
5. Workflow. How ‘final’ is your final copy? Unexpected and multiple rounds of proofing add up. Make sure your copy is as complete and as fully edited as possible before it goes to the design department.
6. Get buy-in early. Don’t wait until the final proof to seek approval from the boss or any other decision-maker. You may end up redoing the piece (and paying for it twice in the process.)
Special thanks to the session panelists: Wendy Bogart, Director of Graphic Design at CASE, Amy Miedema, Senior Director of Communications at American Academy of Audiology, and Rita Zimmerman, Communications Coordinator at American Inns of Court.
Standing: Wendy Bogart, Jen Smith. Seated: Rita Zimmerman, Amy Miedema.
Find more Lunch and Learn sessions from Association Media and Publishing.
March 9, 2010
Association Media and Publishing and ASAE & The Center are co-hosting a lunch and learn session next Wednesday, March 3 from noon to 2 p.m.
Free lunch. Free advice. What could be better?
This session, “Design on a Dime,” is built for association professionals tasked with managing design budgets. Explore ideas and tips for getting the most out of a tight budget or limited time restraints, whether working with an in house design team or an outside firm. This interactive session will get your creative cogs turning to find ways to generate effectively designed material on a tight budget.
Content Leaders are
Wendy Bogart, Director of Graphic Design, CASE
Amy Miedema, Senior Director of Communication, American Academy of Audiology
Rita Zimmerman, Communications Coordinator, American Inns of Court
Moderator: Jen Smith, Creative Director, Network Media Partners
The session is free to AM&P and ASAE members. Register through AM&P or ASAE.
February 25, 2010
How we handle change is key to surviving today’s business climate
The ability to embrace change. It is so important to our success and happiness, yet is not a natural feeling for most of us. We can train ourselves to be more open, even excited, about change. Having a purposeful way of talking and acting that embraces change–and helps others to embrace change–is essential in today’s business world.
A white paper written by Management Concepts delves into this topic. According to Senior Consultant Ken Buch, “We adapt to challenges as our need to thrive and survive arises.” Be proactive: Practice your adaptability skills so when a change occurs, you are ready.
One small step is to start thinking about the possibilities of the future. It is perhaps more natural to think about what is, what we’ve already done, or what didn’t work in the past, but in order to create an “acceptance of transition” we must start thinking and talking about future possibilities. Thinking and talking about future goals and plans often creates powerful action in the present.
They say curiosity killed the cat, but lack of curiosity may kill the desire to embrace change. Do you listen when people talk? Do you want to know what they think and feel? Are you listening objectively, or simply pasting your own ideas onto what you think they are going to say next? Start by giving the speaker your full attention. Easier said than done, but you can learn this vital listening skill with practice. In return, people will respond to your requests with their best energy and accept new ideas more easily because they trust you.
Change brings stress. It is important to notice when consistent high levels of stress have pushed people too far. Emotions may be ruling their words and actions, having thrown rational thought out the window. Maintaining a sense of security and safety is vital to make it though a time of transition successfully.
Bottom line: We must learn to be comfortable in our un-comfort zone, and help others do the same.
–Megan Lebo, Assistant Traffic Manager, Network Media Partners
February 23, 2010
Online proofing has many advantages, but a good production team knows when to go old school with a match print proof
The majority of the printed publications that Network is involved with have moved to a soft proofing process – viewing and approving proofs entirely on screen. We’ve quickly grown to appreciate its many advantages: we can upload final pages to the printer and have proofs ready to view and approve the very same day, and because the proofing system is web-based, users in multiple locations can easily review pages at their convenience. It’s a great example of technology making our jobs easier.
How can we be sure, though, that what we see on screen is what we’ll get in print?
First of all, we’re especially careful to set up our files properly in the first place. Several helpful tools within InDesign, like the Preflight panel and Output Preview, can catch potential problems like unintended overprints or font issues while we’re still in the design stage.
Once the final pages have been uploaded, the soft proofing system has more tools to catch any problems that may have been missed. And because the system is RIP-based, we know that the proof we’re looking at is using the very same data that will be going to the press.
On occasion, it can still be a good idea to ask for an old-fashioned hard copy proof – for instance, if there’s a cover or important feature story that you’re not sure will turn out as intended, it’s helpful to see a hard copy to be sure that the imagery is precisely right.
Ask for a proof when color is key. Depending on your monitor’s calibration, critical color will require a hard match print proof.
Ask for a match print or at least a hard copy proof when working with a new printer or new soft-proofing application.
And finally, consider asking for a proof when working with any new variable that may require tweaking: a new color palette that is critical; any change to your applications or production process that causes concern; or anytime you’ve had trouble with a particular image or file in the past.
–Austin Stahl, Art Manager, Network Media Partners
February 16, 2010
It takes hard work to have a good idea
There’s a lot of talk about creativity this week. This week’s IEI Forum focused intently on Creativity Inc., sparking blogs around the world to post on creativity in the workplace (hello). And this is indeed the time to spark a little creativity, to innovate, to continue to push and try new things…invent new things! Here’s a few quick tips to keep you on your creative toes every day:
1. Experience everything. To formulate new ideas, you need to rely on your memory bank of knowledge. The vaster the better. Literature. Arts and pop culture. Comic book heroes and villains. History. Current and past politico-socio-economic climates. Bird watching. Religion. Lady Gaga. The wider your range, the more prepared you’ll be to solve a problem. (That’s what being creative does, by the way. Creativity is solving a problem in the simplest–and most brilliant–way possible.)
2. Look at the world with “new eyes.” This is an oldie but a goodie, and it takes some practice. You need to view the world as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Writers: Read your words as if you were a first-time reader. Designers: Have a problem with your grid? Back out of it and look at your page a different way. Publishers: The tried and true ways of reaching readers aren’t working…start thinking like a new user.
3. Practice your creativity everywhere. Had a particularly unproductive day? Go home and make an exquisite dinner (don’t follow a recipe or the back of the box). Invest time in a hobby like sewing or scrapbooking, a book club, wood working. Find creativity in everything you do, and soon you’ll find you can’t do a thing without an eye toward being inventive.
4. Take comfort in the idea that all new things have been invented. That seems disheartening but it’s not. The best ideas are the ones that seemingly come out of nowhere but are actually deeply rooted in an idea or a thing that already exists. This is what we call using a schema (a schema is a “mental structure that represents some aspect of the world.”) In other words, your idea is only going to be great if people can put it in context with something else, something they already know about and are familiar with.
5. Don’t throw an idea away. It may not be the right solution for right now, but don’t banish it. Store it away, come back to it later (probably in the shower or while driving) and nurture it. Someday, when that idea grows up to be big and strong, you’ll find the right place for it.
–Jen Smith, Creative Director, Network Media Partners
February 10, 2010
Commonwealth magazine delivers concise, to-the-point information to its readers, the members of Virginia Association of REALTORS®.
The Commonwealth team knows its readers are looking for information quickly and succinctly. To that end, the department pages of the bimonthly member benefit are consistently refined as part of the evolution of the publication’s design. Here, we take a look at two departments, Quick Hits and Legal Lines, before and after the most recent design update:
Quick Hits
Now: Quick Hits is made for short news pieces that keep Virginia Realtors® informed. Each blurb is flagged by category that so that readers can quickly and easily find information important to them. These directional devices also help draw the reader in through a variety of points of entry.
Before:
Legal Lines
Now: Everybody loves Lem. And what’s not to love? Lem Marshall’s Legal Lines are some of the most popular pages of the magazine. This design evolution requires us to treat the Q and A like self-contained blurbs, making the delivery more easily digestible.
Before:
February 3, 2010
Is the fast pace and ease of social media making our interactions in the workplace too informal?
Is social media making us too informal in the workplace? Do you often end an email with “thnx!” or include a casual “LOL”? And so what if you do? Is that wrong?
Professionally and socially, we have become dependent on a variety of electronic forms of communication including texting, email, Twitter and other social media forums. All of which beg for the succinctness that a brief “IMO” or “BTW” allow. But at what point do these quick and easy forms of communication become detrimental when forging business relationships?
There’s no doubt that technology has given us new ways to communicate, not only with a much broader group of friends, colleagues and strangers, but also in a way to make multi-taskers everywhere rejoice. In fact, as you read this, you’re probably also chatting with a coworker, drafting an email to a client, and keeping an eye on your phone’s feeds from Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
The overlap of social media’s social and professional purposes sometimes allows professionalism and politeness to go by the wayside. The more that people rely on electronic forms of communication, the easier it is to forget that a live person is receiving the words we blast into cyberspace.
The intended sincerity of the “thnx” you emailed your client can be misconstrued as an inappropriately casual or terse response. The easy-going “LOL” can be taken to mean you may not take a subject as seriously as you should.
In your daily communications, how often do you use this new media shorthand?
Maybe you’ve developed the kind of relationship with your coworker or client that make your smiley face emoticons a non-issue. We want to know, how did you get to that point? And who made the first move to communiqué filled with winky faces and a spirited helping of exclamation points?
–Katherine Boyce, Sales Associate, Network Media Partners
January 26, 2010
What will this year bring for associations and their partners?
The beginning of 2010 has shown promise in a number of niche markets, showing us that if this trend can continue, the year should be stable for many suppliers as well as for the revenue brought in from their advertising.
This year, associations will need to find new ways to include their suppliers in the conversations they have with members. If the majority of ad revenue has been tied to print in the past, now is the time to build additional communication vehicles that can generate ad revenue. Diversification is key as the media landscape continues to change and evolve.
For many associations now is an ideal time to revisit the sales strategies in place. As the market continues to recover, be sure that you are able to respond quickly.
Think about:
- how products are packaged and marketed to members
- how the right metrics play a role in selling electronic and online products
- how distribution and readership are essential to the value of a product
- how sponsored content, including multi-media, can find an appropriate home within your communications strategy
–Carrie Hartin, Chief Operating Officer, Network Media Partners
Association Professionals: How is the evolution of media affecting you and your advertisers? We want to hear from you.
January 19, 2010
I love the working environment at Network. Egos are checked at the door. 
What do you do?
I manage the Credit/Collection and Traffic departments. On the collection side we work to maximize cash flow while minimizing bad debts. Our goal in Traffic is to maintain the standard of excellence in delivering our products and services that our clients have come to expect.
How do you spend your down time?
Spending time with family and friends is at the top of my list. I also enjoy activities that expose me to new experiences not encountered in my daily routine, such as traveling and reading.
Most challenging or rewarding experience?
I am most proud of the fact that my team and I are successfully protecting our clients’ cash flow during these difficult economic times.
Motto to live by?
Live in the present moment and find the positive in every situation!
How would you describe yourself?
Self-motivated, solution-oriented, and easygoing. I enjoy being around people, sharing ideas and experiences.
January 15, 2010
For leaders, sometimes the path is unknown
There is no more status quo. No more resting on past successes or letting history speak for itself. No more ‘This is how we’ve always done it.’
Change is not just a buzzword. It’s the catch-all we use for trying something new or doing something differently, and whether we succeed or fail, there’s no doubt everyone agrees that change is necessary. In order to survive, a business–or an association–needs to be agile. But what does that really mean? What if your leaders are type-As who exist merely to plan, plan and then plan some more?
In a climate of change, is pure planning really going to get us there?
We think that if you keep your ultimate goals in mind, if you remember what Point B is, then the steps you need to take to get there will get figured out along the way. And the leader who is most likely to get your team to that destination will not rely solely on their plan, on their want for control of the situation, or on their past experiences.
The right leader will try new things and encourage their team to try new things. The right leader will not always know the answer. If you keep your lofty goals in mind, it’s OK not to know. The trick is to try and to figure it out. And hopefully you will figure it out together, so that when you do make it to Point B, your entire organization is stronger for it.
–Jen Smith, Creative Director, Network Media Partners
January 12, 2010
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