We’ve been bringing new products to market since 2002, and recently started developing and manufacturing our own products as well. But how we engage in the process of deciding what to bring into the South African creative space is what we really want to share. So here goes:

Packaging

One of the first things we look for in any product is “packaging”. The refers to design aesthetics, how components ft together, what the finished product looks like and the impression you get the first time you see it. In a nutshell we look at it’s outward image. Whilst image is not everything on the supply curve of the business, it’s everything on the demand curve. Customers will see your product long before they even realise they need it, and by the time they really need it.. they’ll come and but the “pretty” one they remember YOU were selling.

Value

This is VERY important to many customers. They are – and you always need to remember this – not buying a product from you. They buy a solution, ie. something that adds value to either their professional or personal endeavours. People have the tendency to think of themselves first, so the question that automatically pops up when you present your product is: “How will the product benefit ME”? Customers do not buy food from take-aways; they buy a full stomach. The buy the quenching of thirst when they reach for a cooldrink. So always find the products that presents the most in value not the lowest in price or highest in margin.

User experience

Equally important as value is the way your product engages its user, or how the user gets to engage with the product – whichever is more important to you. The product must be easy to interact with, easy to figure out and easy to learn to use initially. An example of this that I could never understand is why Aldus Corporation never had a font preview in their groundbreaking Pagemaker software. Around 1995 Pagemaker was more preferred than any other software for multi-page publication layout, ad if you were using a range of fonts then you had to know your fonts by name. The software did not have the functionality to show you a preview of what your selected fonts looked like. Pagemaker was then taken over by Adobe Systems but the font preview was still absent despite a more visionary company having taken over the license to develop the software. This has been to the detriment of Pagemaker (now Adobe InDesign) and the benefit of CorelDraw. CorelDraw also has a very gentle learning curve, so very little to no training is really necessary to use it. In fact CorelDraw epitomises user-friendliness. The easier a customer can learn to use your product and teach others to do so as well, the better that product will sell.

More one“Bringing new products to market” in the next post..

Since we started selling the CorelDraw Graphics Suite, we have also been keeping in touch with the customers that purchased the box sets to ensure that the software works for them; to the extent that we’ve made our sales and marketing personnel available to help customers with anything they need to do in Coreldraw. In addition our sales personnel have been making notes of the challenges that most customers have with using CorelDraw and have been feeding that information to the marketing department . After selling Coreldraw for a full year, we collated the information gathered over that period and drew the conclusion that most owners of the CorelDraw Graphics Suite have 2 problems in common:

• They run out of hard-drive space quickly because they store all the Corel clipart and their designs on their hard-drives for easy access.
• They struggle to either find proper graphics; or vectorise and redraw downloaded and scanned graphics for use in their design work.

As a solution and to prevent our future buyers of the CorelDraw software from experiencing the same challenges, we have made a package deal available for signage & graphics professionals. From 7 December 2009 until 31 January 2010 all buyers of the Coreldraw Graphics Suite X4 will get either a Buffalo Ministation Lite 320GB External Hard Drive or a Wacom A6 Bamboo Pen Tablet for FREE!

CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite X4 lets you tackle creative graphics and design projects with confidence. It has precision tools, market-leading file compatibility and high-quality content that helps you turn your creative ideas into professional results: from distinctive logos and signs, to striking marketing materials and eye-catching web graphics.

The MiniStation Lite Portable USB 2.0 320GB Hard Drive is a compact, lightweight and portable storage solution. Store, back-up and transport digital images, music and other files without taking up space on your PC’s hard drive. It comes in 3 colours to match your personal style, Crystal Black and Pearl White. Its Memeo™ AutoSync software automatically syncs your MiniStation with your PC or Mac, ensuring your back-up files are always kept up to date.

The Bamboo Pen A6 Tablet has a pen that turns your computer into the ultimate editing tool and gives you the ability to paint, draw, edit, and personalize your documents with handwritten notes, sketches, and doodles. The ergonomically-designed pen fits comfortably in your hand, and the tablet’s textured work surface makes you feel like you’re working with a pen on paper.

Whether your challenge is STORE or DRAW, the solution is HERE – NOW.

This offer is valid from Sytech Supplies from 7 December 2009 until 31 January 2010 or While stocks last.

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As a premier supplier to the signage and graphics industry, and supplier of CorelDraw Graphics Suite to the South African signage industry, we are proud to now bring you CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Small Business Edition.

This new, price-enhanced, more-for-less package deal delivers a substantial cost-saving of up to 55% to the small business owner. This release of this version of CorelDraw provides small businesses and start-ups with unbeatable value, allowing them to install the software on three individual computers as well as providing everything they need to create professional graphics and materials.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Small Business Edition equips businesses with the tools they need to thrive in challenging economic times, such as:

• Tools that make it easier and quicker than ever to deliver creative projects without having to spend money on external agencies; from distinctive logos and signs, to striking marketing materials, letterheads, business cards and eye-catching graphics.
• Ideal for businesses with multiple users of graphics and design software, the three licenses in one box deal offers unrivalled value for small businesses and start-ups that need to market and develop their business offering affordably and professionally. This could even be good for creative partnerships that work from 3 different locations.
• Market-leading file compatibility makes collaboration easy, whilst new high-quality content and tutorials make the journey to professional graphics illustration, layout and digital image editing quick, easy and effective.
• Great upgrade opportunity for businesses who want to offer a competitive edge with speed, quality and compatibility. Remaining loyal to our current users is vital to Corel and this new version offers companies such as small design agency running previous version to upgrade, providing them a cost saving three installations for the price of one.

Each copy contains
- CorelDRAW X4,
– Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4,
– Corel PowerTRACE X4,
– Corel CAPTURE X4, printed documentation,
- 10,000 high-quality clipart images,
– 1,000 high-resolution digital images,
– 80 professionally designed templates, and over 1,000 OpenType and international fonts including 75 Windows Glyph List 4 (WGL4) fonts.

With CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Small Business Edition, users can install the suite on up to three individual systems. To deploy it across a network, businesses must purchase corporate licences.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Small Business Edition is available in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Czech and Polish and is on sale now at Sytech Supplies.

The new improved design of the Craftrobo gives it a 15 % reduction in weight. The NEW CC330-20 Craft Robo has all the features of its predecessor the CC220-20 but also comes with an Auto Feed System and an SD Card Reader.

The Craft Robo is simple to use and it’s unique cutting tools ensures your fingers stay safe, and its coloured tip system makes changing the cutting depth easy. Cutting onto the patented carrier sheet allows you to die-cut shapes out of diverse materials. You can cut sign vinyl, Cad-Cut PVC thermo-weldables, adhesive sheets, card, paper and many other types of media.

The new Craft Robo now comes with an auto-feed function, just line the paper up and press the feed button. This helps with accurate loading for printer registration mark recognition. The Robo Master software is so easy to use, making most intricate shapes is simple to cut. The unit features an SD card reader which allows you to save your designs on your SD card and then select them directly using the LCD menu screen on the Craft Robo, ideal if you take your Craft Robo away from your computer.

It has an A4 cutting area for cutting printed material and you can cut up to 1000mm long without the cutting mat. The Craft Robo has an Optical Eye to read printer registration marks. This means you can print a graphic from any printer, insert the print out into your Craft Robo and then cut any shape.

The Robo Master Software is very easy to use. You can draw, type text, create shapes and import graphics.
The Craft Robo not only cuts but it can also perforate to create Pop-Up Greeting Cards, and crease lines for making favour and gift boxes. With the Craft Robo, you can let you imagination run wild! The unit enables Computerised Die Cutting of paper, card or vinyl, perforated cutting for fold lines.
Not only do you get the Robo Master software the Craft Robo also includes plug in software for Adobe Illustrator and importing of CorelDraw files.

The Craftrobo cuts printed images on alignment of printed material, which is automatically done using the registration mark sensor. It easily cuts the outline of printed material precisely.
The included tutorial kit includes sample media, a tutorial booklet and a number of templates. Everything you need is in the box.

The cutting force on the new Craft Robo has been increased by 50% from 150g to 230g, enabling you to cut a wider range of materials. The machine supports 11 languages for the Plug-in Driver and 5 local languages for the ROBO Controller.

To secure your Craft Robo CC330-20 call us now on 0861 SYTECH or email us on info@sytechsupplies.com.com today!