Elixir builds end-to-end solutions that manage the
documents that express your business.
On most Tuesdays, Elixir distributes a tip, idea, or other information that we believe will be useful to you.
The tips vary from document design and application development to hot industry topics and more.
Elixir's Latest Tip!
Proofing your Forms
This last step in the form design process is a critical one. Misspellings in documents are at the very least embarrassing and might affect the validity of a document.
Following are three methods for proofing that can reduce the chance of errors:
- Read the document aloud
We all read in patterns. We often read the first and last part of a word and our brains add in the middle portion. Because of this we can easily miss mistakes, especially those in the center of a word. Have you ever read a sentence that didn't make sense only to re-read it and find it was fine? You probably re-read at a much slower pace allowing you to see the correct word rather than your brain’s interpretation.
- Read backward (and aloud!)
Knowing the context of the words can cause similar problems. This is why people miss errors when proofing their own writing. They know what they MEANT to write so that's what they see. This can be a problem even if the text on the form is simple labels. Start at the bottom right corner and work your way backward. Ouch!
An excellent added benefit to reading aloud is you can hear if the text makes sense. This is especially important for documents that have instructions of some type. Reading those instructions aloud really exposes unclear information.
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Tip Archive
Simple Subheadings Speed Information Entry and Retrieval.
Ever felt frustrated when completing or reading a form because the only instructions provided are the brief text labels in the upper left? If you feel frustration then chances are your customers do too. Here’s something that can help.
Headings and subheadings can go a long way in explaining the type of information that is needed or included in each section of the document.
How does this help?
In the example provided, the reader can easily see that there is a section for Account Information. If they don’t have that information handy they can skip this section and come back later. For those reviewing a completed document, the subheadings help to identify the location of key information quickly.
---------------------------------------- Sometimes it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Using an interesting font can bring as much attention to your message as graphics or color. And just like other special effects, it’s best to use this technique sparingly.Fancy fonts should be used for just a few words --- not the entire message. This keeps the emphasis on the word you want to emphasize and also ensures the remainder of the text is easy to read. In this example the words compete for attention resulting in none really standing out.
Make Transpromo Pass the Test
Integrating transpromo or any type of change in customer communications should be well planned and then refined to meet your goals. The best way to accomplish this is to test your transpromo message on a sub-group of customers and measure the results. Initial return not what you had hoped for? There's always room for improvement and testing and refining your transpromo messages in small bites allows you to make improvements along the way quickly.
Get your targeted messaging to where it needs to be, then roll out transpromo to the wider audience.
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The Document’s Interface
Consistency in document design is important from a few aspects. One is for company branding of course but standards for document layout for information retrieval and entry also has its benefits.
Think about the number of different documents your customers receive and process throughout their relationship with your company. The more documents they receive, the more important it is that those documents are consistent.
Here’s some examples:
Obvious - Font style for body text, subheads, headlines, headers and footers, and captions
Select standards and stick to them whenever possible.
- Font styles for emphasis
Use a standard style to bring emphasis to important information.
- Bullets styles and sizes
Use these consistently as a certain type of bullet can be used to indicate a specific type of information.
- Box style (rounded or squared edges)
These styles can be used to indicate information consistently. Think about how shaded boxes almost always mean "office use only".
- Consistent space allowances for data entry
Always try and give the person enough room to write but beyond that be consistent.
Example: try and avoid having some documents with enough space for that long account number while others don’t allow enough.
Not as Obvious - Leading
Try and use the same leading across documents for a consistent look and readability.
- White Space
Everything from margins to indents should follow some standards.
Think of the layout like a user interface in software. The easier it is to use, the better the results.
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Take a Tip from the Graphics Team Creative use of fonts and typography can be an effective method to bring focus to your message and, because it’s not a graphic, has little affect on production performance.
In today’s example we’re using three font sizes to bring and keep focus on the message.
1. The size of the first letter brings the reader instantly to the text you want them to read.
2. The first line has its own style and size to keep their attention.
3. The rest of the message is shown in a smaller size and if you’ve done a good job with the message itself then the person should still be reading at this point.
Here’s a way to leverage your creative team even more.
QuarkXPress designers can now use an Elixir XTension that allows them to add variable data to their QuarkXPress layouts.
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Presenting Numbers for Easier Interpretation Here’s a pet peeve of mine.
I call my credit card company, utility company or other service for customer support and am asked by the voice recording to type my account number using the phone keypad. I grab my statement and locate my account number which is printed somewhat like this:
034958029502945020519
I start to enter the number and INEVITABLY lose my place and hear “I’m sorry. The account number you entered ….”
Well you get the picture!
This tip suggests we take a lesson from how people read which is in patterns, and apply that to account numbers and any other lengthy codes. You can make the code much easier to decipher by adding a break or hyphen every few characters.
Look at the difference it makes:
034958029502945020519
0349-5802-9502-9450-205-19
One last suggestion: Make the breaks consistent. In the example above, the pattern is in sets of four characters except for the last two. This provides a cadence for the recipient.
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Know All Your Transpromo Opportunities The options for utilizing the transpromo technique go far beyond the monthly statement. A transactional document is simply anything that communicates expected or important information to the recipient. Based on that, think through all the types of documents sent to your customers.
This other category, equally useful in cross-selling and building customer loyalty, includes individual or small-batch documents such as late-fee letters, overdraft notices, and confirmation letters. Some of these are not the most popular envelopes in the mailbox. Nevertheless, these documents can be a way to connect with the customer in a positive way even while they deliver what may be an unpopular message. In both cases:
- The mailing gets opened
- The customer needs the information
- The mailing represents an opportunity to either cross-sell/up-sell or build customer loyalty, depending on the content
So think outside the box for transpromo (especially the 8 1/2 x 11 box!).
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I Blame My Handwriting On Technology! The use of email, texting, and similar forms of communication have wreaked havoc on our ability to actually write readable text --- at least in my case.
I recently tried to complete a form with comb-style data entry but the form did not allow enough space (for me) to enter each character.
Although comb-style is a good method to guide the person completing the form, it's important to provide enough space for them to enter the text needed.
The best way to know if you're allowing enough room is to review a number of completed forms. If the majority of folks need a bit more space then adjust the form design appropriately. > View comb-style data entry...
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Transpromo Deserves a Style All Its Own We all know the importance of consistent layout and style for forms which includes transactional
documents. Most companies have style guides and templates used to ensure that documents are consistent
and one of the primary benefits of consistency is the documents are easier to understand These same guidelines can and should be applied to transpromo. Before you send your first transpromo mailing, consider how you’ll present this valuable information so it’s easy for your readers to find it and to separate it from the transactional data.
Some suggestions:
- Choose a consistent position on the document for the promotional information.
- Select a special font, one that is different than the one used for the transactional
information.
- Offset the promotional area with color, graphics, or other special effects.
Transpromo documents have two important roles. Make them both count!
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Transpromo Documents --- Going Beyond the Usual Suspects There are transactional documents, and there are documents that represent a transaction. The former are the Usual Suspects which are documents getting all the hype such as your monthly bank or mobile phone statement. The second category, equally useful in cross-selling and building customer loyalty, includes individual or small-batch documents such as late-fee letters, overdraft notices, and confirmation letters. Some of these are not the most popular envelopes in the mailbox. Nevertheless, these documents can be a way to connect with the customer in a positive way even while they deliver what may be an unpopular message.
Example Using Overdraft Notices
1. What the bank’s gotta do.
Send customer an overdraft notice : (
2. What some banks also do.
Include a blurb to offer overdraft protection : |
3. But what if the bank also?
Included an offer to waive a portion of the overdraft
fee if the customer opts to add the overdraft protection : )
Option three has turned a negative experience into a positive one.
(Well OK, as positive as you can make it.)
This could significantly boost the number of people who sign up
for overdraft protection and also builds customer loyalty by causing the customer to associate the fee with adding
a service rather than an error on their part.
Now that’s transpromo!
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Required Reading for Required Field Layout
It's a frustrating experience to submit a form only to have it rejected because you left a required field blank.
That goes for printed documents as well as web forms. That's why it's important to clearly mark any required fields on a form.
Here are some common ways to mark required fields:
Use an asterisk* or special character
Make sure to explain the asterisk at the beginning of the form so people don't miss it.
This is a good method since folks are used to seeing an asterisk on web forms to indicate required information.
Group required fields together
If at all possible, arrange the form layout so that all (or most) of the required fields are in the same location.
If this is not possible then try keeping the required fields in the same area within their group
for example position all required fields either at the top or bottom of their respective sections.
Use a distinctive color (but not red!)
Color is great for both print and viewing PDFs online but combine color with some other marker to ensure the
fields are noticed. Color blindness is quite common and not all computer screens show color the same.
What looks like a bright blue on one may not look so bright on another.
Use a bold font for required field names
As with any special effect, use sparingly! If most of the fields are required then you might use a special effect
for those fields that are optional. Otherwise the special effect will be lost in noise.
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Add Personality to All Your Communications Does your company strive to have a specific personality in marketing communications?
There are many great marketing campaigns to point toward such as the
GEICO Gecko which uses humor, or Allstate Insurance which is serious and thoughtful.
Use of personality can really work in a marketing campaign to get new customers but it's just as important to maintain it after customer acquisition. After all, it's part of the reason the customer selected you.
What is your company's personality and how can you help reinforce it? How are you bringing that our in your documents? For example, the GEICO Gecko is very funny and engaging on TV, but what about their communications out to their customers? I would fully expect their statements and other communications to keep up the fun.
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Variable Data Publishing is Green Our industry generates paper – a lot of it. But we also have the tools and resources to be responsible about how we go about it. Here’s a few ideas:
- Use Paper Wisely
Personalization enables shorter, more targeted runs. Shorter runs mean smaller landfills.
- Use Wise Paper
Of course the big no-brainer is to use recycled paper and also paper that can be recycled again.
- Leverage Technology Wisely
Reduced paper consumption is one of the many benefits afforded by online document delivery and access. Speaking of reduced paper, online documents also avoid that little but yet expensive piece of paper in the upper-right corner of the envelope. You’ve seen them! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/postage_stamp
- Partner Wisely
Work with print vendors who have toner bottle recycling programs. Look for vendors who offer waste-free products that are built in waste-free facilities. Xerox recently announced the availability of Xerox High Yield Business Paper, the industry's first mechanical fiber paper optimized for digital printing. The lightweight, affordable paper helps print providers save on shipping costs, while reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing.
- Share the Wisdom
Add a message on your documents explaining that the paper (and processes like personalization) used are environmentally friendly. It puts your company in a positive light with the recipient and also subtly reminds them to do their part.
So remember, variable data publishing can be green, not to mention CMYK and RGB - but that’s another tip for another Tuesday.
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Screaming Sideways We all know that using all bold sounds like shouting if not used carefully.
But have you ever noticed when text is both bold and italic --- that it sounds like screaming sideways? Italics are always problematic since only a few fonts have italic styles, and instead are just slanted to give the illusion of italics (who knew!).
Keep your text readable (and stop screaming!) by limiting the use of italics, especially combined with bold.
And italics + bold + all caps?
DON'T EVEN GO THERE!
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Reducing the Number of Inserts Sent to the Round File Including a separate marketing piece along with monthly statements or bills is a great way to save on postage, but be careful to not confuse the recipient. Confusion only leads to the dreaded round file (otherwise known as the trash can), where up to 75% of inserts land - without being read! Here are some things to consider when combining two distinctly different types of information into one envelope:
- Give each piece its own unique design style and perhaps color. Make it easy for the recipient to distinguish which is the monthly statement or bill (need to file and/or pay) and which is the special offer (act now!). This reduces the chances of something important being discarded, such as a legal document or address change form.
- Consider an insert explaining that your mailings have two types of information and the value* of each one. This is especially helpful for new customers who have not received a mailing from you in the past. Including this information in your welcome package would be ideal.
- Limit the number of marketing or promotion offers. One clear, concise and valuable offer packaged in an easy-to-digest few sentences has the best chance of getting read — and customizing each person’s offer increases your chances of success even more. (Insert blatant plug for Elixir’s Opus product here!)
*Explain the value of your company’s offers. This is an opportunity for you to set customer expectations for future mailings. If they believe there is value then they are more likely to look for it and see it.
---------------------------------------- Use Columns to Segment Information Columns are an easy way to separate different types of information and using them effectively can help your customer quickly focus on the type of information they're looking for.
Wider columns say: The information here is most important, read me first.
Smaller columns say: My information is here if you need it, but don't worry about me initially.
Equal-width columns say: The information is of equal importance (think about the backer on your bank statement or cell phone bill).
Click on the link below to see how columns can be used to present different types of information.
View column width example
---------------------------------------- Give Your Documents the Scan Test Documents compete with your customer's time along with every other type of communication they receive. Designing documents that look easy to read is the first step toward getting the customer to consider taking the time to review your information ahead of others.
Consider reviewing your documents and asking the questions below in order:
1. Can a graphic be used to convey any information?
Look for opportunities where part of your message can be conveyed in a photo, diagram or other graphic representation. Graphics are valuable for two reasons. One, they can reduce the amount of text required on the page. Two, graphics simplify the message. There are hundreds of ways to describe the concept of security in words but when conveyed graphically as a lock and key everybody gets it.
2. Are there any candidates for bulleted lists?
Read through your marketing text and be on the lookout for commas! You may find text that can be formatted into a bulleted list which will make it much easier for customers to scan through.
3. Does the document look busy?
Effective use of white space suggests a document will be easy to read. The best way to get some real estate for white space is to do a thorough job on questions one and two.
One picture may be worth one thousand words --- but even if it saves you 50 it's worth it!
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Made in the Shade! Shading, even very subtle shading, can draw attention to important areas of a document.
The link below displays an example of a bill with the payment slip shaded.
Making the payment portion of the document easier to locate might make the payments come in a bit faster!
---------------------------------------- The Document Has Left the Building When designing a document, you spend a lot of time deciding your requirements from the business side including postal requirements, cost constraints, etc. Here's another thing to add to that list: How will your customer use the document once it's in their hands?
Here are three common scenarios that might change how you look at your document:
Scenario 1
Customer Requirement: I need a copy of this document for my files
Shaded areas over important information are frustrating: copies are never satisfactory. Either the shaded area is visible, and the rest of the document is too light, or the shaded area is completely blacked out and the rest of the document is visible.
Solution: Use boxes with thick borders to feature the information or a very light shade so the document is still copy friendly.
What types of documents? Anything used for expense reports, personal documents such as loan or insurance papers, etc.
Scenario 2
Customer Requirement: I need to hole-punch this document
If margins are too small, your customer cannot hole-punch their document without losing critical information.
Solution: Consider where a typical 3-hole punch (side) or a 2-hole punch (top) might impact the information your customer needs. If important information would be lost, try to move the information - or simply allow for larger margins (easier on the eye!).
What types of documents? Anything that must be saved for tax or reference purposes: loan documents, financial statements, insurance information, utility bills, etc.
Scenario 3
Customer Requirement: My filing cabinets only hold letter-size documents
Trying to fold larger documents can be tricky!
Solution: Add a tick mark at the 11" mark to make it easier for customers to fold to a Letter size. Or...try to reformat for Letter size paper.
What types of documents? Anything that must be saved for tax or reference purposes: loan documents, financial statements, insurance information, utility bills, etc.
It may seem a bit old fashioned to make copies and store paper in this age of electronic documents but many people do. Keep in mind that the customer may be making copies for others such as their tax professional or another family member. In fact, many electronic documents end up being printed and stored along the way too.
Your customers (hopefully) are keeping their important documents in some format. Make it easier for them...they will appreciate it!
---------------------------------------- Benefits of Proofing Documents Onscreen
Many document design packages allow you to preview a document onscreen, either in PDF or a proprietary format. In either case, it's good to utilize this feature to catch design inconsistencies.
When previewing a document, try viewing it at different zoom levels - as you know, a document can look slightly different at 75% than it does at 100%. Since your printer has much higher resolution than your screen, zoom in and make sure that line endings meet, graphics are clear, and all other details are correct. Then, always zoom out to 100% to view the "big picture" to make sure everything fits together.
This is especially important if your document will be seen onscreen and in print - you never know how closely your clients will zoom in to view your document. You don't want your logo looking sloppy at a high or low zoom level!
Performing the "zoom test" can catch problems even before proof printing at a local printer - saving valuable time and contributing to a thorough proofing.
---------------------------------------- Edit, Edit and then Edit Again Your message is certainly not the only one your client reads or sees during their day. Who is going to focus on opening the mail (all of it!), printed or electronic, when the dog is yipping to go outside for a walk?
To get your message into a client's day, you need to be concise.
Make your message brief, make it memorable. Skip the temptation to over-explain (who can afford the postage anyway?). Downsize your mail piece to make it easier to absorb. Edit, edit and then edit again until you are sure that every word and punctuation mark is necessary.
The idea? Your attention-getting message gets opened (and read completely) before they leave the house and they think about your offer while walking the dog.
The goal? They act on your offer when they get home!
---------------------------------------- Personalization Beyond Words
Paper can evoke responses just as surely as the printed message. Here’s a few ways to integrate specialty papers into your mailings.
- Special Treatment for High-End Clientele
Do you have customers who spend a bit more money with your company than others? If so, consider using a higher quality paper for some of their mailings. This distinguishes your printed communications from all others, causing the customer to feel they’re being treated with extra care.
- Testing the Effects of Paper
For cross-selling/up-selling to existing customers, try using a specialty paper on a sub-group and see if the marketing campaign results are different.
- New Customers
For campaigns to prospective customers, try multiple paper types and measure if one provides a better response.
Make sure to get your graphic design team’s input on this one. The combination of personalized messaging with specialty paper can be made even more effective if the overall presentation works together: graphics, color choices (for both paper and ink) as well as the message itself.
---------------------------------------- Effective Marketing: Groundhog Day Approach
Consistency is one of the most important aspects in marketing and should be applied to all the elements of a specific marketing campaign – if not to the overall marketing approach. Here are some key areas for consistency and some examples of companies who practice this approach:
- Layout
The overall presentation/location of information should follow a standard format. This helps your audience find important information quickly.
- The Message
This includes the tone of the message as much as the text itself. Creating a personality for your company through messaging provides one more subtle way that the audience identifies with and differentiates you from your competitors.
- Repeat Distribution
Sending the campaign repeatedly increases the probability of the recipient reading, understanding and acting on the message. Many marketing guidelines recommend three to five mailings for a particular campaign.
Companies that market with consistency:
- Layout: Bed Bath and Beyond
Meticulous attention to consistent layout. Bed Bath and Beyond sends oversized postcards mailed to your home following the same layout each time. Their consistent layout is now a part of their brand. If you’ve not seen their postcards and would like to, you can sign up online at: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Subscribe.asp?order_num=-1&
- Messaging: Washington Mutual Savings Bank
Years ago I noticed that WAMU’s ATM messages were different from any others, in fact they were downright fun. For example, the options for responding to a yes or no question are:
> Sure
> No thanks
If you study WAMU at all (beyond the ATM experience!) you’ll see this conversational approach in most of their messaging. It’s very subtle but sets them apart.
- Repeat Distribution: Close Your Eyes
What is the first company that comes to mind when you think about mailings you receive at home? Chances are that company sends information on regular basis.
The point of all this consistency? To train your audience, of course! Make it easy for them to understand your value proposition and act on the promotion or offer from your company.
---------------------------------------- Auditing Print Runs - Close the Loop It's critical to track documents such as checks through the entire production process from data drop to envelope stuffing. These types of documents are initiated from data and it's important to verify that the production process matches the data used to drive the document formatting. For example, if the data set provides 10,000 customer records of which 8,000 require printing and mailing a check, then it's important to verify how many checks were printed, their individual amounts, and the sum of all checks issued.
Elixir's recommendation is to compare the original data used (what you expected to happen) to a report generated as a result of the production process (what actually happened).
Compare these two reports prior to dropping the documents in the mail to ensure what happened was supposed to happen!
---------------------------------------- Many Documents - Similar Roles Do you have documents that perform similar functions? You might, but may not know.
It may not seem important on the surface, but having more than one document with the same role can mean multiple systems within the company are doing the same work. Perhaps one of the systems is redundant or being used even though a newer one is available.
Duplicate documents can result for a number of reasons, such as:
- Documents needed ASAP: it's often easy to skip the important step of checking to see if there is another document that might do the job or one that can be revised to work for both the new requirements as well as the original requirements.
- Company acquisitions and mergers: in this situation, multiple systems (and of course multiple documents) come together. It's standard and good practice to keep duplicate systems running in parallel for a period of time, but there should be a planned point where the organization standardizes on one system for all associated documents. This helps to ensure that the documents your customers receive contain up-to-date information and carry a consistent corporate brand.
My advice: Keep a library of your documents by function. If you don't have one now, start one. You don't have to record all the documents immediately. Start the list and add document titles and functions as they come up for revision.
Keeping a library of documents and their related functions can be valuable in many ways:
- Saves time: using an existing design requires no development resources
- Easy reference: it is easy to see duplicate documents or documents that could be merged
- Consistent branding: the library makes inconsistencies glaringly obvious
---------------------------------------- Document Consolidation through Conditional Logic Documents that perform similar functions present a good opportunity to reduce the number of documents in your organization.
In previous weeks I've suggested keeping a library of your documents by function. Once you've done that you can flag documents with similar roles and create a single master document design/template.
Elements that are common to the documents are set to static (for example the location of the corporate logo); elements that are unique to each document are handled using conditional logic.
Multiple documents from one document design!
---------------------------------------- A Little Healthy Competition Every document your customer receives competes for their attention - and if you've been to the mailbox lately, you know there's a lot of competition out there.
There are many ways to make a document stand out. My suggestion is to not start with bright colors and smart graphics, but instead figure out the basics of what's working and what's not. This couldn't be easier. Collect mailings of all types (statements, letters, coupons, etc.) until you have 20 to 30 total. Don't look at the mailings during this time. Just drop them in a bag until you've gathered them all.
Dump the entire collection onto your desk (or the dining room table!) and quickly sort them into a few piles based on your initial reaction:
1. Not interested in opening
2. Somewhat interested in opening
3. Very interested in opening
4. Must open or keep (such as a bank statement)
Now review the four piles and take notes as to why each document ended up where it did. For example:
1. Obvious junk mail, don't need the product or service, already have this product
2. Product, service or offer might be valuable to me, save and open later
3. I am currently looking to buy this type of product or need this service
4. I need to keep/file this document
Open the mailings and go through the same exercise, this time measuring readability, ease of use, and the overall message.
This process can provide some useful insight on which documents get noticed and why. Use what you learn to make the documents you design more effective.
Consistency = Comprehension
Having a consistent document layout is one of those subtle elements that promotes your company's brand. Document design style guides provide general guidelines on logo use, location of the company address and URL, font types and sizes, and much more.
There is an added benefit to consistent design: if your customers receive more than one type of document from you, the consistency provided by a style guide can make your documents easier to understand. Think about the following:
- Location of Important Information
If at all possible, keep information such as contact phone numbers, support website URLs, etc. in the same location on all documents.
- Location of Similar Data
If you send different documents that all contain similar information, i.e. the customer's account number, position that information in the same location on all documents. Making it easy to locate means that customers are more likely to copy it correctly onto other really important documents --- like their payment check!
- Document Process
Many documents have a process such as tearing off a payment remittance and mailing back. Make that process the same for as many documents as possible. Are all your payment remittance forms formatted the same? They're not if you have some payment stubs that tear off at the top and others that tear off at the bottom.
---------------------------------------- The Beauty of the Double Postcard With postage going up (again), you may be looking at different strategies for reaching customers. An often-overlooked mailing option is the double postcard. Simple, yet, effective, the double postcard gives you space to present your message, and also allows room for a return postcard - should you want a specific response.
Some instances where double postcards are optimal:
- Surveys: customers can return responses (and the limited space for the survey may ensure more surveys are returned)
- Announcements: promote new products and services, interested customers can request more information
- Subscription renewals: renew and bill checkboxes allow customers to decide quickly and respond easily
More Benefits to Postcard Mailings:
- Savings that can be passed onto your customer: postcards are less expensive to produce and less expensive to mail. Why not set your company apart and invest that savings into paying the return postage? You're more likely to get a reply.
- No pesky envelope to open: the fewer steps you can put between the customer and your message the better. With postcards the message is visible immediately.
---------------------------------------- Put Yourself on the Mailing List One simple yet extremely important test in a document's life cycle is checking to see what shape the document is in once it reaches the recipient. The envelopes and postcards always look great leaving the mailroom but how well they fare on the journey through postal sorting, postage canceling and the like is the true test. I suggest mailing several documents to yourself to a variety of addresses. This increases the chance that each document will take a slightly different path.
Here are some indications that the document production needs some changes:
- smeared ink
This can occur as the document is processed through postal equipment and can be remedied by choosing a different paper stock.
- postal tape obscures your printed message
One exception processing method the Post Office uses is to affix a barcode label to the mailing piece if the printed barcode cannot be read by the equipment. The placement of the label may end up covering part of the document's message. I suggest modifying your document design layout to allow for this.
---------------------------------------- *Maximizing Printer Performance - Logos You and your graphics department most likely have a variety of logo sizes allowing branding across all company materials including correspondence documents and marketing materials. Because they're used so often, logos (and other repeat graphics) are an ideal place to start when thinking about maximizing printer performance.
Here are some considerations:
- Limit your options
It's tempting to use the largest logo possible on a document but restricting your selection to just a few different logo sizes can be more efficient. Fewer images (cached, local on the printer, or otherwise) means the printer has less to think about during processing.
- Cache is king
Cache images whenever possible.
- One size does not fit all
Sure some applications and printers can auto scale but that takes time too. If possible get individual logo files in the approved sizes. This can speed things up a bit.
---------------------------------------- Regression Testing for Print Output Regression testing, for those who may not be familiar with the term, is the process of rerunning data from previous production or test cycles through the modified application programs and comparing the output to make sure that the changes worked. With printed output this almost always involves printing seemingly duplicate piles of paper output, sitting down in front of the two piles and comparing the old to the new.
There were some early methods such as "Tape Compare" when line mode print output was the norm. This process would compare two tape files (one containing the old print file and the other containing the new print file) and it would highlight any differences. This utility was of limited use, so most of the time we sat down with two piles of paper and eyeballed them.
With the advent of page printing protocols, including Xerox Metacode & AFP, which support the inclusion of electronic forms as well as graphics, a simple data comparison became next to useless as many of the changes being made were in these "non-data" entities within the print file that wouldn't show up in a data comparison utility.
As such, until recently, the onus for verifying the content and format of printed output has fallen on the human eye. As we all know, eyeballing two large stacks of documents is not only time consuming but leads to eye strain and eventually to a flippant and often careless attitude toward the comparison. Often, one of the biggest mistakes made during this type of comparison is in using the developers themselves to make the comparison. They'll look at the output and see what they expect to see and often miss small discrepancies that would be easily noticed by an independent user.
The challenges noted have led many to ask over the years, "How can we improve on the eyeball methodology?"
The short answer is technology but there are some options depending on the volumes and types of files that need to be compared and the level of detail the comparison needs to indicate.
The programs developed specifically for the production print market can compare a wide range of file formats and allow users to establish business rules so that some decisions are handled automatically. This facilitates even the strictest set of Change Procedures while supporting the fast turnaround required in a production print environment.
The above tip is based on an article from COPI titled Age Old Problem - Regression Testing of Print Output
---------------------------------------- Images and Printer Performance - Having it all!
Images and printers sometimes don't get along but here are a few tricks that might help.
1. Avoid using full page images
A full 8.5 x 11, 32 bit image can be over 100 MB
2. Crop images as tightly as possible
- White space is data
- Don't rely on the printer's clipping features
Try to avoid using your printer's image clipping feature by trimming your images to fit when designing your application. Image clipping costs processing time because the printer or server has to calculate the areas to clip, and this processing can slow down the delivery of the page image to the print engine.
3. Use an image resolution that matches the printer
- Scaling up from a smaller dpi can result in poor quality images
- Resampling takes time
4. Use images at the size they will be printed
Resizing takes time
---------------------------------------- Printer Performance - Handling Fonts Today's design trends allow the mix of a greater variety of typefaces on a page and the possibility of more fonts presents challenges for print performance. Here's a few suggestions that can help optimize the print process so you can enjoy richer document designs.
- When preparing typeface-heavy pages for high speed printing, keep in mind that the more fonts you use in a document, the greater the potential to slow a printer down from its rated speed. Careful planning and tracking of fonts can help avoid printing delays.
- Fonts must be captured and loaded into printer memory. Use of a large number of fonts can fill up available memory and trigger swapping of fonts in and out of memory as they're needed.
- Try to be somewhat consistent in the use of fonts across pages. The application will print faster if a particular font is loaded to memory and then kept there because it is used on many pages. Switching the list of fonts used from page to page can cause fonts to be continually loaded and unloaded from memory, slowing the assembly of the pages.
---------------------------------------- Printer Performance - Handling Resources Images and printers sometimes don't get along but here are a few tricks that might help.
- Use images carefully
Images can add a lot to a document, but using too many images can slow the printer down.
The lesson here is remember that images can affect print speeds so use them wisely throughout your documents.
By benchmarking your printing production processes, you may also be able to calculate the largest number of images you can include on a document, and still keep your printer running at rated speed. This capacity varies between printer models, and between printers from different vendors.
- Resource location
Another thing that can affect printer speed is where the resources (forms, fonts, images) reside at print time. Embedding all resources in the job for example, could affect print speeds. An alternative is to leave as many resources on the printer as possible so they may be referenced with each print job that uses those resources.
Note: This can cut both ways. Sometimes embedding the resources can increase print speeds. Transmission time may be a little slower, but some print technologies cache the embedded resources, making them accessible faster. Again benchmarking the performance and capabilities of your printers is the key.
---------------------------------------- Type Styles for Addressing Some type faces have serifs, which are short lines that decorate the ends of letter strokes. Because type faces that have no serifs (called "sans serif" faces) are more easily read by MLOCRs, these styles are recommended for printing the delivery address.
As a rule, do not use fonts defined as bold, extended, or condensed. Also, do not use italic, highly stylized, or script-like fonts.
Recommended: Sans serif fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Verdana
Not recommended: Serif fonts such as Times Roman, Garamond
Script fonts including Lucinda Calligraphy
Condensed fonts like Gil Sans MT Condensed
(even though this is a sans serif font you should choose the non-condensed version)
---------------------------------------- Getting the Most from Your Old Printer Spool File With today's tough regulatory environment and new connections between document composition and records retention systems, HVTO (high-value transaction output) managers increasingly find themselves bridging IT and records management departments.
HVTO often adds millions of new documents per month to the pile of files that a company must retain for years to come. In the past, a printer spool would drive both a non-impact printer and a microfiche burner. Today, the same printer spool file that is generated by a legacy program can be used to deliver documents--simultaneously--on paper, in email, and to a permanent, secure archive. The archive can be made available, if desired, to customer-service representatives immediately, long before the printed statement shows up in a customer's mailbox. Documents in the archive can be immediately mined for valuable marketing, trend, and other information and patterns.
You can increase the value of your department to your company by building bridges to records management, and then letting your COO and marketing team know how much more power they can summon. And without the need to revamp those complex, troublesome legacy print spool generators!
---------------------------------------- Present your idea multiple times This tip is especially for documents that require action, contain important messages or information and for marketing communications. The point is to repeat the theme throughout the document to reinforce the message. I know you've heard this one before but it really drives home the point:
1. Tell them what you're going to tell them
2. Tell them
3. Tell them what you told them
In practice you can use this guideline as follows:
Applying the guideline to traditional customer or internal documents:
1. Tell them what you're going to tell them
This is handled in the heading/title of the form. Making the title as descriptive as possible tells the recipient what to expect. As an example, if the document is for small business loans then think about the following options for the form title:
- Application (too vague)
- Loan Application (slightly better)
- Business Loan Application (closer still)
- Small Business Loan Application (perfect!)
2. Tell them
Handle this throughout the body of the form with consistent use of verbiage. For the Small Business Loan Application consider the following:
-- Applicant
Always use this text when referring to any information you need from or about this person. For example:
-- Applicant's Name (not simply Name)
-- Applicant's Social Security Number (not simply Social Security Number)
This reduces possible mistakes, especially in the case where there are multiple people listed (such as a Co-Signer or Secondary Applicant).
3. Tell them what you told them
Usually handled at the end of the form completion process, this information would be contained in a summary of the form's purpose. This could include what the next steps will be, or how the information will be used. Example: "Thank you for applying with XYZ bank for a small business loan. We will process your application within three business days."
See the tip below on how to apply this rule to marketing communications.
Present your idea multiple times, second installment
Our previous tip introduced the value of repeating your message throughout a document as a way to strengthen the reader's understanding of what needs to be done. In that tip the focus was on repeating the theme throughout a functional document such as one being used for data collection.
Remember?
1. Tell them what you're going to tell them
2. Tell them
3. Tell them what you told them
This week the focus is on marketing messages. It's the same concept but with a twist on the result which is getting the customer to respond to your promotion.
In practice you can use this guideline as follows:
Applying the guideline to a marketing communication:
1. Tell them what you're going to tell them
This is the "attention getter". Describe the offer in as few words as possible and position text as prominently as possible using color, large type, and special effects such as graphics. This draws the reader into the body of the message (element 2).
a. 20% discount for family and friends
b. Good student discount for young drivers
c. Preferred loan rates for our best customers
2. Tell them
Handle this in the body of the offer. Fill in the details about the offer so the customer thoroughly understands the offer and can act on the offer.
a. 20% discount for family and friends
Explain what is required for the shopper to receive this special discount and any
special rules that apply.
b. Good student discount for young drivers
Define what a "good student" is so the customer knows what they need to do to
qualify.
c. Preferred loan rates for our best customers
What are the rates and who gets 'em?
3. Tell them what you told them
This is the "call to action" part of the message where you add a sense of urgency.
One very effective way to use this third element is by stating the length of the promotion.
---------------------------------------- The Numbers Game Many communications contain numbers in one form or another, but numbers get lost in paragraph text almost one hundred percent of the time. Here are some ideas that can improve the impact of your numbers by 100%:
Good: Present the number numerically like I did above using 100% instead of one hundred percent.
Better: Pull out the number into a quotation, "95% of our customers rate us as the best hospital in the area."
Even Better: Add bold, color or both, "95% of our customers rate us as the best hospital in the area."
Best: Use a graphic (such as a pie chart) that runs a comparison
http://www.elixir.com/tip_images/elixir_tip_053006_image_e.htm
My Good to Best scale is only an example. You'll need to decide which idea works best given the context of how you're using the number.
In any case, try to make numbers as meaningful as possible - don't lose them in the text!
---------------------------------------- Don't Get Short With People! Tip thanks to: Dan Peter Begich, Republic Indemnity
Using abbreviations may seem like a good idea when you're trying to save space on a form design but use them carefully and sparingly. Unless the abbreviation is extremely common, you may leave the reader confused as to what they need to do. Here are some guidelines to using abbreviated text:
- The first rule is to abbreviate only when you must. Fully spell out words whenever possible. Please read the remaining suggestions with rule number one in mind!
- Use abbreviations consistently.
No. and # are both abbreviations for the word number. Use only one of these throughout the form.
- If you must abbreviate then do so for every occurrence of the word.
- Find a shorter word that means the same thing. Use this replacement word throughout the form instead of the original word.
- If the word you're using does not have a common abbreviation, find a similar word that does. The word business does not have a standard abbreviation but organization (org) and company (co) do.
- Use a legend for any abbreviations and position the legend so the person sees it before they start filling out the form.
- The Postal Service has a standard set of address abbreviations that lists how people commonly abbreviate and then what the Postal Service uses as a standard abbreviation. An example, people often abbreviate FREEWAY as FRWY, but the standard abbreviation used by the Postal Service is FWY.
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.html#suffix
- Finally, stay away from buzzwords and jargon.
Did you know that there is no abbreviation for the word abbreviate?
Isn't that like saying "Do as I say, not as I do?"
---------------------------------------- I Missed a Field?!? It's a frustrating experience to submit a form only to have it rejected because you left a required field blank. That goes for printed documents as well as web forms.
That's why it's important to clearly mark any required fields on a form.
Here are some common ways to mark required fields:
- Use an asterisk or special character
Make sure to explain the asterisk at the beginning of the form so people don't miss it.
- Use a distinctive color
Combine color with some other marker, since users could be viewing your form on a monochrome display, and some may be color-blind.
- Use a bold font for required field names
- Use a bold box around required information
This is especially useful for printed documents as the shaded border does not cover any of the data entered into the field, and is especially valuable if people will be making copies of the completed document. Using bold elements clearly calls attention without obscuring required information.
---------------------------------------- Add a Proof Reader to your Staff --- No Charge! Last week's tip suggested options for proofing that involved human intervention including reading aloud. This week's tip,
submitted by Dan Guinan of St. Paul Travelers, throws some technology into the mix allowing you to check spelling without having to say a thing.
Tip thanks to: Dan Guinan, St. Paul Travelers
We create a PDF version of the proof and let the machine read the text aloud while following along with
the original copy. Since we're proofing the work of others, we also recommend this method to the original
authors to provide another checkpoint for spelling, grammar and readability. For insurance wording this is an awesome technique as we have some very long and laborious documents to proof read.
---------------------------------------- Proofing your Forms This last step in the form design process is a critical one. Misspellings in documents are at the very least embarrassing and might affect the validity of a document depending on its type.
Following are three methods for proofing that can reduce the chance of errors:
- Read the document aloud
We all read in patterns. We often read the first and last part of a word and our brains add in the middle portion. Because of this we can easily miss mistakes, especially those in the center of a word. For example, if there's a transposition or a missing letter, your brain might not automatically catch it. Have you ever read a sentence that didn't make sense only to re-read it and find it was fine? You probably re-read at a much slower pace which allowed you to see the correct word rather than what your brain interpreted the word to be. This problem is minimized by reading aloud.
Additional advice to make reading aloud effective: read slowly and pronounce each syllable carefully.
- Read backward (and aloud!)
Knowing the context of the words can cause similar problems. This is why people miss errors when proofing their own writing. They know what they MEANT to write so that's what they see. This can be a problem even if the text on the form is simple labels. Start at the bottom right corner and work your way backward.
An excellent added benefit to proofing aloud is you can hear if the text makes sense. This is especially important for documents that have instructions of some type. Reading those instructions aloud really exposes unclear information.
- Make sure you run spell check after any correction
Always run spell check again just to make sure you didn't make any mistakes during the proofing process.
---------------------------------------- Preparing Signatures for Scanning Here are a few tips to ensure the signature is scanned at the best quality for use in your documents.
Signature Quality
Original quality: Create the signature using a black pen. The thickness of the line width depends on how the customer wants the signature to print.
Size: Using the signature across multiple forms
Using the same signature in different forms often means it will be used in different sizes. If this is the case, ask the customer to create the original signature in the largest size that will be used. You may have to provide them with samples of the various forms that may be used. Use an image editor (Adobe Photoshop, Elixir DesignPro Tools, etc.) to scale the image down to smaller sizes as needed.
Scaling up to a larger image of course causes quality reduction unless a vector graphic is used such as EPS.
Size: Using the signature for one form
If the signature will be used on only one document, ask the customer to provide the signature in the exact size that is needed. Again, they may need a sample of the finished document as a guide.
There is safety in numbers
Request at least three samples from the customer, all on the same type of paper. This allows you a choice of signatures and gives you back-up originals in case of a coffee spill!
Ask the customer to use white paper with a high contrast, preferably a non-reflective paper such as a matte finish. Again, it may he helpful for you to provide the customer with suitable paper samples.
---------------------------------------- Signature Scanning Zoom and resolution
For best results set the zoom factor to 100% and set the resolution to the same DPI as the final printed document (such as 300 DPI.)
This combination will produce a scanned image exactly as it will print on paper.
Final touches
Once you've created the final AFP page segment, Xerox IMG or other image format in the ideal resolution, check the image size (width and height) to make sure it's the correct size for the document.
Security
Ask the customer if they want the original signatures returned or shredded.
---------------------------------------- Be a Hero to Your Customer Service Group Your expertise in getting a document designed and out the door is an important first step in your company's communication with customers. But did you know that you can play an important part in the next stage, when the document is in the hands of the customer?
Yup, here's how.
Most customers calling your customer service department about their statement, invoice, etc., are calling with the same questions.
Remember the 80/20 rule? It applies here.
80% of the service calls relate to only 20% of the content of the documents, in other words, the questions relate to just a few fields on each document. For example, a majority of calls may be in regard to a particular type of charge on the bill, and when the customer calls, you can bet they have the document in hand as a reference.
All it takes is a quick meeting with your Customer Service group to find out what types of questions customers typically have. If the problems are related to finding information on the document, you can make design changes that make the document easier to understand and thereby reduce calls to Customer Service.
---------------------------------------- Measure Twice, Design Once Last week's tip focused on your Customer Service group, the phone calls they receive about documents such as statements, bills, etc., and how you can improve a document with a simple design change.
This week's tip is a refinement on that idea.
Once you've modified the document, it's a good idea to measure if the change has improved the process. That means working with Customer Service to:
- measure the number of calls coming in on a particular issue
- make design changes to the document to address the issue making the document easier to understand
- track the customer phone calls for a period of time (a month or two) and see if the design change has decreased phone calls or questions regarding that specific issue
If the number of calls regarding that particular problem have increased, then try a different design approach.
If the number of calls reduced, congratulations!
---------------------------------------- Benefits of Documenting your Forms and Overlays (Printer Resources) Xerox forms and AFP overlays are important printer resources in many production environments, and companies can easily have thousands to manage.
Forms and overlays are designed for use with specific documents (think insurance or banking here), and keeping track of the "resource-to-document" relationship is critical. Some key information to track includes:
Listing all the documents that use a particular resource.
And, conversely, listing all the resources that make up a particular document.
Modifications to a resource should only be done if you can identify all the documents that are affected, so understanding the relationship between your resources and documents helps reduce the chance of error. Using the wrong resource on a document can put a halt to business operations, especially, as examples in insurance and banking.
Documenting these things on paper is better than nothing, but maintaining the documentation electronically along with the form or overlay is preferable. Either way, documenting the purpose of the printer resource, who created it, its version, and comments on any modifications can avoid missteps down the line.
---------------------------------------- Simple Subheadings Speed Information Entry and Retrieval Ever feel frustrated when completing or reading a form because the only instructions provided are the brief text labels in the upper left?
If you feel frustration then chances are your customers do too. Here's something that can help improve the process.
Headings and subheadings can go a long way in explaining the type of information that is needed or included in each section of the document.
How does this help?
In the example provided, the reader can easily see that there is a section for Account Information. If they don't have that information handy they can skip this section and come back later. For those reviewing a completed document, the subheadings help them to identify the location of key information quickly.
Check out this example:
http://www.elixir.com/elixir_tip_032806.jpg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth It When it Comes to Print Resources You know the saying. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Good advice in general, but especially when the "prevention" we're referring to preserves the resources that are used to run your business.
Documents are at the core of all businesses in that they express the business itself. Therefore the elements that create the documents need to be managed carefully to ensure the documents can be printed when required.
Hardware or software glitches or user errors can create havoc in an environment if steps are not taken to ensure a timely recovery from a disaster.
You can back up printer and document resources in many ways, but the most important practice is to simply put a process into place.
Important considerations include:
1) Frequency. How often you backup is partly determined by how often resources are changed. The more frequently resources are changed, the more frequently your backups should be performed.
2) Media. Is the backup media reliable? Is it proprietary or an industry standard? Test your process and see if the media you're using is reliable.
3) Software. Is the software easy to use and maintain? Does it easily help me find the files I need and restore them? Honestly evaluate this question for your organization and see if you like the answer. If you don't, then consider making recommendations to improve the process.
4) Support. Does the software have good support? If you run into trouble, you don't want to have to wait--until the next business day--to get an answer. Turnaround time in bad times is as important as in good times.
Sometimes it takes a hiccup in the process to motivate one to put a good plan into place, but I sincerely hope you don't get to that point!
Today's tip is to evaluate your current process and make improvements now instead of later.
Casing the Document Upper case, mixed case, lower case, what's the difference?
When it comes to document design, there is a huge difference in effectiveness between upper, mixed and lower casing depending on what you are communicating. Here are some ways to use each effectively:
Upper case: Use for single words, especially when requiring customer response: FIRST NAME, ADDRESS, etc. People are used to looking for this information in upper case, because capitalization calls attention to important information, as well as places where customers need to supply a response. Be careful not to use upper case for sentences, though, it will seem like you're yelling.
Example: NAME
Mixed case (upper and lower): Use for complete thoughts and sentences. People read using patterns --- and one of the most common patterns is the combination of upper and lower case. Mixed case can speed comprehension and thus decrease the amount of time a customer needs to understand your message.
Example: Please provide your complete address including country.
Lower case: Use for website addresses. Lower case used in other situations tends to diminish your message, and can even look like a document wasn't proofed correctly.
Example: http://www.elixir.com
While our lives get louder and more chaotic, we have more and more need for silence and repose.
Where better to get them than from good document design, in the form of white space? White space adds the necessary breathing room to call attention to important points and also rests the eyes for transition from one area to the next.
Adding just a small amount of white space can translate into a great deal more understanding.
Click here for some examples: http://www.elixir.com/elixir_tip_022106.jpg
Feedback is Good - Even When it Isn't Positive! When was the last time your document design team talked with a customer? Never? Last year? Last week? The feedback from whoever is using your document is critical -- especially the negative feedback. This information can significantly improve the effectiveness of your documents.
You should know:
- What types of issues do customers call about?
- What typical problems are your customers having? For example, are many customers paying their bills late? It could be because the due date is not on the return portion of the bill.
- Can customers find critical information? For example, is there a long pause whenever the support representative requests an account number? Perhaps the customer has to search high and low on your document for this information!
Even seemingly unrelated issues may have a root in your document. Perhaps you have a high call volume because customers don't realize your website support center can solve their problem just as effectively as a person-to-person call. Analyze the information you receive carefully, and then review how your document design addresses each issue.
If you can't talk to your customers directly, you may be able to get feedback another way:
- Ask the department or person who defines the document parameters
- Ask the customer support manager for call statistics and any specific comments about your documents
- Ask salespeople
After all, it never hurts to ask! A more effective document awaits!
Vertical Alignment Eases Form Fill and Readability Back in the old days many forms were designed for the typewriter as the primary method of data entry. One time-saving design technique was to align the entry fields vertically to take advantage of the typewriter's ability to use tabs. In this way, the typist could preset the tabs and complete the data entry without using the space bar to move across the form. The typist would enter data into the first field, press the tab key, enter data into the second field, press the tab key, enter --- well you get the picture.
Two rules emerged:
- The more fields aligned vertically on the form, the better.
- The fewer individual tabs required, even better!
Speeding up the typed data entry process with vertical tabs had an added benefit in that the data was easier to read because the reader's eye stopped at fewer locations across the form. That benefit is still valuable today.
Click here to view an example: http://www.elixir.com/elixir_tip_012406.jpg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Using Color with Text Color is an important ingredient to a high-impact document.
Too often, however, a low contrast color washes out important information. For example, my electricity bill uses a light blue (one of the company's corporate colors) to preprint the contact information for customer service. Unfortunately, it's almost unreadable, because the contrast between the paper and the ink is too low.
Some ideas to keep text readable when using color:
- On a white background, use darker blues, reds or black.
- Use a larger font for lower contrast colors.
- Don't forget about logos.
- Try using white paper labeled "Bright" to provide a higher contrast between paper and ink.
- Be careful with background images, like watermarks. Where possible, avoid them;
if they are necessary, watch the placement so as not to overpower the text.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proofing forms After They're Filled Can Shed Valuable Light on the Design Process Do you know what your forms look like after they're completed?
Getting your hands on some real-life examples will give you insight on how the forms are actually used. Here are some things that can only be learned after the fact:
- Would masking certain fields provide a better template for hand entry?
example: ZIP+ 4; parenthesis for the area code; mask the email address data entry area with
the @ sign to clearly define the address and the email domain
- Are people providing too much information?
example: Entering their middle name when you only require their initial, or do you need their initial at all?
- Are people not providing enough information?
Is there enough space for the information required?
- Do the text labels on the form provide clear instructions?
Check to see what people are entering in each field and gauge if this is the correct information, if not, ask yourself if the instructions could be clearer.
A periodic spot check of completed forms can help you improve the design.
Getting the most out of self-paced software training
Structured training is the best way to learn how to use new software, but you can also learn a considerable amount on your own.
First, get familiar with the overall interface. Open up a few menus and dialog boxes, and make sure you know where to access Help.
Second, work with an objective in mind. You will learn the most about the new system if you try to use it for a real project. One suggestion is to select a document that exists in your company today and redesign it using your new software application. Do select a simple document, nothing too complex.
Finally, give yourself some specific goals such as completing the design within a specific timeframe.
With this approach, you focus on the particular features that will be the most valuable to you.
-------------------------------------- A Little Space Goes a Long Way Often the placement and length of data entry fields on a document are restricted to a certain position and size. This area restriction can cause overflow problems when customers complete the document either by hand or by using a typewriter (there are still a few left in the world: I've seen them).
Here's a trick you can use to open up the data entry area without changing the field sizes or locations. Try using an open-ended rectangle instead of a closed rectangle:
http://www.elixir.com/elixir_tip_120605.jpg
--------------------------------------
The 80/20 Rule Applies to Personalization Too If you're wondering how to apply personalization of customer communications that best benefits your company, think about that old 80:20 rule where 20% of a group is responsible for 80% of the revenue. If this is the case in your company, then consider taking some special steps to personalize their communications experience.
Some ideas:
- use more color on their documents
- splurge on data-driven graphics that highlight their activity
- use more graphic images to convey the personality of your company
- consider different document formats such as a personalized booklet instead of a multi-page flat statement
- include different inserts and offers
- offer web access to their information
Remember, these customers represent lower volumes of documents, so you can produce special print runs on slower printers, and still deliver them in the timeframe required.
Some benefits:
- Customers feel that your company is going the extra mile in providing additional information
- Customers feel that the company understands them
- Customers have and remember a positive experience with your company
Developing special customer communications pay off in increased customer loyalty. Of course keep personalizing ALL your documents! It's well worth it.
------------------------------------------------
Kerning and Tracking. What Are They and Why Use Them? In typography, kerning refers to adjusting the space between characters mainly by placing two characters closer together than normal. Kerning makes certain combinations of letters, such as WA, MW, TA, and VA, look better.
Benefit: Kerning creates more visually appealing and readable text.
Tracking differs from kerning in that tracking is the adjustment of space for groups of letters and entire blocks of text. You can apply tracking to all text or selected portions and use selectively to compress more characters onto a line to save space or prevent a few words from carrying over and creating an additional line of text.
Benefit: Tracking provides a method to adjust individual lines or words to improve hyphenation and line endings and compress more text into a smaller area.
Examples of kerning and tracking:
http://www.elixir.com/images/kerning_tracking.jpg
------------------------------------------------
Using Customer Information Effectively in Customized Documents Personalization does not have to end at inserting your customers' names and numbers throughout a document, nor should it. There's a vast amount of information available for use throughout print, web, and other customer communications: the challenge is to use it effectively.
As a simple example, you may have raw information available about someone, such as a birthday of January 13, 1935.
Using this raw data is merely data insertion, mail merge. You have not given the readers any more information than they had before, as they know when they were born! Turn that same data into something more useful. You can easily calculate that this customer is 70 years old. Consider printing his statement in a larger font, providing special offers targeted to his age group, or reducing clutter to make the document easier to comprehend.
Your customer may not notice subtle-yet-effective customization of their document, but the good will helps you to build customer loyalty (or at least reduce customer irritation!). The customer enjoys a positive experience with your organization, never a bad thing.
----------------------------------------
Using Color on Documents Increases Comprehension by 43%---But Remember the 20%! Research shows that you can boost your customer's understanding of your message by nearly 50% by simply using color, but there is another percentage that is important to think about.
That would be the approximately 8% to 20% of European origin males and 1% females who have red/green color blindness which is a condition that makes it difficult to distinguish these two colors.
So how do you get your message across to 100% of the population?
Here are some ideas:
> Use magenta instead of red
> Use patterns in addition to color
> Combine a graphic with color to draw attention
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