Seattle Publishing Journal
July 2009

Hello Seattle,

As we welcome July with vacations, long bicycle rides and preparations for 2010, it is time for this month's journal. In this issue we share updates about construction in our neighborhood to one of our company's inspirations. May you continue to enjoy the summer and this issue as well.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,
The SP Crew

IN THE NEWS

Viaduct Replacement Project

In May, the State Legislature passed the Seattle viaduct bill, which includes the construction of a deep-bore tunnel underneath Pioneer Square. With our offices located next to the viaduct, there will be times when access to our office may be limited due to construction.

Currently there is a drilling rig on Washington Street which is extracting soil and sediment samples. As construction continues, Seattle Publishing will be monitoring the situation and will alert clients to upcoming construction so they can plan accordingly.

FEATURED PROJECT

Tacoma Screw Sales Flyers

With the current difficult sales environment, Tacoma Screw's outside sales reps needed a simple and effective medium for sharing product specials and upcoming new products to their prospects and present clientele.

Working with Tacoma Screw's marketing department, we developed a sales flyer module within the Gutenberg Publishing System® for creating monthly sales flyers. With this functionality, Tacoma Screw selects items to be featured and then these are flowed into InDesign. By combining this development with our on-demand publishing services, Seattle Publishing completes the flyer production and then ships the approved digital file to the printer. The final result is a consistent and timely printed piece that helps Tacoma Screw's sales reps compete in this challenging environment.

TIPS & TRICKS

Optimizing Your Website for Search Engines

With all the buzz that's currently going around about maximizing your website for search engines, don't forget about the basics of marketing when it comes to promoting your website. Let's begin with your company's web address. We believe in the "Keep It Simple Stupid" (KISS) rule, which means that when selecting a web address, make sure it is easy to remember and easy to spell. Many web addresses try to be too clever, which makes it difficult for online users to just type it in. This results in fewer visits to the website.

Another suggestion is to promote your web address like you promote your business phone number. Keep it up front and center for your customers and they will refer to your website more often. Some recent examples of this practice include publication covers, email signatures, business checks, etc. One bicycle company put their web address on the inside chainstay of one of their bicycles, which provided a prominent position that was creative and easy to see.

By following these simple suggestions, your website address (along with search engine optimization) can be an effective tool for reaching potential website visitors (and ultimately new customers).

THE ART OF PUBLISHING

Aldus and the Desktop Publishing Revolution

One of our inspirations is the Aldus Corporation, founded by Paul Brainerd and located in Seattle's Pioneer Square. Aldus invented the groundbreaking PageMaker software, a program that is generally credited with creating the desktop publishing revolution.

PageMaker was released in July 1985, and relied on Adobe's PostScript page description language technology. The term "desktop publishing" is attributed to Brainerd, who sought a marketing catchphrase to describe the small size and relative affordability of this suite of products in contrast to the expensive commercial phototypesetting equipment of the day.

As the adoption of PageMaker grew, Aldus went on to develop other graphics software, such as Freehand, which was primarily for Illustrators, and through acquisitions of smaller developers, expanded into consumer applications. By the early 1990s, several spin-off companies were created as a result of employees leaving Aldus to begin their own ventures. In 1995, Aldus merged with Adobe Software, creators of Illustrator, and soon after Brainerd departed to start a foundation devoted to education and the environment.

As for PageMaker, it is still being used, though mainline desktop publishers have switched to Adobe InDesign, which incorporates features that match advances in printing technology.

DID YOU KNOW...

Internships

Rick Peterson, production coordinator; Ryan Price, vice president; and Amy Beardemphl, production specialist; are former interns that later joined the Seattle Publishing crew.

FOR FUN

Free Acivities for the Summer

1. Bellevue Botanical Gardens
2. Olympic Sculpture Park
3. Waterfall Garden
4. First Thursday Art Walk
5. Kubota Gardens
6. First Thursday at the Museums
7. Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
8. Seattle Parks and Recreation

 

The Gutenberg Publishing System's® namesake, Johannes Gutenberg, defined modern publishing when he blended 1400’s ink, type and mechanical technology to invent the moveable type press. With the same drive towards efficiency, Seattle Publishing’s database-driven system helps organizations manage their information and streamline the production process for print- and web-based publications.

Seattle Publishing, Inc. is a 36-year old company that blends current technology with time-tested publishing techniques. The company is a recognized leader in database-driven publishing and is constantly working to be the standard by which all competitors are compared.

Press Contact

Amber Zapffel
Seattle Publishing
206-903-1333
amber@seattlepub.com