Cooperative Extension Marketing
Tips on Creating Documents
Photography
Using photography in a newsletter, news column or web page requires
knowledge about image creation and image files.
If you need photos of Roundup or award events, go to the
photography web page to download images or contact the AgComm photographers.
If you have specific needs for photos, contact the photographers. They have a large archive of stock photos available.
Digital Image and Electronic Files
The quality of a digital image, whether printed or displayed on
a screen, depends in part on the number of pixels used to create
the image (resolution). Printer resolutions are usually specified
by the number of dots per inch (dpi) that they print. Printer resolution
is specified by the number of dots per inch (dpi) that prints. (Generally
pixels per inch refer to the image and display screen and dots per
inch refer to the printer and printed image. Monitors use an average
of 72 ppi (low-resolution) to display text and images, ink-jet printers
range up to 1700 dpi or so, and commercial typesetting machines
range between 1,000 and 2,400 dpi.
Tips on Writing
Before you write, ask yourself:
- What is the purpose?
- Who are my audiences?
- What do my audiences expect from my writing?
When you write:
- Write the way you talk.
- Use personal words—you, your, our, I, we, and us.
- Use contractions—I’ll, you’ll, isn’t,
can’t and it’s.
- Delete unnecessary words.
- Write short.
- Rewrite.
- Explain unfamiliar words.
- Add a little humor if it's appropriate.
- Cover one subject in depth or several topics more generally.
- Keep stories short, about four or five paragraphs.
Where to Find Story Ideas
- Listen to what people are talking about in the grocery store,
and in farmer, homemaker, and 4-H meetings.
- Keep a file of questions people ask you. If one person has a
question, other people probably have the same one—that may
be a story idea.
- Look at your everyday life. What are you, your family, and friends
doing this time of year?
- Newsletter Column Header Template
Tips on Design
If you are new at creating a publication, start by learning Microsoft
Publisher. This software has templates for brochures, invitations
and other formats.
For more information on training in software:
Executrain Virtual Campus
The EVC gives both Windows and Macintosh users online access to training, resources, and certification at anytime and anywhere.
This includes:
Self-paced courses, instructor-assisted training, reference sources, online books, and message boards. In addition to
Brainbench.com exams specializing in certification and skills assessment.
Tips on Printing
The Publishing and Marketing Resources Web site has templates for many documents with the official Extension and college logos already placed correctly. Whenever you need a letter, newsletter, envelope, enclosure etc., the templates are already created for you on this site.
The convenience of the templates allows you to print from your desktop, or send the document electronically.
How to proof a publication
from a vendor.
