Your logo and the files you should have

Has this happened to you? Your business sponsors an event and they ask for your logo. You send them a small jpeg or something off your website and they say that it's too small.

Here are Take Root Creative, we make sure our clients have their logo in multiple formats so that when a particular need arises, they have the file necessary. What file types should you have? I've compiled a nice little list you can use to check through your computer and see what you have and what you are missing.

1. PDF  This stands for Portable Document Format and is now the standard for sending files between printers, designers etc. Why? A PDF (as long as it's created properly) holds it's data in a way that will keep it looking the same between computers. What is it used for? Send a PDF when you sponsor something and they need your logo. Also send a PDF when you run an ad in the newspaper or a magazine. This is basically your go-to format when your logo is requested by someone else.
2. .EPS  This stands for Encapsulated PostScript and will be something that you might never need but it is the raw file of your logo so you will want to have it. What is it used for? If you decide many years down the road that you want to change your branding colours but your designer has retired, the .eps file can be edited by anyone without having to completely re-design your logo.
3. JPEG Most business have their logo as a jpeg. They can vary in size and are a useful format for things you will do on your own computer. What is it used for? Jpegs are often used in Microsoft Office or for social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter. Ask for both a high resolution jpeg and a medium-lower resolution jpeg.

There are many other types of files you may encounter over the life of your logo, but these three will cover most of your needs. If you don't have all of these format, contact your designer and ask them kindly to put them onto a disc for you. PDFs and .EPS files can be large and therefore not sendable by email.

Have a question about anything you've read here? Email me or leave a comment below.

Caitlin

New Products - Tealish at La Petite Fleur

I am a HUGE fan of loose leaf tea (and have many tins of various flavours to prove it) so I was very excited when I heard that La Petite Fleur would be bringing in Tealish to the store. Based locally in Ontario, not only does Tealish turn up the design factor on their tea packaging, but they focus on the health benefits of the different flavours of tea. Check out the tea below as well as some accessories for enhancing your tea-drinking experience!

PS: I have Toasty Almond which smells like fresh baked goods right out of the oven!

Our Picks - from the Uxbridge Public Library

Have you been in to the Uxbridge Public Library lately? You may be familiar with the vast selection of fiction reads for both children and adults, but there is also a diverse collection of non-fiction books. Check out a few of our favourites below!

Signs of Spring {From the Shops of Uxbridge}

With all this warm weather and spring just around the corner, your local stores have brought in lots of colourful spring products to get you in the mood for the season. Check out some of our favourites below!

[Elemi Organics, On the Lamb, Rutledge Jewellers, Blue Heron Books, Little Acorn, La Petite Fleur, Presents, Presents, Presents]

Should your business be into Pinterest?

Want to be ahead of the curve when it comes to social media? If your business does anything visually related, get signed up with Pinterest.

How does it work?


Firstly, you have to either request an invitation or be invited by a friend who already has a Pinterest account but it it free. Once you have your own login, you can add the 'Pin It' button to the bookmarks bar of your web browser. Now you are ready to begin 'pinning' to your account!

While you are browsing the web, look for images that inspire you or you think your customers will find inspiring. When you see a web page with an image you want to pin, click the 'Pin It' button on your bookmarks bar.

A new page will load with all the images on that page placed side-by-side.

When you roll over the image you want to 'Pin' you will see 'Pin it' appear over top. Click your image.

Click on your image and it will load with a drop-down option to choose your Pinboard. (You have the option to create new Pinboards here at this stage too) And you also write a description underneath of the image. 

When you are done, click 'Pin It' and you will have added that image to your board. The next page that loads will give you the option to share your pin on Facebook, Twitter etc. 

Where does it go and how do I find it?

If you visit www.pinterest.com and login, you will see all of your boards and pins. The best thing about Pinterest is that when you click the image, it takes you to the website from where you pinned it. This means that you can pin images from recipes, craft techniques, knitting patterns - pretty much anything! 

How does this effect my business?

Use Pinterest to make note of things you find on the web quickly and easily. It creates a virtual online sketchbook in an organized way. Use Pinterest to bookmark trends within your industry, window display ideas, or advertising concepts you may want to try. Instead of having to bookmark something and then sort through hundreds of bookmarks later, Pinterest gives you a visual reference accessible from any computer. 

Connect with your customers by becoming a visual resource for their needs. Is your business involved in home decorations and accessories? Create relevant Pinboards for your customers to follow to stay on top of trends. Chances are that if you find it inspiring, so will your customers. 

What can I do with this?

Try to add a button to your website that says "Follow me on Pinterest" to encourage site visitors to follow your pins. Follow the pins of other local businesses. Pins posted by people you follow will show up on your Pinterest main page and you can also 'Explore' by changing the category at the top of the page.

Check it out and have fun! And if you're looking for someone to follow,

Cheers!

Caitlin

New sketchbook/notebook

For those of you who I visit regularly to brainstorm new ideas and advertising concepts with, you always see me with my blue notebook. I take down notes, sketch out ideas and develop concepts in this book. I have had many past notebooks of various shapes and sizes, but this blue one has definitely been a favourite. It is the perfect size and has graph paper on the inside with a margin and a title space at the top.

A few days ago I came to the realization that I only have a few precious pages left and will therefore need a new one! I began to search to find this same book and without any luck I started to panic a little. Luckily a short while later I found a new book that has a similar format of graph paper and a strong binding that can be folded open easily with breaking. Bonus: the outside is covered in Pantone chips! Let the brainstorming continue!

Mini Entrepreneurs

It always warms my heart when I hear about kids who are already at a young age showing interest in running their own business. For a client of mine it was her nieces who said that they wanted to operate a lemonade stand and a cupcake bakery. What would an aunt do? Well in this case she tapped my expertise to create two logos for these upcoming entrepreneurs and then gave them some tools to get the businesses rolling! Check out the logos below and if you happen to come across any young people with entrepreneurial aspirations, give them a big congratulations for they will be the movers and shakers of tomorrow!