Briefs

Build your Brand with Marketing Communications, Print and Graphic Design

Interview with Nereus strategic partner Janey Greenlees of AlphaGraphics

Janey Greenlees is the owner of AlphaGraphics, a full-service printing company located in the Pacific Northwest. Janey has worn many hats over the years, helping clients with their printing and graphic design needs since 2000, when she opened AlphaGraphics, Hillsboro location. Though it still focuses on print, in the past year AlphaGraphics has expanded its services to include online campaigns.

Nereus has worked with AlphaGraphics since Nereus' start, and AlphaGraphics continues to provide Nereus support and expertise on its marketing communication projects no matter the size.

N. How is the printing industry evolving in an increasingly online world?

JG. Several years ago, people said print was dying. However, printing is evolving...

Rather than a standalone product for distributing a message, print now works in conjunction with other marketing methods to communicate a message to the end user and often times gather information that can be used in the future. For us, the print industry is becoming much more diverse. We find that to remain relevant, we have to develop new ways to combine print with online resources, such as, telemarketing, internet paid search and direct mail. Working with technologies like personalized URL's or Quick Response (QR) Codes are a few ways AlphaGraphics has found to offer new services to our customers that marry traditional print with the online world.

N. What value does graphic design add to a project?

JG. Graphic design helps tell the story in a different way. We have all heard the expression "a picture is worth a thousand words." That is truly what graphic design is all about. It's about finding a way to tell the story of a brand or an event in a way that will cause a reaction or motivate someone to take an action.

N. What are some keys to leveraging graphic design for a project or event?

JG. Graphic design can be used to create a vision or a theme for a specific project or event. Often times, clients come to us looking at how an idea can be used across all materials that are involved with an event. The graphic elements across these materials can help create the right type of feeling - a celebration, a thank you - for the audience.

Second, use your data. It's important to use Web analytics to help identify where traffic is coming from and how users are interacting with your Web site so that you can make adjustments or take advantage of trends right away. A good SEO strategy will always start with data analysis and will grow by watching and reacting to the changing data.

N. What should you consider when designing a project?

JG. Getting a sense for what message the client is trying to communicate is critical to determine up front. Determining the client's personal tastes and style, and if they will come into play during the project is also key. In the initial meeting, there are a lot of questions that have to be answered. Basically a who, what, when, where, why sequence of questions will get the conversation started.

Once you have those initial questions answered, then there is usually a need to go back and follow up with the customer on any areas that need to be covered more deeply. At that point, we turn the project over to a designer to conceptualize or come up with a couple of ideas. This is the part that takes the most time...thinking up the idea.

N. What makes for a good, effective graphic design?

JG. The design must do something to grab the attention of the audience. The logo or graphic design must stand out, while using visual images and words to create a message that is clear and motivates the audience to action.

N. How has your industry changed over the years with advancements in technology?

JG. Because so many people have access to computers and design programs, people are able to create wonderful designs on screen on their own. But the hard part is taking that design created on screen, and making it print on paper and look the same. It requires our company to have skilled technicians who can both troubleshoot and create. There are huge gains in efficiency in how things are produced and how quickly they can be produced.

We can create materials that utilize the Internet and print together, which helps broaden the exposure to the type of audience you are trying to reach and helps gather information about the audience.

N. Where do you see the print and graphic design industry going in the near future?

JG. The industry is trending toward personalization of the message, resulting in the need for print and design to become more segmented based on individuals demographic information. People and businesses are forced to find ways to communicate with each of these segments differently and more personally, by incorporating personal messages into graphic elements. The convergence of print and online media is facilitating this transition. The growing demand for targeted print and design is where AlphaGraphics can help.

If you are interested in discussing your print and design needs to build your brand, contact Nereus and we can help put you in contact with Janey at AlphaGraphics.