Willie Nelson says that music hasn’t changed much in his lifetime. “It’s all music,” Nelson says. “You got so many notes and there’s so many words to throw in there, and you get different people mixing it up different ways. But you put it all together, and that’s music.”

Replace the word music with design. Design is the arranging of elements, just as music is the arrangement of notes. The way music is transferred between people has no doubt changed in Willie’s lifetime (e.g. iPod, MP3s, downloads). But, Willie isn’t trying to be anybody else but Willie Nelson. The way we distribute communications has changed too over the years (e.g. Internet, e-mail, Web sites) but we still read left to right, top to bottom.

Don’t let “the new ways” obstruct the goal of communicating simply with your audience, we’re still using the same notes. Find your company’s own unique voice, don’t worry about reinventing the wheel, communicate effectively and capture your companies own unique identity in the marketplace.

I was recently talking to a client about Web site development and he said a supplier of his insisted that users shouldn’t have to scroll to the information they want on a Web site. His contention was that Web sites that required users to scroll are somehow inferior.

I understand the desire to have relevant information ‘above the fold’—as is the goal when designing printed publications. However, this is unrealistic and unnecessary for Web sites in my opinion. Here’s why:

• Screen resolutions and monitors come in all shapes and sizes. One user may be sporting an 800×600 CRT while another might be rocking a 32-inch LCD with 1280×1024 pixel res. The Web site won’t look the same on both monitors. Don’t get me started on IE, Firefox, Safari, Chrome and various mobile browsers.
• People are used to scrolling. The reason there is a scrollbar on the aforementioned browsers is that people are used to scrolling.
• The Web is for information exchange. I know everyone wants to have the coolest graphics and tight, terse copy on their site. But, you need to deliver a tremendous amount of (well-organized) information on your site for maximum stickiness, especially for SEO.

It’s important to note that some of the biggest brands have Web sites that require scrolling. So, in my opinion, it’s not about building a site that doesn’t make you scroll. It’s about developing a site that makes people want to scroll

What are your thoughts? Oh, and thanks for scrolling  to the bottom of this post. Hope it wasn’t too much trouble.

In part one of this blog I mentioned ways to work with your printer to save costs. Now, I’m going to address ways you can plan ahead on projects to ensure you’re producing pieces in the most cost-effective way.

Be flexible with paper choices. Most printers carry “house” stocks that they purchase in large volumes and keep in stock. By using house papers instead of specifying stocks you can save considerable money. For example, on letterhead you might usually spec Classic Crest but your printer might have a house uncoated text that looks the same—the savings can be substantial based on quantity.

Use conventional sizes. 8.5×11 or 9×12 are the most cost-effective sizes for brochures and folders. Unique sizes may seem fun and interesting, but sometimes they don’t fit on parent sheets, which increases costs.

Group pieces together. Take advantage of opportunities to “gang run” items of the same stock and color. It’s an excellent way to save paper and money.

Smaller quantities? Go digital. Digital printing has come a long way. There are many paper options now that weren’t available a few years ago and, quality has improved dramatically. Digital isn’t great for larger quantities—anything over 1000 pieces—but for small jobs it’s a cost-effective fit!

Do you have tips or money-saving print ideas you can offer?

Have you ever had a corporate meeting moment like this?

My point is that meetings are well, meetings. Many times you’re crammed into a conference room or hotel meeting space for hours at a time wishing you were somewhere, anywhere but right there. As marketers, many times we are not only tasked with executing the dreaded off-site meeting but also with making it engaging, interesting and—gulp—compelling enough to attend in this economy?!

Well there is some good news! With sales down, many hotels and meeting facilities are being forced to think outside-the-box to drum-up off-site meeting business. Imagine walking into a meeting where you are greeted with magic 8® balls on each chair, lucky charms® and pop-tarts® at the breakfast buffet and Twister® for a morning break activity. There are so many cool themes that hotels are offering now as add-ons to traditional meeting packages. Kimpton® hotels have several that I find especially cool. I mean, who wouldn’t want to attend an ‘Elements of Wellness’ or ‘Earthcare’ meeting?

Photo courtesy of Kimpton Hotels

What dynamic meeting add-ons would you love to see at your next off-site meeting?