Friedrich_Communications

10 Green Tips for Small Business

Businesses large and small can all take steps to support a healthier planet.

Perhaps there is no better time than this week -- in recognition of Earth Day -- to consider environmentally friendly alternatives within our businesses. Whether looking at marketing plans or day-to-day office operations, practical solutions abound that also benefit the planet.

Here are ten green ideas, several which can help small business owners save money as we work to keep Mother Earth healthy!

1. Save e-mails and other documents digitally, printing only when necessary. Today many copiers allow you to save electronic files in pdf format, perfect for archiving.
2. When paper is required, print office and marketing materials on recycled paper.
3. Down-size your printed collateral. (Done correctly, less can be more!)
4. For sell sheets and similar marketing pieces, use pre-printed “shells” which reduce waste by allowing businesses to create hand-outs "on-demand."
5. When having new material professionally printed, ask your provider about non-toxic inks and off-set alternatives.
6. Utilize more electronic media including Web sites, banner advertising and e-mail to get your message out.
7. For major communications campaigns, opt for targeted direct-mail lists.
8. Plan ahead to avoid air and rush shipping which ultimately result in higher costs and fuel expenditure.
9. Also save fuel as you expand your social network online.
10. Lastly, recycle old office equipment or donate it to local schools. Don't relinquish these cast-offs to our already over-burdened landfills.

For more information regarding these or other green tips, contact me today. Or, to learn more about Earth Day and how you can make a difference, visit EarthDay.net.

About the author. Brenda Friedrich is a communications specialist based in Des Moines, Iowa. For a complete listing of her services, visit her Web site, BrendaFriedrich.com.

Three Tips for Getting it Right … the First Time

Don’t repeat some of the biggest mistakes business owners make when creating Web sites, brochures or other communications pieces.

Getting it right the first time saves incalculable time and money!

Avoid these top culprits:

Lack of planning. Before you start any communications piece, there are two things you should understand. First, know your target audience! Plan your site around their needs and purchase habits. Second, know yourself, your business or organization! What is your Unique Selling Proposition? What makes you different? Understanding these aspects of your market and your business is key to all your communications efforts!

Choosing style over substance. We all want Web sites, documents and presentations with a professional look and feel. And we should insist on them! But every component — each word and every graphic — should have a purpose. In combination, they should help convey a clear message or reinforce your brand. Don’t settle for fancy fonts that hinder readability. Don’t wedge pictures into every nook and cranny! Remember that visual clutter only distracts from your message.

Going it alone. You can’t do it all by yourself. Just as you rely on professional advice with your taxes, delivering the message about your business or organization should not be left to chance. Choose a provider who can guide you through the steps toward effective communications with Web sites, presentations and printed material that convey the right message and reinforce the strength of your brand.

About the author. Brenda Friedrich is a communications specialist based in Des Moines, Iowa. For a complete listing of her services, visit her Web site, BrendaFriedrich.com.

Quick Tips for Connecting with the Color-blind

Connecting with Color, Part 2

Last Monday, I urged readers to consider those with color-blindness when designing informational graphics for their marketing materials. Today, I offer three quick tips to ensure you derive maximum benefit from charts and graphs in all your promotional pieces, from brochures to Web sites.

1. Choose color schemes that are viewer-friendly.

I'm going to admit that this can be tricky because many varieties of color-blindness exist. So, to accommodate the majority of your viewers, I recommend arranging information so that contiguous color blocks (such as side-by-side columns within a graph) differ in their degree of contrast and brightness.

Start by arranging your information so that dark colored areas alternate with light colors.

See Figure 1 to the right. This is not your typical color wheel. It divides eight colors into four we perceive as dark and four we consider light. Use this diagram as a tool in making color choices for your charts and graphs.

Figure 2, an animation, uses our dark/light color wheel as a starting point. It, then, removes the guesswork from color selection by isolating the colors that work well side-by-side,offering a high degree of contrast while avoiding problematic pairings (such as green and red, a color combo that most often impedes clarity for the color-blind). >> See Figure 2. Preferred Color Pairing

When you implement your final color selection, the result should look something like the chart illustrated in Figure 3.

2. Don’t rely on color alone.

To add further differentiation — and clarity for your viewer — alternate solid blocks of color with patterns whenever possible. Many software applications allow you to fill bar and pie charts with lines, grids and other patterns. For line graphs, use anchor points of different shapes and thicknesses to help the viewer distinguish one line from another. You can also use text headings and legends to supplement your charts and graphs as shown in Figure 4.

3. Finally, consider that white and black are very viewer-friendly.

Most of us overlook black and white when it comes to making color selections. After all, this is the age of inexpensive color! Keep in mind, however, that black and white can be seen by almost everyone, so consider using one or both for your most important information.

Remember, too, that form follows function. And whether you’re creating a presentation, a handout or something in between, the function of your graphic is communication!

© 2006 Brenda Friedrich Communications

About the author. Brenda Friedrich is a communications specialist based in Des Moines, Iowa. For a complete listing of her services, visit her Web site, BrendaFriedrich.com.