Herron Printing & Graphics's e-mail newsletter, Printer@Work, is delivered directly to your inbox. Each issue is filled with tips, ideas, and a few laughs too. We think you'll love it!

Don't miss another issue...subscribe now! Enter your information below to subscribe to Printer@Work, or update your existing subscription.

Subscription information:

First Name
Last Name
Company
E-mail Address
Send graphic-formatted e-mail, as shown below
Send plain-text e-mail
Your e-mail address is safe and secure with us. We will treat it with respect and won’t release your e-mail address to any other parties.

Please take a few moments to enjoy the most recent issue of Printer@Work below before you
Return to herronprinting.com.

HERRON PRINTING & GRAPHICS PRESENTS
JAN
11
PRINTING IS OUR PASSION.
WELCOME TO TEN MINUTES OF GOOD NEWS AND FUN STUFF FROM YOUR FAVORITE PRINTER!
MESSAGE >
IDEA >
MARKETING TIPS >
TECH TIPS >
PRODUCT >
Message
A Message from Randy Herron
 
 
Randy Herron
Creative Director
Herron Printing & Graphics
The Way I See It
 
We love our community. It is such a nice place to live, raise a family and build relationships through our business dealings. We understand the role we play in our community and how our involvement can really impact a lot of lives for the better. It is our privilege to provide services that make your lives a little easier, and we always want the interaction you have with our company to be a positive, uplifting one.

Obviously, our lives are not contained within our print shop. We live full lives with many different dimensions. Our employees are involved in any number of activities and organizations. We are proud that they see the need to serve our community in their personal lives because they are an extension of us as their employer.

Here’s the way I see it: we have a responsibility to be involved in our community. It is ever growing and changing, and we can make a positive impact on the people who live here. Being active in our community helps us to understand the importance of providing high-quality, affordable printing. It helps us serve both our customers who are buying the printing as well as the many people who will be using the information after it leaves our shop. Please give us a call if you have any printing questions. We’d love to help impact your life for the better!
MESSAGE >
IDEA >
MARKETING TIPS >
TECH TIPS >
PRODUCT >
Idea
Idea of the Week
3 Guidelines for Stellar Design Typography
TEASER: 1-2-3 DESIGN

Graphic designs are meant to showcase your brand in a visually engaging manner, and typography will make the letters come to life in your design. Dynamic typography will add clarity to your message and bring value to your design.

Here are three guidelines to make sure your typography does its job with style!

1. Get Smart with Quotes

Did you know that grammar isn’t the only place you can misuse quotations marks?

In design software, users have the preference to use “smart quotes” or “dumb quotes.” Smart quotes (those that are curly and sloped) are the correct default for quotation marks and apostrophes. They are purposefully crafted to accompany your font of choice.

419-Smart Quotes.jpg

Dumb quotes are straight and have a more vertical, stale quality. When dumb quotes are used, it dilutes the quality of the publication and gives it an awkward appearance. Avoid this error by selecting the smart quote setting in the preferences of your design software. The only time dumb quotes should be used is when indicating the measurement of feet (3') and inches (3").

2. Be Precise in Hyphenation

When is a hyphen not a hyphen? In two places: an “em” dash and an “en” dash. 

Hyphens should connect linked phrases or words (like “off-campus” apartment) and may also be used when a word breaks from one line to the next. 

419- Quote.jpg

An en dash (slightly longer than a hyphen) is used to connect a range of numbers (i.e., 20-30). 

An em dash is the longest of horizontal marks and should be used to set off a separate thought or grammatical break or to introduce speakers in a narrative dialogue within the text. Em dashes are often used in tandem to set apart a phrase, but they can also be replaced with two en dashes with a space in between. What’s best? That’s for your team to decide:

“We argue—sometimes vociferously—about what is best.”

“We argue -- sometimes vociferously -- about what is best.”

3. Limit Typeface Combinations

Conventional wisdom holds that most projects require only three typefaces (or more precisely, three type families).

For example, a good legible serif, a simple sans serif, and a refined display typeface will bring a cohesive, coordinated appearance to your page.

419- Sale.jpg

Use serifs appropriate for your headline, subheads, and body to bring contrast, but limit yourself to three fonts. This will bring a harmonious, compatible feel to your publication, without distracting the reader with too much noise.

Great Design Builds Trust

The correct use of typography in design reflects excellent professionalism.

Be smart in your use of quotes, hyphens, and typeface combinations, and you will make customers feel secure while adding elegance to your next print project.

See more great ideas like this!
Click here to visit the Herron Printing & Graphics - Ideas Collection.
Send this article to a friend
MESSAGE >
IDEA >
MARKETING TIPS >
TECH TIPS >
PRODUCT >
MARKETING
Marketing Tips
Dare to Compare
ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER…
Consider an ad for a color copier with a photograph on one side of the ad, a color copy of the photograph on the other side, and text asking the reader to pick which one is the real photograph. This type of side-by-side comparison advertising is so successful because it offers readers the challenge of telling two things apart. Who can resist a challenge?

This technique captures attention and has staying power as readers scrutinize the ad to determine which is the photograph, and which is the copy. In a world of short attention spans, what could be better than people pouring over your ad? And, including a few lines of engaging text will increase the lasting effect of your ad.

We can help you design and print all your marketing materials. Let us know how we can help you make a statement about your company.
Send this article to a friend
MESSAGE >
IDEA >
MARKETING TIPS >
TECH TIPS >
PRODUCT >
TECH
Tech Tips
Work Comfortably
IMPROVE YOUR POSITION AT WORK.
The ergonomics of your work space has a direct impact on your mood and productivity. If you find yourself sitting in front of a monitor for a good portion of the day, a few adjustments to some basic items can make your work more comfortable. Here are just a few suggestions:
  • Put your monitor at the right height. Sit at your desk looking straight ahead. Notice where you are looking. The top of your monitor should be at or slightly below eye level.

  • Move your keyboard and mouse off your desk. Your arms and forearms should be at a right angle to your keyboard, and the top of your desk most likely places the keyboard too high. Pull-out keyboard shelves can help alleviate this problem. Also, your mouse should reside directly next to your keyboard.

  • Keep your blood circulating. Wiggling your toes, taking your eyes off your screen, and standing up to stretch periodically, are just a few examples of things you can do to keep your body and mind alert.

  • Do you use a notebook computer? Monitor height and keyboard position apply to notebook computers as well. If you use a notebook as your primary computer, connecting a decent keyboard and setting the notebook monitor at the correct height will make using this portable computer a bit less painful.
Here is an excellent site with more details about proper ergonomics: www.office-ergo.com.
Send this article to a friend
MESSAGE >
IDEA >
MARKETING TIPS >
TECH TIPS >
PRODUCT >
PRODUCT
Uncommon Product of the Week
Padding
CONVENIENT SCRATCH PAPER.
Did you know we can make notepads? It’s true. No more searching your desk for a piece of scratch paper. Notepads can be made out of any paper color or weight, they can be plain, or have text added. Whatever your need, we have the equipment to produce sturdy notepads for you. Give us a call today!
Send this article to a friend
MESSAGE >
IDEA >
MARKETING TIPS >
TECH TIPS >
PRODUCT >
Printer@Work Newsletter is available via e-mail on a free subscription basis.
You can subscribe or unsubscribe at any time. For more information about Herron Printing & Graphics, visit herronprinting.com.
Copyright © 2005 - 2021
Herron Printing & Graphics, 7621 Rickenbacker Drive, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 301-990-3100