2013年4月23日星期二

Creating Websites, Brochures and Reports With Microstock

It's no secret that websites, video brochures and reports on their own, with lots of text, can be informative, but still quite boring. After all, part of the skill in bringing a site or written work to life is to engage the reader and to bring the material to life. With so much information already available in numerous formats, it's more relevant than ever to make sure that your material stands out and captures the attention of your reader among all the other possible distractions we all face in everyday life.

To explain this further, I'll use the example of website creation. If you think back to the last text-only website you viewed, with pages and pages of text, you may have found the process of retaining your concentration required much effort. On the other hand, by having pictures or stock images to complement the written material, the experience is totally changed for the better. For starters, the use of high-quality stock images will make all the difference to both the 'feel' of the site, as well as the person's ability to remember and connect with the information. It's true, a picture can tell a story worth a thousand words.

Add to that, the ability to also use stock videos and stock illustrations, you now have even more hard-hitting ammunition to capture the attention and interest of your viewer. It's important to remember that different people learn and retain information in different ways. Some are visual, others are aural and still others enjoy reading. By having the ability to use a variety of stock material, you're able to benefit on multiple levels.

To explain this better, consider you want to include a video and also a picture as a header for your site. It may be very time-consuming to find a photographer, and the creation of videos takes even more time and money. With the amazing quality of material that is now submitted by professional videographers and photographers to microstock sites, you're able to reuse stock images and stock videos, as well as illustrations within pre-defined terms, as per the wording of the license that is attached to each image, video or vector file. If agreed upon, the cost is typically a one-time payment and you have full legal access to use the images as per the license.

This concept has allowed your, otherwise, 'Average Joe' designer to create stunning reports, webs pages and other forms of presentations, completely legally and without fear of fines or other problems down the road. Naturally, it's quite important to fully read and comprehend the licensing terms.

Compare that to the options of preparing a wordy report for the reading public. Statistically, that will leave out around two-thirds of your possible audience, who will benefit from added images and videos.

In addition, it's also helpful to know that you're dealing with a microstock company that will assist you if you have questions or concerns. Support is essential and with quality microstock service and maintenance, you know you're covered. You can ask for assistance or clarification at any time.

One other point to note, when searching for your desired stock image, stock video, or stock vector / illustration, it's very important to have a well categorized search system, to make finding your desired image easier and more time efficient. The database for each item is detailed, so that you can search for specific terms or phrases to find the most suitable result for your application. Everything is also listed in order of popularity, but can be organized to display by other search formats to improve your experience at finding exactly what you need. The ability to see larger versions of images, videos and vectors, prior to purchase, to make certain it's the way you want it to look, is also important.

In some cases, you may see a watermark across the image prior to purchase, but once you have purchased the rights, the water mark will not be present. The reason for this is to protect the rights of the original creator, and protect the investment that you have purchased. The licensing terms are very well presented so that the standard license will suit most applications, but you can select an advanced license to use the material in larger quantities.

2013年4月17日星期三

Why You Need Quality Plastic Card Printing

A small starter or inexperienced company may not be able to provide the level of sophisticated work necessary to give you the exact types of cards that you need. When a company first starts making that jump from brave entrepreneurial startup to small business to large corporation, there are many important details that can be lost in the shuffle. Even the greenest startup knows the importance of china printing out high quality business cards, but what about finding a company to provide all your plastic card printing needs? These cards are critical for a wide variety of functions, and yet to many business owners they become an afterthought while handling other issues that crop up during rapid business growth. However finding the perfect professional provider for your business cards can solve a lot of your needs before they become major headaches.

What Should I Look for from a Plastic Card Printer?

What should you look for when deciding between vendors? This is a question that can vary from one business to another since each will have individual needs. Even companies that attempt to look at their current needs can sometimes make a mistake because they're not taking the time to look at their future printing needs.

In your early days of business, the majority of your plastic card needs might be for simple employee badges or identification cards. But will more advanced security be necessary in the future? Will you be satisfied with a signature strip, or at some point will you also need microchip encoding or holograms? Finding the ideal printer the first time saves a lot of hassle down the line.

What are some things to look at when searching for the best printer?

? Is full colour offered on both sides?

? Are magnetic strips, microchips, and holograms supported?

? What full range of needs will require plastic cards?

These are three major questions worth asking to see what level of plastic card printing you need from your provider. Other questions worth asking involve whether or not you can receive full lamination, what level of custom artwork can you have made, and what the minimum order sizes are.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions

While the machinery and technology used for creating plastic cards may fall into a few main categories, the level of ability one company has compared to another can vary greatly. Don't be afraid to ask questions about the exact type of process used by your plastic card printing company.

Don't be afraid to ask for free samples, either. You may want to compare how the hologram work from one potential provider compares to what another company can show you. You may find that one is definitely better than the other for your specific needs.