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Useful Info

What you may not know but need to know in today’s competitive market place, tips to improve your skills and efficiency.

 

What’s in an image?:

Creating you own unique Brand in today's market is essential to survival, with so many others out there competing for the same dollar, creating an image that identifies you as different from the rest is important to create and maintain not only a market presence but also customer loyalty.Uniformity and consistency are a great advantage and essential to creating your own “Brand”.At imageArt.co.nz our goal is to create your own unique identity that is in keeping with the spirit and service style of your business

 

What things cost and how to get them, ways and places to market your business :

Should you use printed media or web ?
Costs of printing can vary immensely depending on quantity, style, andpaper used and where and how you plan to distribute – to produce 10 colour pages may cost you $1.50 per page, by comparison doing a print run of 100,000 may bring the cost of full colour back to just a few cents.
Distribution also may vary – you can make use of distribution as inserts within local newspapers, through a mailbox drop, or using standard postal methods. Using electronic means can be very cost effective – mass email or faxes can be done very easily from within your own business without the cost associated with hard copy, having a web also means you are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.


 

Do you need a website ??

Well, if your competitors have one then YES !! if they don't have one then still YES, as you will be the only company of your sort anyone searching on the net will find !!
Over 44% of New Zealanders now have access to the net and business access is also on the increase, many use the web to “check you out” and get a feel for the sort of business you are. Having a website is like having a resume on-line, it enables potential customers to develop a sense of trust with you before they even get in touch.
Should you look at E-commerce or not?
– E-commerce isn't for everyone and there are some important things to consider before taking the plunge :
1. would your customers buy your product and service on-line ?
2. are you able to sell globally ie could you service overseas clients with goods or services ?
3. do you have an administration set up that could cope with fluctuating demand ?
4. have you security procedures in place to cope with potential credit card fraud
5. are you willing to be confined to a specific internet service provider (most E-commerce sites require access to the ISP computer system to be maintained – you therefore are normally bound to host your site with the company writing it – also will they still be around in the years ahead?)
6. can you deliver what you promise ? most people buying on-line except a prompt and efficient service – if you can't deliver you will drive people away from you by the hoards !
7. are you willing to spend the extra money ? E-commerce sites have come down in price in recent years but still cost anything from $2500 to $13000, by comparison a standard website can cost as little as $200.
If you answered yes to all the above then E-commerce may be ideal for you, if you answered no to any of the above, then it may not be your best bet. If you have no website at all at present, then realize you can start with a standard site and then make use of your layout and graphics to have your site upgraded.This would give you a chance to dip your toe in the water and see how a website may best be used to enhance your business.
If you have a project in mind and wonder what it would cost to put it in motion then take advantage of a FREE consultation to find out – use the contact button on the left to get in touch


 

Make the most of your computer and look after it

Not quite a computer expert just yet ??
Don't worry – everyone who is one, had to learn about them at some stage, and most so-called ‘experts' still are learning every day whether they admit to it or not !!.

Important things to remember :
1. Always keep your backups up to date (imagine turning on your computer one day and nothing happens ! all your emails are gone your addresses, word files, spread sheets – everything !! doesn't bear thinking about does it !!)
2. To improve your computer performance (ie speed) run the defrag utility at least once a week
( go to >Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter )
3. Don't clog up your hard drive, you should always have at least 15% of free space available (eg for a 40 GB hard drive have at least 6GB free), you can check your space by right clicking on the start button then select > explore, on your file tree click on the C drive, then right click and go to Properties (be VERY CAREFUL NOT to click rename or format) The properties box will show you both the size of your hard drive and how much free space is available.
4. DO USE a virus software and update your definitions at least once a week (most virus software companies issue new definitions at least weekly) also remember to run a virus scan over your own hard drive, also each week.Just because you have a virus software doesn't mean you can't have one sneak in before a definition has become available for it trust me it happens !! – the only way you will know if it has, is to scan the hard drive.

Where to get other useful information : Check out the links on the Links page or contact us at imageart.co.nz


 

For a guide to pricing please refer to the prices page or ask for a quote