Package Your Creations and Gifts in Custom Boxes

Thanks to on-demand digital printing, you have the power to convert your art, photographs, and designs into all types of  marketable gifts, decor items, apparel, and fashion accessories. Plus, you can sell or ship your creations in custom boxes that are just as distinctive as your merchandise.

Custom boxes from buyboxes.com

One of the newest custom box printing services is Buyboxes.com. Operating as an independent company, Buyboxes.com has the full support and resources of its parent company Rand-Whitney. Based in Worcester, Massachusetts, Rand-Whitney is the largest independent packaging company in the Northeast. They offer more than 75 years of knowledge and expertise from the world of high-volume packaging.

Some of the benefits of ordering from Buyboxes.com include: zero set-up costs, no minimum order, and quick turnaround.

You can start with a single customized shipping box, mailing box, or gift box. As demand for your products grow, you can order quantities of tens, hundreds, or thousands of boxes as needed.

You can use the online design tool to create your own designs or enlist the support of an experienced team of packaging designers and structural engineers.

Buyboxes.com logo

With the online design tool, you choose a box style, decorate it with your logo, text, custom colors, and artwork. The experts at Buyboxes.com will check your final design, make sure everything looks good, and send you a proof for approval.

Boxes are printed on kraft or white corrugated or white paperboard.

For quality color reproduction on a variety of substrates, the company’s state-of-the-art digital printing system uses 6 colors of UV-curable inks (CMYK plus Light Cyan, Light Magenta, and White) and prints images with a resolution of up to 1000 dpi on media up to 126-inches wide.

An on-site team of skilled packaging engineers and designers can help you with any questions or unique package designs you might need.

“We do way more than just basic box styles,” says Stephanie Shamy of BuyBoxes.com “Our dedicated team of graphic designers can help create eye-catching artwork. We want to help you showcase what makes your products so special.”

Other services include structural design, packaging audits and consults, and kitting and fulfillment. Buyboxes.com can assemble your packaging and pack it with your product to be delivered to distribution centers or directly to your customers.

Project managers with years of retail packaging and marketing experience can provide one-on-one consults when you are ready to take your packaging to the next level.

“We are a group of creative-minded packaging professionals looking to change the way you package what matters to you,” said Shamy. “We have a passion for driving the new, the innovative, and the unexpected into the hands of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and everyday people who want a unique way to package their creations.”

Custom packaging isn’t just for products. You can create attractive, memorable packaging for events and award programs, product prototypes, promotional mailings, weddings, birthdays, and holiday gifts.

Salary Guide for Creative Pros Shows 2018 Ranges for More than 80 Jobs

Whether you are looking for a job or recruiting creative employees for your firm, you will find useful information about starting salary ranges in the 2018 Salary Guide for creative pros published by The Creative Group, a Robert Half Company.

The Creative Group 2018 Salary GuideSalaries grouped into 5 categories, including Digital Design and Production, Content Development and Management, Advertising and Marketing, Agency or Corporate, and Public Relations.

Specific jobs include: graphic designers, creative services managers, studio managers, 3D animators, 3D modelers, multimedia designers, package designers, illustrator/infographics designers, photographers, video editors, instructional systems designers, copywriters, technical writers, web content managers, MarCom managers, SEO/SEM specialists, social media managers, event/trade show managers, and public relations specialists.

Salaries are presented in percentiles (25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th). These low, mid-point, and upper salary ranges reflect factors such as the candidate’s experience level and skills and the complexity of the job duties.

You can use an online salary calculator to customize the salary ranges in the guide for nearly 135 cities in the U.S. and Canada.

The 2018 Salary Guide guide also includes data on benefits, incentives, and perks.

Hiring Trends

Here are a few of the trends identified in the guide:

Demand remains strong for skilled professionals in creative fields. Companies must work harder to attract and retain the best people. Companies the want to hire employees who can perform multiple types of jobs must be ready to offer more if they identify candidates who bring a lot to the table.

Many hiring managers are taking a closer look at “soft skills” such as communication, collaboration, and flexibility. While hard skills can be taught, soft skills are more difficult to develop and may play a greater role in determining who might be the best fir for the work environment.

Companies should speed up the recruitment process. Nearly seven in 10 job seekers surveyed by Robert Half said they lose interest in a firm if they don’t hear back within two weeks after an initial interview.

Hot Jobs

According to guide, companies are increasingly using data to drive business decisions and marketing strategy. They are seeking individuals who can help develop and run campaigns, analyze performance, and identify growth opportunities. Some of the hot jobs in the United States include:

  • Content strategist
  • Digital marketing manager
  • Digital project manager
  • Digital strategist
  • Marketing analytics manager
  • Marketing automation manager
  • Product designer
  • User experience design
  • User experience researcher

According to research by The Creative Group, more than two-thirds of advertising and marketing teams said their teams collaborate closely with IT professionals.

Consider More Than Compensation

“Salary is still king, but professionals are paying more attention to other factors that can affect their quality of life,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director for Robert Half. He said job seekers are taking an increasingly holistic view when assessing whether to accept a job offer.

“Highly skilled professionals want assurance that the company will invest in their careers and help them keep their skills current,” McDonald added. “This is especially true in industries that are changing rapidly, like technology and finance.”

Robert Half advises employers to highlight five key elements when recruiting:

  • Compensation, including benefits, incentives, and perks
  • Corporate culture
  • Career path
  • Cost of living
  • Commute

Hiring managers should expect recruits to ask questions such as:

  • How often do employees refer their friends to open jobs within the company?
  • Is promoting from within the exception or the rule?
  • Are there several potential career paths or is there just one traditional ladder?
  • Does the company offer flexible work schedules, telecommuting options, or commuting benefits?

About The Creative Group

The Creative Group, a division of Robert Half, is a resource for creative and marketing talent on a freelance, direct-placement, consulting, and project basis. The information in the 2018 Salary Guide is based on average starting salaries from thousands of actual job placements from the previous year.

ThePaperWorker.com Helps Artrepreneurs Make Memorable Impressions

Building an identity for yourself as an artist, designer, author, or photographer is a challenge. Not only are you judged by the creativity and originality of your work, but you may also be judged by how creatively and professionally you present yourself.

Whenever you interact with fans and customers online (through your website, blog, and social media) and in real life (at art fairs, book signings, or photo exhibitions), every interaction adds up to make a memorable impression. (Marketers call these interactions ‘touchpoints.’)

How you package your products also speaks volumes about your commitment to your craft. Is your packaging bland, boring, and cheap-looking? Or do customers feel like they are receiving a wonderful gift to themselves when they receive a box in the mail from you.

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One company that can help you make a consistently first-class impression is ThePaperWorker.com.

Through ThePaperWorker.com, you can use online templates and digital design tools to order as many boxes as need, whether it’s 5, 10, 20, or 100, or anywhere in between. At the same time, you can order presentation folders, tabletop display signs, or banners that you can take with you to events where you will be selling your works in person.

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“Our packaging has detail and dimension, we have created ways to make the process easy and straightforward for our customers, regardless of their knowledge of custom packaging,” said Todd Anson, president of ThePaperWorker.com “Pricing is broken down simply by quantity, product descriptions are detailed, templates are provided in PDF/EPS formats, and 3D PDFs are available to view on every product.”

If you prefer to have an experienced package designer create your packaging graphics or review the designs you have uploaded, you can request those services on ThePaperWorker.com website.

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If you deliver files on DVDs or thumb drives, you can create presentation materials that remind clients of why they should continue to work with you.

Expertise from The Colad Group

All of the products available through ThePaperWorker.com reflect the deep expertise of The Colad Group, a company that has been developing custom presentation materials and packaging for more than 60 years.

Until five or six years ago, The Colad Group could only serve customers who needed at least 250 boxes. That’s because their printing processes required making plates for each color of ink and dies for cutting and scoring the box designs on a die-cutting press.

Digital printing and cutting technology has changed all that. Orders submitted through ThePaperWorker.com are produced on automated digital presses and finishing equipment. Full-color photographic images can easily be printed on the boxes without the extra time and costs associated traditional offset printing.

For more information about the benefits of custom packaging, see the infographic posted on The Colad Group blog.

More about The Colad Group’s commitment to using and recycling environmentally friendly packaging materials, is available on their website.

 

2017 Salary Guide Lists Ranges for 120 Creative and Marketing Jobs

According to The Creative Group 2017 Salary Guide, starting compensation for creative professionals is expected to increase 3.6 percent in 2017. In-demand positions such as user experience and mobile designers are likely to see even bigger gains.

The 9 creative and marketing professionals listed below will be in the greatest demand and shortest supply in 2017. Compared to 2016 salary ranges, their starting compensation is expected to be higher than the 3.6 percent average received by all 120 positions covered in the Salary Guide.

  • Front-End Web Developer (1-3 years’ experience): 7.2%
  • Mobile Designer: 6.8%
  • User Experience (UX) Designer (3-5 years’ experience): 6.1%
  • Content Strategist: 5.4%
  • Visual Designer: 5.3%
  • Project Manager: 4.6%
  • Digital Strategist: 4.5%
  • Interactive/Web Copywriter (1-5 years’ experience): 4.4%
  • Marcom Manager (5+ years’ experience): 4.2%

Setting the Right Salary Matters

“Hiring creative talent is getting increasingly harder as demand remains strong and unemployment rates in the industry continue to trend below the average,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. “Since it’s a candidate’s market, employers must step up their recruitment efforts to secure the talent they seek.”

When The Creative Group surveyed 400 marketing and advertising executives about their biggest recruiting challenges, compensation ranked high on the list. When the executives were asked to name the most common reason candidates turn down job offers, 27 percent said it’s because the compensation and benefits were lower than the candidate expected.

“Salary may not be the only consideration for job seekers, but companies that aren’t paying competitively stand little chance of attracting and landing highly skilled candidates,” said Domeyer.

Top 4 Hiring Trends

The Creative Group 2017 Salary Guide highlighted four key trends that hiring managers should consider.

Timing is everything. Because top candidates often receive multiple offers, organizations should move quickly. When faced with a lengthy hiring process, 39% of candidates lose interest or pursue other opportunities.

Skilled talent is in short supply. The unemployment rates for specialized positions are typically lower than the national rate.

Education is essential. More than 95 percent of jobs created during the recovery have gone to individuals with some college education.

Temporary is becoming permanent. Firms are bringing in freelancers instead of letting jobs sit vacant. This gives employers more time to recruit or determine if the temporary project professional is the right fit for a full-time role.

“Creatives with skills outside their specialty are highly marketable. In addition, digital proficiency is becoming a prerequisite for many traditional roles. For example, graphic designers need to be familiar with web layouts or social media and copywriters must have knowledge of search engine optimization.”

About the Guide

Whether you are a job-seeker or employer, The Creative Group 2017 Salary Guide can be a useful tool. It features starting salary ranges for more than 120 positions in the creative field. Positions are grouped in five categories.

Design and Production positions include creative director, creative services manager, art director, production manager, studio manager, traffic manager, illustrator, graphic designer, package designer, 3D animator, multimedia designers, presentation specialist, and production artist.
Interactive Design and Production jobs include interactive creative director, interaction designer, visual designer, user experience director, user experience specialist, user experience researcher, web designer, email designer, HTML developer, front-end web developer, interactive producer, web production artist, motion designer, video producer, video editor, mobile designer, and mobile developer.

Content Development and Management jobs include copywriter, proposal writer, curriculum developer/writer, instructional systems designer, interactive/web copywriter, blogger, copy editor, proofreader, content manager, content marketing manager, and content strategist.

Advertising and Marketing positions include chief marketing officer, marketing director, marketing communications manager, business development manager, creative director, account director, account executive, account coordinator, account planner/strategist, digital strategist, event/trade-show coordinator, social media manager, SEO specialist, email marketing specialist, marketing analytics specialist, and market researchers.

Public Relations jobs include account manager/supervisor, senior account executive, account coordinator, public relations director, and public relations specialist.

The salary data included in the guide comes primarily from The Creative Group’s North American staffing and recruiting professionals. They make thousands of full-time, temporary, and project placements each year.

The ranges published in the guide represent national averages but can be adjusted for local markets by using local variance numbers included in the guide. For example, a starting salary in Los Angeles might be 130 percent of the national average whereas a starting salary in Sioux City, Iowa might be 85 percent of the national average.

The Creative Group is a division of Robert Half, the world’s largest specialized staffing firm. The Creative Group connects companies with highly skilled interactive design, marketing, advertising, and public relations talent. The Creative Group provides flexible staffing solutions by placing candidates on a project, contract-to-hire, or full-time basis.

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Visual Design Pros Will Find Inspiration at HOW Design Live

Visual design professionals must keep pace with the multitude of changes in technologies, trends, and ideas that are affecting how we work, shop, and live. Because employers and clients expect designers to continually deliver fresh ideas and solutions, the HOW Design Live Conference for visual design professionals has updated the scope and content of its educational programs.

The 2016 HOW Design Live Conference is scheduled for May 19-23 at the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta. The conference program will bring together creators from design, art, culture, tech, and business to share their stories and accomplishments.

HOW Design Live Logo

“How Design Live is a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of inspiring speakers — an unbelievable line-up of luminaries,” said Gary Lynch, HOW Design Group Show Director. “Many have referred to the event as the TED of the design and creative community. It’s the best platform for professionals to gather an incredible amount of design inspiration and creative wisdom ”

Six program tracks enable creatives to discover new ways of thinking about their careers and insights into how design influences business strategies. The six program tracks include:

  • Design and Creativity
  • In-house Management
  • Vision and Leadership
  • Branding and Packaging
  • The Creative Entrepreneur
  • Interactive Design
  • Tools and Resources

Some presentations will give you a glimpse into technologies that can affect your work

Sci-Fi Meets Reality: The Future of Design
In a mind-bending keynote presentation, futurist Amy Webb will show how technology and design will soon begin to intersect in weird and wonderful ways. She will explain how algorithms are being used to design products, communities, and experiences. Webb will challenge designers to think hard about what to do now to prepare.

Other technology-related sessions will cover real-time data-driven design, designing for 3D, design challenges for a global audience, cinematic techniques for user-experience design, principles of motion design, and tools for taming the workflow beast.

Some sessions address the fact that many creative professionals want to do side projects that will may lead to new business opportunities or personal fulfillment.

Excuses Holding Entrepreneurs Back
Mona Patel, author of the bestselling book “Reframe: Shift the Way You Work, Innovate and Think,” will talk about four “excuse personas” that cause people to hesitate from pursuing ideas for new businesses.

Just Shoot It: Photos and Videos for Personal and Professional Creative Projects
In this 2-hour, hands-on workshop, designer and author Jim Krause will show how to use your designer’s eye and creative brain to come up with compelling images. Whether you use a pocket digital camera, a DSLR, or a smartphone camera, you can create images that look good enough for professional assignments or personal projects.

Licensing Know-How: Creative New Revenue Streams from Art + Design
The licensing industry generates $158.8 billion a year in worldwide retail sales. In this class, J’net Smith will detail how licensing works and  provide tips for recognizing  potential opportunities to license your art and designs in the marketplace.

Ignite Your Passion Project: A Side-Gig Seminar and Connecting Event
If there’s something you’re burning to create, but feel stuck in getting it started, this evening event might fire up your motivation Conference attendees and presenters will talk about how they have fostered successful side gigs, fulfilled their creative urges, and launched new businesses.

A full list of speakers and sessions can be found at www.howdesignlive.com. Early-bird registration rates are available until April 1, 2016

Expert Contends 3D Printing Will Rock the World

3DPrintingBook-Hornick3D printing is poised to revolutionize manufacturing and product design just as on-demand television has revolutionized the media industry.

In his new book, “3D Printing Will Rock the World,” intellectual property lawyer John Hornick explains why manufacturing on-demand is right around the corner. He believes the 3D printer may be the most powerful machine ever invented, and is on track to radically transform the planet.

“With the industrial revolution, people became buyers, not makers,” says Hornick. “But we are makers at heart. 3D printers enable us to become makers again. 3D printing will enable designers to create products that never existed before, revolutionize products, and democratize manufacturing.

The book discusses existing printing technology and ongoing materials research. It also provides dozens of real-life examples of how the technology will affect industries and consumers. Hornick believes 3D printing is already transforming our world in ways we never thought possible, creating artificial limbs, human tissue, and possibly human hearts.

In the book he explains:

  • how 3D printing will revolutionize product design, blurring the lines between manufacturing and customers
  • why companies will be forced to adapt their business models
  • how 3D printing may make the concept of a “genuine” product meaningless
  • the dark side of 3D printing, including its interplay with laws, crime, and national security

Ultimately Hornick concludes that mass production could be replaced by production by the masses, merging science and nature to create products that look more like they were grown than built.

3D printing will reinvent design because product designs will no longer need to be broken into multiple parts because of manufacturing constraints. As an example, the book notes that “Traditional manufacturing makes us use quarter-inch drills to bore quarter-inch holes, and designers and engineers design products accordingly. In a 3D-printing-enabled world, such constraints no longer exist. Designers simply specify a hole’s location; no tool is needed to drill it.”

“Designers can immerse themselves in the creative process because they can 3D print prototypes immediately,” explains Hornick. “The monotony of mass-produced designs can be replaced with mass-customized and mass-personalized designs.”

“As you read this book, think about the implications of 3D printing for your life, your job, your company, your country, and the world,” says Hornick. “Think about things you may never have dreamed of. Think outside the box.”

About the Author

John Hornick has more than 30 years of experience as a counselor and litigator at the Finnegan IP law firm, one of the largest IP firms in the world. As the founder of Finnegan’s 3D Printing Working Group, Hornick frequently speaks and writes on 3D printing. As the only IP attorney selected by the U.S. Comptroller General Forum on Additive Manufacturing, he is also a juror for the International Additive Manufacturing Award.

E-commerce Site Helps Local Businesses Reach More Buyers

Scott’s Marketplace is an e-commerce website that connects online shoppers with local store owners across the United States. Launched by small business owner Scott Curry in 2014, Scott’s Marketplace is transforming what it means to “shop local.”

Scott’s Marketplace has the potential to fuel local economies across the nation, keep hard-working local entrepreneurs in business, and make shopping local more accessible on a regular basis for all.

Scotts Marketplace

Through the interactive e-commerce marketplace, shoppers from all 50 states can buy unique products from owners of local and independent businesses throughout the United States.

Chains, big-box stores, and franchises are not allowed to sell on the site. Products available through the online stores include clothes, beauty, accessories, home décor, jewelry, pets, sports and leisure, and specialty foods.

“The goal of Scott’s Marketplace is to change the mindset of what it means to ‘shop local.’ With our platform, it is more convenient than ever to support local business owners, not only in your own hometown, but across the United States,” explains Scott Curry. “Helping consumers find their favorite local stores online, and seeing local stores increase their sales has been a great accomplishment.”

With no membership or per-item listing fees, there is no risk for sellers who open an online store at Scott’s Marketplace. When an item sells, there is a 4.99% transaction fee.

To enable sellers to increase sales without decreasing profits, Scott’s Marketplace provides sellers with extensive marketing support at no extra cost. According to one store owner, “I have sold more products on Scott’s Marketplace in six months than I have in three years on Etsy.”

You don’t have to operate a brick-and-mortar store to open a store on Scott’s Marketplace. The marketplace is also open to owners of home-based or hobby-based businesses, and local online retailers,