Connected Spring 2014 by Visual Media Alliance

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

Who Will Steal the Show at the 2014 Showcase Awards? Find out at the Showcase Awards Reception on June 5.

SPRING 2014 SPRING 2014

BOARD ROSTER: CHAIRMAN

Frank Parks, Parks Printing

1ST VICE CHAIRMAN John Crammer, Best Label Company

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Jack Emerian, ValPrint

BOARD MEMBERS: Pat Belding Belding Associates

Nicki Riedel Black & White Design

Chris Cullen Consultant

Coleen Schoenheide Lahlouh

Ian Flynn Direct Response Imaging

Chris Shadix BelAire Displays

Arnold Greenfield Ex Officio

Cindy Sonnenberg K/P Corporation

Trilby Parker Rosetta/Publicis Groupe

Stephen Sprinkel Sprinkel Media Network

STAFF ROSTER: PRESIDENT

Dan Nelson

DIRECTOR MEMBER SERVICES Jim Frey

DIRECTOR MEMBER PROGRAMS Laura Vargas

DIRECTOR EDUCATION Barbara Silverman

DIRECTOR COMMUNICATIONS May Suen

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS Diane Gong, Gabrielle Disario

MEMBERSHIP SALES Shannon Wolford

FINANCIAL MANAGER Emily Gotladera

ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST Maria Salita

VICE PRESIDENT INSURANCE SERVICES David Katz

INSURANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

Renee Prescott, Crystal Carlson, Lena Nelson, Sue Benavente

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

WHEN IT COMES TO MOTIVATION

PARTICIPATION DEFINES SUCCESS

In my visits with many of you, sometimes the discussion turns from how we can help your business to the association itself and its business motivations. And sometimes these motivations can sound, well, strange and “un-business” like. Here are a few of those oddities that we live with in association-land: • Our “profits” are called surpluses • Retained earnings are called reserves • Our association is called a “non-profit” With terms like these, you’d think we’re not trying to make money at all. Of course, all business must be profitable to stay in business and VMA is no different. It has been in business since 1932 with healthy reserves, generating surpluses in most years. But our story is different in this way: When we allocate all expenses over 35 members’ programs, we lose money on most of them. Clearly our two insurance programs are profitable and certain other programs also. But many more lose money. And many of those lose money by design including all our tax and human resource consulting, networking and social events, conferences and state and federal government affairs. So if losing money is part of running a successful association, how do you measure success if profit isn’t necessarily the primary goal? Participation is the answer. We extensively track participation in 35 programs for each our 815 member firms and it is often the primary focus for our ten person staff. We are always thinking about how to increase attendance. For example, 315 member firms out of 815 participate in our commercial insurance, 550 in our Visual Media Guide, and 110 in our FedEx discount program. So when we contact you about the next Sales Club, Baseball, Printing 101 and other networking events, call you about your free listing in our Visual Media Guide or remind you about our Showcase Awards competition, you’ll know what’s behind it. Thank you for your support and participation. See you at the next VMA event!

DIRECTOR SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS Greg Golin

DIRECTOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Gerry Bonetto

HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALISTS Richard Lord, Doug Moore

EDITOR

Dan Nelson President Visual Media Alliance

Noel Jeffrey CONTACT: VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

(800) 659 3363 665 Third Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94107

EVERYONE LOVES

Good Stories Here’s Where to Look for Inspiration The Storyboard Story

In recent years the walls that have separated the print and digital worlds have crumbled, with more and more communications professionals compelled to take a broader, more holistic approach to “getting the message out.” The print focused are experimenting with augmented reality, apps and special online content, and the Web-savvy are rediscovering the attention-getting qualities of print. Both have a great deal to learn from each other. VMA Storyboard is an online place to share ideas, get help, get inspired and show off your creative work — regardless of medium. Here you’ll find inspiring projects that play smartly across the print and digital worlds. And if your project is equally inspiring, well, you’ll find that one here, too. The Storyboard Lookbook — This is probably our most loved feature, and rightly so. Simply put, it’s the creative industry’s “Little Black Book of People Who Can Get @#$ Done.” Need someone Tweet it, Print it, who can whip up @!#! it! a quality app in a hurry because your client’s suddenly decided they need one? Hit the Lookbook, search under “apps,” and look through the best work of fellow Storyboarders A Beginner’s Guide to Cross-Media Strategy

A publication of VMA’s

until you find someone you want to work with. And naturally other Storyboarders can throw business your way, too. The Storyboard site, vmastoryboard.com, launched last month. Be sure to browse. You’ll find a wealth of rich crossmedia that combines the world of print and electronics. Visitors can sign up for an electronic newsletter. VMA members are invited to submit their own case histories and join the Lookbook. There’s also a section that makes a strong case for joining VMA with benefit details, special discounted business services and networking opportunities. This summer, watch for the Storyboard magazine.

Visit www.vmastoryboard.com VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2014

MEMBER NEWS CHANGES, ACTIVITIES

Times Printing Making Moves

Ice Cubes to Eskimos

Humboldt County’s oldest printing company is expanding and will be relocating to a bigger building. Times Printing is a fourth-generation family owned and operated business serving the region since 1854. By this month, Times Printing will move their offices and presses from their location in Old Town to 106 T St., the former home of Eureka Printing.

Susan Moore, Vice President, Dumont Printing, Fresno, spoke at the 2014 PODi App Forum. With 30 years as a sales veteran, Susan has the perspective of been there done that in the commercial printing world. Susan’s staff jokes about her being able to sell ice cubes to Eskimos. In her presentation, a case study, “Training a Sales Organization to Sell New Things,” Susan Moore shared her trials and tribulations, and even some of her successes, in getting her sales organization to make this shift.

This is more than just a physical move for the company. In November 2012, Eureka Printing owner Jerry Carter was set to retire and there was no succession plan. Through informal talks in the printing community, Times Printing owners Lane and Susan Strope, and their son Seth Strope, purchased Eureka Printing. In October 2011, for similar reasons, Times Printing acquired Artcraft Printers. Recently, Times Printing began doing 3D Printing, creating prototypes and custom pieces for local manufacturers. Times Printing Marketing Director Lynn Dugaw said that the company’s next endeavor is a plan to return to its roots and get back into letterpress printing. www.timesprinting.com.

Retired But Not Gone Professor Emeritus Nancy Noble retired beginning in January after 36 years as a Sr. Lecturer, Department of Design & Industry at San Francisco State University. She was active in the SF Craftsmen’s Club and VMA. Nancy has been a judge for the VMA Showcase since we started. Additionally, each year of the Visual Media conference she has provided volunteers to help run the event. And, she has provided interns for our members, most recently at Dakota Press for Mari Reid. Nancy has taught university courses in print-related fields including Letterpress Printing, Offset Printing, Electronic Pre-Press, Typography, Design and Career Studies. She has also taught at the San Francisco Center for the Book, as well as in Germany, England and Taiwan. Printing 101: A Beginners Workshop on April 10 was her first program for VMA.

Nancy Noble and her students who participated in the 2013 International Design Workshop

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | WINTER 2014

Susan is an experienced sales person whose sales still account for 25% of Dumont Printing’s total sales of $7 million. She accomplishes this while also running the day-to-day operations of Dumont for over 12 years as Vice President.

Winter Show Success Late last year, 36 BFA and MFA students showed off their websites, portfolios and an array of communication materials to judges and guests who came to check out the new talent. As the crowning event for winter grads in the School of Graphic Design, Art Academy University, Winter Show featured the ongoing complement of distinguished judges, impressive awards and outstanding portfolios. Christopher Simmons, MINE, San Francisco served on the awards jury, while Michael Osborne, Osborne Design, San Francisco was one of the guests opining that these students are ready for the marketplace. http://www.79nm.com/ winter-show-2013-a-memorable-night-for-honors-careers/

INSTALLATIONS, OFFERS

BR Printers to Print Books in Four-Color Inkjet

GETTING INVOLVED

BR Printers, San Jose, is set to install an HP T230 Color Inkjet Web Press and HP Indigo 7600 Digital press. In an effort to increase their digital print options and vastly improve their print capacity, BR Printers will install their newly acquired iron by June 1. “This is one of the most exciting days in the history of BR Printers,” said Adam DeMaestri, President of BR Printers. “With the installation of the HP T230 press, we will be the only book printer west of the Rockies with the ability to print books in four color inkjet. This is going to give our clients a distinct competitive advantage in terms of time to market, reduced shipping rates and lower costs on high quality digitally printed books.”

Keen Systems Releases White Paper Keen Systems, Inc., known for its leading web-to-print solution, released the white paper “9 Things You Must do to Market Your Print Shop Online” to help PSPs take advantage of online marketing and social media self-promotion opportunities. Topics covered include various Google services, Yelp, Facebook, and more. The free white paper can be downloaded at: http://keenprint.com/resources.

123RF Offers Android App VMA’s sponsor and partner 123RF.com is a renowned global Royalty-Free microstock content provider of over 22 million high-quality creative works, has launched its much anticipated On-The-Go Android App. Designed for Android smartphone users, this newly launched microstock photography app enables one to easily snap, tag, upload and monetize their mobile shots onto 123RF.com. Following the success of previously launched 123RF On-The-Go iPhone App last June, 123RF now aims to tap into the fast booming Android smartphone market. To date, there have been more than 80,000 installations for the 123RF On-The-Go mobile app for the iPhone.

Michael Osborne creating his San Francisco heart, “Double Delight: Happy 10th Anniversary!

Hearts for The General The annual Hearts events—HEROES & HEARTS and HEARTS AFTER DARK—bring the community together each year to celebrate the important role The General plays in the lives of all San Franciscans. The events are also vital to the Foundation’s fundraising efforts. Support raised from the events helps subsidize the Hearts Grants program. These grants are awarded to hospital programs and initiatives that contribute to the excellence of The General, many of which have the potential to develop sustainable funding. In 2013, the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation awarded 55 grants. Michael Osborne, Osborne Design was also among the creative individuals who submitted designs to create one of the 2014 Hearts in San Francisco sculptures. View the 2014 heart sculptures in person throughout San Francisco or online at sfghf.net

Zinfandel Festivities Dome Printing, Sacramento, has proudly served the wine industry with Point of Purchase material for many years. They happily joined their friends at the 2014 ZAP Festival in San Francisco to showcase their capabilities. ZAP’s mission is to advance public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. *VMA Members receive 20% discount on their order subscription with 123RF.com Stock Photography. Contact us fat (800) 659-3363 for the code. VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | WINTER 2014

UPCOMING VMA EVENTS

Places to be. Things to do. People to see. Women in Communications: Creating Your “Buzz”

MAY 21 • 11:30AM-1:30PM • City Club of San Francisco Before many people even meet you, they would have checked out your digital footprint. What information exists about you online in places like LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, professional groups, your website, blog or portfolio? Does the world wide web accurately reflect the personal brand you wish to project? Learn how to take charge of your presence online and work it to be the best reflection of who you are, what you know and where you’re headed. Additionally, we will have a photographer to take a headshot for your new and updated online digital footprint! Join us for what promises to be a fun, enlightening and enjoyable afternoon. Our presenter, Kat Gordon is named one of 2013’s “Top 10 Women to Watch” in Advertising Age. She started her career as a copywriter at Cosmopolitan, working alongside Helen Gurley Brown, and then being hired as the youngest copywriter ever at Sports Illustrated. In 2012, Kat’s two lives collided in a passion project. Her agency life had shown her a lack of female creative directors. Her entrepreneurial life had shown her the undeniable power of the female consumer. After tireless research and planning, she hosted the first 3% Conference. The 3% Conference is a fully fledged movement: a 600-person, two-day conference, road shows throughout North America, a vibrant online community, agency consulting, research studies and a student scholarship fund. Kat is a highly sought-after speaker, presenting at Techweek, The Haas School of Business, Walmart, TEDx Women, The 140 Conference, Creative Week, MamaBear Tech Conference and 85 Broads.

VMA Showcase Awards Reception

JUNE 5 • 5:30PM-8:30 PM • Waterfront Hotel • Oakland Celebrate the winning entries of the 17th Annual VMA Showcase Awards. Take this opportunity to entertain your clients to cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and celebrate your work! Awards will be presented for Best of Category, Grand Awards and Best of Show.

Baseball with VMA: Giants vs. Dodgers

SEPTEMBER 14 • 11:00AM-5:00PM • AT&T Ballpark Watch the 2010 and 2012 World Series Champions, the San Francisco Giants, play against the Los Angeles Dodgers at AT&T Ballpark. VMA’s tailgate at Clarence Place will start at 11:00am and comes with food, beverages, a bag of popcorn to take to the game and admission to the stadium. Buy early, tickets sell out fast!

Exploratorium Private Art Tour and Reception SEPTEMBER 18 • Starts at 6:00PM • Exploratorium

Join VMA’s private tour examining how art and science work hand-in-hand to foster curiosity and high-level thinking at the Exploratorium. This event is sure to inspire the creative juices and help us understand how what we do as designers and marketers impact others. The tour will be followed by a reception where we can relax with our peers and discuss our “explorations.” The tour will begin promptly at 6:15 so please be there early enough to check-in and gather.

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | WINTER 2014

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| CONNECTED | SPRING 2014

total industry activity has still not returned to those levels. But with few exceptions, even though volume is down considerably: For most of the intervening years, profits have averaged within 2% of the same averages for all participants in the PIA financial surveys; Profit leaders did experience a downturn, but have actually recovered and are at close to pre-2007 levels; The industry has shrunk overall, by some estimates by as many as 15,000 establishments…best guess is that this year we’re looking at around 30,000 firms, down from the high 40s some years ago. But average firm size is definitely up.

BUSINESS

OUTLOOK STORY | GERRY MICHAEL

2014 – A Year Like No Other…We Think! GERRY MICHAEL Gerry Michael is the West Coast’s Managing Principal of Carlson Advisors, LLP, a CPA and consulting firm focused on serving printers and graphic arts firms for over 35 years. In addition to VMA, the firm is a member of PIA Southern California, PIA San Diego, Pacific Printing Industries, the Printing Industries of the Midwest, and NAPL. Gerry has worked with printers large and small for over 30 years, and is a frequent speaker at industry events and workshops, and a prolific contributor to various industry publications. He can be reached at gamichael@carlsonadvisors.com.

For any firm in the Graphic Arts industry, the past six years have been a challenge, to say the least… bursting housing “bubbles,” the crash of the financial system, unemployment rates well above historical averages, and “negative growth” in GNP have all combined to create a very scary business climate. Add to this the changes in the industry, and the changing purchasing patterns of users of graphic products, and the situation can seem overwhelming for owners and managers. And the future is harder to discern than ever before. Yet your decisions every day are affected by how you answer the following questions: Will your customer’s demands increase, and will those demands exceed your current capacity? Will your customer’s demands change, and will you be able to respond to those changes? Are there new markets that you should be considering, and do you know how to exploit those markets? Are the markets you currently serve going to grow or shrink? I believe that for firms in the printing and graphic arts industry, 2014 should present opportunities not seen for a while…if you know where to look. But you aren’t going to see those opportunities if you look in the rear view mirror…they are in front of you. Print’s last “really good year” was probably 2007, and

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2014

For firms that have a clear vision of where they are going, how they will get there, and the ability to create value for their customers, 2014 could be the best year in nearly a decade. However, very few companies today feel confident about the future, and even fewer are sure they know what that future will be for the Graphic Arts industry. And uncertainly, when running a business, is a recipe for failure. As you think about this, keep these thoughts on 2014 in mind: GNP growth will likely continue, at between 2.5% and 3.0%, though any of a number of factors could change that; Things that the news media loves to hammer probably won’t matter that much; High unemployment: we seem to have adjusted to a permanently higher level…this is a social concern, but probably not a 2014 economic one. The Affordable Care Act: when all is said and done, most of the problems are already factored into the economy. Governmental policies are unlikely to create new drags on the economy, especially in an election year, though it’s also true that government probably won’t help things improve. Consumer spending is up, and will continue, but not through the same channels. Buying power is growing…this is a combination of wage growth, which is admittedly low by historical levels, and inflation, which is very low. For some years, most firms in the industry have been afraid to make any moves for fear that their financial future was just too uncertain. But following the same strategies as in the past is rarely going to work going forward. Print demand will probably continue to grow, though slower than the growth in GNP. But it will only grow with the firms that get the new economic realities, and that serve the markets of today and tomorrow, not the markets of the past. Remember, there will be tens of thousands of graphics firms in the US in 2020. They will be larger, some estimate as much as 30%. And they will be more profitable. …will you be one of them?

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Imagination drives us to change.

Imagination. It's what excites us. Inspires us. It drives us to change things from the way they are to the way we want them to be. Just unlock the collective imagination of your company and the sky is the limit. Services-led, technology-enabled and people-driven, Ricoh will show you how to leverage the powerful information and knowledge that exists throughout your organization and create the future you want. Visit ricoh-usa.com or call 1-800-63-RICOH. Managed Document Services

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Contact Jim Frey at VMA for a $250 registration discount. jfrey@vma.bz or (415) 489-7615.

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PhoNe ClieNt PhoNe combines online training Fax CoNtaCt Fax with a fully functional authoRized sigNatuRe date authoRized sigNatuRe date magazine marketing campaign CheCk eaCh box as a guide: CheCk eaCh box as a guide: management system. Name correct? address correct? Phone # correct? ad copy correct? offer correct, if any? ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Name correct? ❑ address correct? ❑ Phone # correct? ❑ ad copy correct? ❑ offer correct, if a It is so easy to use, • look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone number’s, copy or content. • look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone number’s, copy or content. Processeven magazine is responsible forcan typos or incorrect information. Process magazine is not responsible for typos or incorrect information. ad aPPRoval: anotnovice create magazine • sign this page and email it back to Process magazine. • sign❑ this and email adpage approved as is it back to Process magazine. a cross-media marketing • any changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials. • any ❑ changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials. ad approved with corrections indicated • Processprogram magazine cannot process your job until receipt of sign-off. • Process magazine cannot process your job until receipt of sign-off. within minutes. ❑ Re-proof after ClieNt

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And the best part, PRIME is a free training tool for Visual Media Alliance members. Launch PRIME today at www.PIAPrime.com. Printing Industries of America and VMA—Your National and Local Resource

Learn More, Earn More Keep ahead of the game by learning new skills and updating old ones. Education remains a critical key to success. Visual Media Alliance offers over 100 public and customized classes in the hottest technical graphic arts, web media, print, programming and business application subjects.

DESIGN

We focus on the technical aspects of graphic design. Our classes are strong on Adobe, offering the latest tools for a broad spectrum of design applications.

MARKETING

Marketing techniques and channels are evolving rapidly. Join us to stay relevant and reach your targets with the latest marketing technologies.

OFFICE

As pervasive as paper and pencil once were, today, knowing and using Microsoft Office is a must. The more you know of these powerful tools the better your professional presence will be.

PROGRAMMING

Is it an art form, a craft, or an engineering discipline? Whatever you call it, this field is hot. Whether you are writing, designing, testing, debugging or maintaining software programs, you have the edge up when you have your skills down.

Print remains a critical component of the communications ecosystem. VMA Education continues to address the technical issues of producing documents for high-end print processes so the vibrancy and value of the printed word remains strong.

VMA Education. Your Choice.

Yes. We’re here for you. Because of you. Visual Media Alliance, our supportive backbone, is a trade association helping the careers and businesses of our members to be productive and successful. The fast pace of change in technologies makes ongoing education a lifeline to business sustainability and longevity. Our classes are for our industry. Not for academics. They take place as hands-on workshops in our classrooms; as online webinars from your desktop; or as customized instruction at your own company location. Education is available on both Macs and PCs using the latest software versions while addressing previous versions as well. Class sizes are small and intimate, often with five students or less, so each student can have personalized attention for the learning experience. Class formats include: Hands-On Training Seminars • Webinars •

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Testimonials Mind Blowing — I am now so much smarter! – Paul Giampolaoli Excellent and informative presentation saved me hours of time. Obvious that topic was well known to the presenter. Preparation was excellent. – Anonymous

Because I am such a newbie in Photoshop, I realize I have a lot of work to do to learn this great program. I will have to listen to the recording many, many times to grasp the volume of information you presented. THANKS so very much for taking the time to share via VMA. – Lynda Kiikvee

Visit vma.bz/education for complete course offerings Contact Barbara Silverman • barbara@vma.bz • 1-800-659-3363

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2014

NEW MEMBERS TM

Mez Design

Branding, Strategy and Design—Mez Design, Sausalito, invigorates brands and positively influences clients’ business goals through solid strategy and an award-winning design team. Their expertise is wide-ranging: design, marketing, strategy and branding. But their focus is singular: to partner with clients to create powerful, effective solutions. On strategy. On time. On budget. And beyond expectations. Rob Mesarchik (415) 331-4523 rob@mezdesign.com www.mezdesign.com

Walnut Creek Super Print

Walnut Creek Super Print is Walnut Creek’s premiere locally owned, family-run and operated printing company. We offer complete print, copy and mailing services for projects large and small and serve customers located in and around Walnut Creek and the larger Bay Area. Whether you need business cards, letterhead, brochures, invitations, stamps, bulk mailing service or any of our other many services, we’re here for you. Larry Condon (925)934-1613 printwc@pacbell.net www.wcsuperprint.com

M&G DuraVent, Inc.

M&G DuraVent, Vacaville, is the premier company of the venting industry. With a broad range of engineered venting products, DuraVent has earned its reputation as the industry leader by offering innovative, safe and professional products for the HVAC and Hearth markets. Holding strong and true to their mantra, “Engineered Excellence” is behind everything done at M&G DuraVent. Andrea Rickett (800) 835-4429 marketing@duravent.com www.duravent.com 14

VISUAL MEDIA ALLIANCE

| CONNECTED | SPRING 2014

Studio Hinrichs

Studio Hinrichs, San Francisco, engages in all types of design projects, including corporate communications, brand identity, promotion, publishing (books and magazines), packaging, interactive and environmental systems. Over the course of his 45 years in design, Kit Hinrichs has won hundreds of national and international awards for his work and has been the creative force behind several of the most successful and most recognized graphic and brand identities known today. The work on this website represents a sampling of projects that Kit directed over the years as well as his latest projects produced under Studio Hinrichs. Kit Hinrichs (415) 543-1776 info@studio-hinrichs.com www.studio-hinrichs.com

Think Inc.

Since 1954, Think has been a reliable and trusted print partner, delivering high-quality printing solutions for books, catalogs, directories, manuals, political campaigns, marketing collateral and more. We offer a variety of printing options and can print short to long runs with capabilities of one to fourcolor Sheet fed, Open Web, Heat Set Web and Digital Presses. Kory Wilkinson (916) 594-0101 (888) 224-THINK kw@wethinkink.com www.wethinkink.com

CREATIVE GROUP

eom Creative Group

eom Creative is a multi-disciplinary design and digital consultancy with bases in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Paris. Founded in 2008, our background comes from two distinct and complementary areas; classic graphic design and cutting edge digital and internet based technology. eom is a team of service-oriented Marketing and Communications professionals. We offer all services related to Marketing and Communications, specializing in strategic planning, scheduling, branding and identity, print and web design, development as well as customer service, engagement and outreach programs. We believe in helping our clients become independent of us for daily updates and changes, and will develop a training program to achieve that, tailored to your needs. A.J. Dwight (707) 584-3573 a.j.dwight@eomcreative.com www.eomcreative.com

Awesome Creations

Founded in 2012, Awesome Creations, Benicia, has made it easy for people to enjoy their pictures. The evolution of technology and photography has surpassed expectations and Awesome Creations can convert favorite digital pictures from a digital camera or smart phone into long lasting high quality prints onto sheets of aluminum. Clients submit their favorite photos to Awesome Creations and receive their metal prints within the same week of submission ready to hang on a wall. These beautiful metal prints of photos make excellent gifts and works of art. Shane Rishell (925) 768-2735 shane@awesomecreations.net www.awesomecreations.net

Print Life Communications

SoMa Play

Founded in 2013, SoMa Play Inc. develops standout AAA multiplayer games for nextgeneration mobile, handheld and console platforms. Headquartered in San Francisco and founded on experience that includes beloved interactive brands such as Star Wars, The SIMS, Burnout, Madden NFL Football, Monopoly and Harry Potter, the company operates worldwide; partnering with intellectual property holders, publishers and renowned entertainment brands. wayne@soma-play.com www.soma-play.com

Print Life Communications, Berkeley, provides a complete solution to clients’ print communications needs. Whether they require a corporate identity program, a trade show exhibit, full color event posters, or a catalog showcasing their products, Print Life can produce a high quality print solution that achieves excellence for their organization. They also offer Internet services, including personalized URLs and corporate storefronts to handle fulfillments, as well as mailing service. They put customer needs above everything else. Rajiv Rai (510) 559-3181 customerservice@plifeprint.com www.plifeprint.com

Minuteman Press

Management at Minuteman Press, Fremont, believes that the critical component to their success is their people. It is their dedication and understanding of clients’ project requirements that ensures it is done to their satisfaction. A quality jobs starts with the customer service team, who makes sure they understand not only the project requirements but the deadline and expectations. The next phase is to completely document these requirements so their graphic designer, production staff and finally the delivery person knows exactly what customers are looking for and expecting. Dan Fries (510) 656-2551 dfries@minutemanpress.com www.bayarea.minutemanpress.com

Speedpro Imaging Santa Rosa

Speedpro Imaging Santa Rosa is the leader in large format digital imaging and graphics for Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties. They produce extremely high resolution graphics that will support and enhance clients’ brand & marketing efforts. They specialize in retail graphics, trade show displays, banner stands, orbital truss systems, posters, wall murals, window graphics, floor graphics, building graphics, banners and vehicle wraps. Jeff Bricker (707) 755-3151 info@speedprosantarosa.com www.speedprosantarosa.com

Copy Edge

On-demand full-color printing has arrived in Copy Edge, San Francisco. Copy Edge is now producing with the revolutionary Heidelberg Quickmaster DI. That gives them the power to send electronic layouts and page files directly to print, with all the speed, precision and affordability that computer-topress technology provides. Customers get instant turnaround, waterless offset quality and a price that will have them printing more of their jobs in full process color than ever before. Give them a call and they will connect you with a complimentary demonstration of the power of their new Quickmaster DI. Mark Gin (415) 587-5345 job@copyedge.com www.copyedge.com

Lamfers & Associates

L&A, Petaluma, is a visual communications agency that creates and re-imagines brands. Through catalogs, packaging, displays, ads and the web they help clients unify market presence, define their brand story and share it with the world. They produce powerful design that drives business results for a wide range of clients, including consumer brands and retailers. Debra Lamfers (707) 781-9811 info@lamfers.com www.lamfers.com

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STRATEGIC SELLING STORY | LESLIE GROENE

LESLIE GROENE Leslie Groene is a coaching superstar in corporate sales, a business consultant and an author. Her background is in the paper and printing industries as a sales rep and sales manager. She helps her clients focus on revenue generation and profit growth. She authored the business strategy book “Picture Yourself & the Life You Want” and is a motivational speaker. To purchase her book, receive her monthly e- newsletter, or to contact Leslie, visit GroeneConsulting.com.

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What’s in Your Tool Box? I consult and coach sales professionals in a variety of industries and disciplines; professional services, product manufacturing, real estate, hospitality supplies and equipment manufacturing which encompass a broad spectrum of companies with a few employees to many hundreds. There are common threads that I observe such as some salespeople are great prospecting on the phone and others hate to make cold calls on the phone, some reps like to make in-person calls and some don’t, some are comfortable making presentations and some are very uncomfortable with any type of presentation, some are skilled at emailing or letter writing and some can’t put together two compelling sentences. In these competitive, challenging times for relationship development salespeople, we need to have many tools in our tool box that will enable us to sell to many different types of organizations and clients. The decision maker we are selling to may be an entry level executive assistant, a senior buyer or project manager, a marketing director, a committee of stakeholders and/or a C-level executive. We need to | CONNECTED | SPRING 2014

have the necessary tools required to reach out to these various professionals in an effective and thoughtful way. You will need to be able to make a cold call for one, write an introductory letter for another, email a relevant case study or white paper to gain an appointment, create a value proposition that is delivered as some form of branded company materials, deliver an interesting and dynamic presentation to differentiate yourself and your company and a combination of tools in many situations. We need to have many tools in our tool box today to be able to create selling strategies for each of our prospects and for all of our current clients that we want to up-sell or cross-sell. These include but are not limited to: • the skill to create and deliver presentations • the courage to make phone calls—warm and cold • effective letter writing for different objectives • relevant case studies/white papers to substantiate a specific application of your product or service • ability to deliver informative product demos • create the verbiage to communicate persuasive value propositions • use your company’s website to help support your sales effort • write and deliver voice mail and live scripts • develop and deliver informative lunch and learns • compelling branded company hand outs/printed materials • use social media where applicable —have a professional LinkedIn profile! These skills in various situations are necessary to develop trusted relationships with prospects or strengthen relationships with current clients. Don’t limit yourself to one or two of these tools that will ultimately limit your chances to find and develop new business and attain your revenue goal moving forward. However you proceed, remember time is no excuse.

I Don’t Have Time!!!

Please! When we say we don’t have the time to do something, what we are really saying is that we chose not to do it. We all have the same number of hours in a day. The only difference is how we spend them. Let’s face it. If top producing salespeople can find the time to prospect, so can you. The key is how you plan your work. You should schedule a certain amount of hours each day for lead generation, and preferably at the same time each day so you can develop a routine. Treat prospecting like a scheduled appointment, just as you would a meeting with a prospect. You wouldn’t consider canceling a customer call; therefore you shouldn’t cancel on yourself and your future sales success by failing to complete your prospecting activities. You need allocate the correct percentage of time for sales planning, growing existing customers, winning back old customers and prospecting for new accounts. The different percentage splits will depend on your specific mix of business and how many current clients you already have versus prospects.

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HUMAN RESOURCES STORY | BY RICHARD C. LORD

I Just Hired A New Employee: Now What? RICHARD C. LORD Richard Lord, VMA’s new HR consultant, is the founder and principal consultant for Solutions Human Resource Group, Fresno. Richard has extensive knowledge in the administration of human resources and employee benefits gained through four decades of hands-on experience. Over the course of his career he has planned and led the development of all major focus areas within Human Resources. This includes work in employee benefits, compensation, wage and hour administration, employee relations and recruitment. In addition, VMA members also have access to human resource assistance through Doug Moore and PIA’s Jim Kyger

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The recruitment and hiring of a new employee is not an everyday occurrence. You’ve just identified a viable candidate. “Now what?” As there are multiple steps that need be taken when “on-boarding” a new employee, your work has just begun. Some of these steps are simply good practice; others are legal requirements. Candidates (professional employees in particular) commonly submit resumes carefully crafted to highlight accomplishments while glossing over or omitting information that may be less than favorable. In addition to their resume, always ask the finalist(s) to complete an employment application prior to interviewing. This allows you to ask follow-up question about gaps in employment or omitted information. In an employment dispute, an employee’s application can be crucial in determining truthfulness and history. VMA has an updated “Application for Employment” available in its online Resource Library. Simply download and insert your logo in lieu of VMA’s. Not only does it meet current California standards, it requires the applicant to attest to the completeness and accuracy of the information supplied as well as to acknowledge that you are an “at-will” employer. In addition to your oral offer of employment, | CONNECTED | WINTER 2014

follow up with a written offer. Include the employee’s job title, start date, hourly wage or salary, as well as days and hours of work. You may also wish to include information on benefits that will be provided. All offers should be made contingent upon establishment of their legal right to work as well as completion of any other pending issues. This may include final reference checks and/or verification of a valid license for those who may drive in the course of work. Remind the employee to bring documentation on their first day essential to complete an I-9. It’s also another place to include a reminder that you are an “at-will” employer. If this is a non-exempt position, the California Wage Theft Prevention Act requires that a “Wage Notice” form be provided; a requirement since 1/1/12. Both you and the employee are to retain signed copies. The safest option is to use the form developed by the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement and available in VMA’s Resource Library. On the first day of employment, the new employee must complete Section 1 of the I-9 form. You must then complete Section 2 of the form, verifying the documentation you reviewed, within three days. You are not required to make and retain copies of those documents. Don’t forget to sign and date the form. On the first day, orient your new employee to your firm’s policies, procedures, safety practices and employee standards of conduct. In their orientation, all new employees must also be given copies of the following pamphlets (also available in our online library): • For Your Benefit (DE 2320): Explains California’s unemployment insurance programs. • State Disability Insurance Provisions (DE 2515): Information of SDI provisions. • Paid Family Leave (DE 2511): Information on income replacement when caring for an ill family member. • Workers’ Compensation: Available from VMA if insured through our program or your carrier. • Sexual Harassment (DFEH 185): Provides information to assist in the prevention of harassment. • Using an Orientation Documentation form, record what was reviewed and provided; sign and retain the form in the employee’s HR file.

FIND-AN-EMPLOYEE PROGRAM CREATIVE PRODUCTION Graphic Designer

I am a Graphic Web Designer located in San Francisco. As someone who is passionate about design, technology, and how they can impact people when delivered accordingly, I am very interested in fulltime Graphic Web Design positions. I love design work that challenges me to problem solve. I want a job where I’m being cerebral by contributing to the idea and conceptualization as well as the design itself. I’m a client-focused designer with a large skill set. While I freelance primarily as a Graphic and Web Design consultant, I’ve done web development, published print, illustration, identity and branding, typography, digital imaging and more. ALL PPI STATES AND N. CALIFORNIA – USBAUM 4008

Graphic Designer

My experience includes over 25 years of art direction, design, project and production management, as an employee, contractor and freelancer. Producing print work and directing crossmedia campaigns for the biotech, financial, telecom, entertainment and publishing industries, among others. Assignments have included corporate identity and collateral, branding, style guides, brochures, advertisements, newsletters, catalogs, promotional materials, packaging, POP, magazines and books and more. Responsible for the complete lifecycle of projects, all phases from concept through to delivery. BAY AREA – CAMPEAU 4009

Graphic Designer

Graphic designer and aspiring art director specialized in print design, branding and web design, with advertising and marketing management experience in consumer goods companies and entrepreneurship. I am a highly curious individual and spend most of my time doing graphic design, some web design also with occasional coding, but what really drives me is problem solving. BAY AREA – CARVAJAL 4041

Graphic Designer

My design skills include fluency in the more detailed operations of many 3D modeling programs like

AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup and graphic software like Adobe Suite. More than one year experience of working as graphic designer has enhanced my professional capabilities and as a freelance designer in both interior design and graphic design field, I gained much knowledge and skills from practical experiences. In addition, I have experiences working in studio environment and known how to coordinate the work and collaborate with the team, which brings good work efficiency. BAY AREA – LIANG 4047

Graphic Designer

Performance driven, insightful graphic designer with a proven ability to achieve and exceed design projects and other developments within high pressure environments, coupled with the ability to direct teams in managing a client relationship. SAN FRANCISCO – SAGUINSIN 4054

Production Artist

Project Management, Typography, Creative Thinking, Print Design and Layout, Social Media Marketing, UI artist, 3d, Maya, Adobe Illustrator Photoshop, InDesign and Flash, Silo, OSX, Windows, social gaming and graphic design SAN FRANCISCO – VITELA 4060

CREATIVE MANAGEMENT Marketing Specialist

Extensive experience in print production; project management for ad agencies and client companies including CPG, retail, tech and B2B. Major attention to detail with ability to handle multiple projects and meet tight deadlines. Solid understanding of creative development, design and production processes. Hands-on experience in B & W and 4C print production. BAY AREA – MANNHALTER 4063

WEB MEDIA Content Development

I have five years of experience in editing articles, creating content, photo editing, transcription, pitching story ideas, setting up interviews, reserving

spaces, and working with a team to create ideas to further advance the online publication. I am proficient in content management systems such as WordPress and social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Hootsuite, Google and Analytics. I am also familiar with different writing styles such as Chicago, AP, APA, and MLA as well as different presentation methods such as PowerPoint and Prezi. In addition I have light experience in video applications such as iMovie and Final Cut Pro. SAN FRANCISCO – EALEY 4017

Content Development

Talented, insightful and innovative communications professional with eigtht-year record of success creating web and print content, information architecture and user training. Effective in hands on and leadership roles. Sophisticated communicator; adept in establishing relationships, requirements gathering, instigating user centered standards and problem solving with a focus on creating a delightful user experience. SAN FRANCISCO – SCHELLENBERG 3633

PRINT MANAGEMENT

Print Production-Press Feeder Proven success in implementing productivity and quality on press. Excellent skills in press procedures. 20 years of service in printing industry. EAST BAY – FITZGERALD 4033

Print Production-Press Feeder Throughout my management/receiving career I have strived to achieve personal service and productivity goals and help co-workers gain techniques to increase their personal and team productivity. I enjoy working with the public, as well, demonstrating products, services, and educating others in their uses. I have carpentry, painter, electrical trade experience and believe I would excel in this position because I truly find providing service a challenging and rewarding career. EAST BAY – GARROW 4064

Print Production-Small Press Operator Looking for work as a press operator. I can operate both the press and folder, support and work on the press line and with the press crew. Skill set includes running and maintaining the press and folder and training others as needed. SAN FRANCISCO – HURST 4052

Customer Service Experience in customer support, administration and client interaction. Understanding of image product and text layout design. Thorough, flexible and work in collaborative efforts. Skilled in Photoshop: retouching, color correction, clipping path and masking. SAN FRANCISCO – SOPHY 4055

PRINT PRODUCTION Electronic Prepress (image assembly /output) I am a career Prepress person. I began so many years ago when process cameras, Color Key and Dylux proofs were the norm. I spent years as a journeyman stripper, transitioning into the first digital Scitex systems and then onto the desktop arena. So, not only do I have extensive experience in the desktop arena, I also have a firm base of knowledge around various printing techniques as well.

Print Production-Flexo/ Packaging-Specialty Press Operator I am a highly skilled folder/gluer operator. I set-up, operate and maintain a machine that automatically folds, slits, perforates and/or scores printed sheets in preparation for binding or shipment. Review job specifications to determine page sequence, type of fold, page size and packing requirements. Pre-set side guide, fold plates, fold rollers, and any slitting blades or perforators required. Adjust machine during production run as required for adherence to all quality and customer requirements. ALL PPI STATES AND N. CALIFORNIA – RICAFORT 4031

VMA CAN HELP YOU FIND-A-JOB AND FIND-AN-EMPLOYEE VISIT VMA.BZ FOR MORE INFO

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THE TRADE SHOP WITH BIG PRESSES DOING BIG JOBS FOR BIG SAVINGS! Large Format Printing • 28” to 54” Presses • Large Format Digital Printing • Prepress/Proofing • Corrugated Products • Packaging Design CAD Design • Bindery • POP • Die Cutting • Gluing • Laminating • Sheeting • Windowing • Special Coatings • Fulfillment • Promotional Products CMYK • Tracy CA • cmykprintandpromotions.com • (209) 229-7230 • nick@cmykpnt.com