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If you do a fair amount of advertising and marketing, at some point a vendor, designer or publication will request your logo in “vector” format. When this happens, most business owners are stumped. What is a vector logo, and when and why does it become necessary for a logo to be vector?

A vector file is the opposite of a “raster” file. Vector files are made up of points and a series of mathematical curves; and raster files are made up of pixels (all photographs are raster images). Vector files can be easily edited and enlarged, raster files cannot. When raster files are enlarged, the pixels become huge, which causes the image to lose resolution. However, since vector files are built differently, they can be enlarged infinitely because of their resolution-independent, scalable format. So, it’s extremely important that your logo be in vector format if you envision ever using it on something large, like a poster, sign or banner.

Another benefit of vector files is that they can often be printed as spot colors, thus saving you money when producing something where the color count affects cost. Perfect examples where you can curb expenses by using spot colors are items like t-shirts, hats, forms, envelopes and promo products.

Vector images are usually saved as .EPS, .AI, and .PDF files. But saving a logo in that format does not guarantee it will be vector. If it was created as a raster file, it will remain so unless someone redraws it using design software that supports vector format. If the only file you have of your logo is a JPG file, then your logo is not a vector logo.

The logo you have been using for years might look fine when you print it small or publish it to your website, but can it be applied to other mediums as well? Does it have a transparent background? Does it look good when enlarged? Probably not.

So, why would you want to work with a designer who does not create logos in vector format? The answer is you don’t. If you need a new logo, or would like your current logo re-drawn in vector format, I would be happy to discuss the project with you.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is now offering a new, simplified way for businesses to reach potential customers’ mailboxes in targeted areas. Not only is this new service easy and flexible – it’s a much cheaper alternative to the familiar hassles of buying mailing lists, stamping, metering, addressing and pre-sorting. The per-piece rate is only 17.7 cents for up to 5,000 pieces, and no mailing list is needed! This is a welcome resource in a time when businesses must advertise to get customers, yet have tightened the belt on their budgets.

Better yet, USPS has relaxed their usual strict regulations with this new service, appropriately named “Every Door Direct Mail.” There’s no need for an expensive pre-paid postage indicia or extra white space for addressing and bar coding. The only space the USPS will claim on your mail piece is a small FREE postage indicia that you should place somewhere near the top right corner of your mail piece.

So, how is USPS sending out mail without addresses or traditional postage? It’s simple, actually. They are allowing you to pick an entire carrier route (or routes) for distribution. The mail carrier will deliver your piece to every mailbox on their route. They will even go so far as to omit businesses from delivery, if you chose to target only residential customers. The only drawback is that the vice versa does not apply (so this service is of no use to businesses in need of business-to-business marketing).

It is, however, a very useful tool for businesses wanting to deliver their message to people in a specific geographical area. And the message will be delivered loud and LARGE! The usual size limits for direct mail do not apply with Every Door Direct Mail. In fact, small postcards are not welcome! Each piece must be at least 11.5” long OR more than 6.125” high, OR more than .25” thick.  The weight limit is a whopping 3.3 oz. There are a few other parameters, but the guidelines leave a substantial window in which you can frame a large, uncluttered message.

So, how does it work? Say you own a restaurant in Fort Myers and you would like to see more of the locals sampling your delish food in off-season. Go to smp.usps.gov and select the carrier route(s) near your restaurant. The site will calculate the postage for you, and you can add or eliminate routes to fit your target area and budget. Next, contact me, and I will help you design a menu, coupon or eye-catching flyer or brochure to send out using this economical new way to distribute your print advertising!

To learn more about this service, visit https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm. Or, call me at 239-980-7069, and I will handle the entire process for you.

By Katina Colbert, Katina Creative Graphic Design, LLC, www.katinacreative.com