Trade Show TalesBlog

Your graphics provider has it pretty easy. After all, you do all the work. You create print ready files, follow the rules for good output, and double-check everything to make sure you get what you expect from the process. All the graphics people have to do is push a button, right?

Here are some tried and true tips to assure your graphics provider rewards you with the PIA (Preferred Ideal Account) status you deserve.

1. Submit your art and request a proof or PDF. Approve the art for output, then, 1 hour later, request a change and a new proof. Approve new proof but 2 hours later call to request another change. You can repeat this several times to impress your graphics rep about how you are both detail-oriented and a perfectionist.
2. Every time you submit a job, deliberately exclude a link or font from your artwork. Time how long it takes before you get a phone call. Keep score.
3. Mystery jobs are fun and exciting. Send art to your graphics company without a return address or known company name. Do not include instructions. Call the day you expect the work to ship to see how your rep will solve the case.
4. When you are submitting files for a job, include everything on your desktop. Digital prep professionals rise to the challenge of deciphering what is important and what is not. If you just give them the necessary files, where is the fun?
5. Send file images not scaled, cropped, or proportional to your desired output. Expect the graphics provider to read your mind. Even if they do get it right, pretend they didn’t. Go back and forth multiple times, and then approve the first version.

Bonus Tip: To get your supplier’s attention, request a one-day rush turnaround, and when it is to ship tell them to send it “Ground.” If nothing else, they’ll be sure to remember you.

Of course, this advice is fictitious; we really don’t want you to do those things. The professional expertise and dedication of graphic artists allows graphics providers to shine brightly. We salute you!

Submitted with tongue in cheek by:
Susan Coppola
Trade Show Graphics Division Manager
Image Craft

Tags: Classic Exhibits, display graphics, graphic file prep, image craft, trade show graphics

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Fun, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.