No amount of Jargon-free sales pitches will ever truly get across the benefits of working with Zako Media. But for a REALLY dumbed down version. I turn to my old friend XKCD who help keep me sane in times of computer trouble, car trouble, dog trouble… well general problems:

 

Well it’s happened again and inspired me to write a short blog. Digital photographs (including scanned, downloaded, stolen from Google images and digital cameras) are known as bitmaps. ANY TIME a photograph or video (different to some line drawings, see later) reaches the computer screen, it is converted to a bitmap (if it wasn’t one already). A bitmap is a grid with a finite number of pixels (digital cameras are measured in Megapixels (10M, 5M etc.), computer screens are also, 1024×768 etc), each pixel is assigned a colour. When these tiny pixels are zoomed out, shrunk down to individual points, the squares appear invisible and we see a complete photograph of a tree/landscape/dog/your mum.

When we zoom into the bitmap, these squares will become larger and detail in the photograph is lost. There is no way to magically split a pixel out into it’s composite parts, it is a single colour and nothing more, the information isn’t there to enhance! A low quality image or video will ALWAYS BE a low quality image or video.

I can’t blame you for thinking it is possible. I mean Hollywood shows this happening all the time, but it is physically impossible with today’s technology. Even future technology will not be able to improve photographs and videos created with the old technology. It’s IMPOSSIBLE.

Scan back to the start of the film… enhance the image. See the guy in the blue coat on the floor in the reflection of the computer screen. Enhance it, turn him round and lift him up so we can work out how tall he is. Look, can you see what he ate for Breakfast? Check his stomach contents, looks like it came from McDonalds on Regent Street at 11:02-11:04am this morning, lets go speak to Magda who served him to get an ID.

It’s just NOT possible!

The exception comes with some digital line drawings (with or without colour) but not all. The rule of thumb is, unless a graphic designer has issued you with a vector format file (Illustrator, Fireworks, Some PDFs etc.) then it’s probably not high enough quality to enlarge or print in high quality. Most images from your old website will be shrunk to just the right size for the screen, generally these can not be enlarged, printed for publication or improved upon, including logos. These would need to be retaken, redrawn or the original obtained.

Tomorrow’s blog: Time Travel – why a new website and graphics cannot be designed, built and tested before last week.

On the twelfth day of christmas my true love gave to me

• twelve PEOPLE  TYPING
• eleven LUCKY LEADS
• ten BUYERS BUYING
• nine PAYPAL PAYMENTS
• eight EMAIL ERRORS
• seven SURFERS SURFING
• six ADWORD VOUCHERS
  *** [with gusto]
• FIVE THOU-SAND HITS
• four SUPPORT REQUESTS
• three COMPLAINTS
• two NEW CLIENTS
• and a CARTRIDGE IN THE PRINTER

Merry Christmas one and all*

*If you don’t celebrate Christmas, have a nice few free days off work celebrating nothing in particular while enjoying random old films on TV… which I hasten to add tend to be black and white, low quality at a silly frame rate. I hope you enjoy that beautiful HD TV which as it turns out is a complete waste of money! Next time you WILL celebrate Christmas… it takes our mind off the TV and gives us a great opportunity to tell our family members what we really think about their new girlfriend/hairstyle/tattoo/dress sense/sexuality.

I get asked this time and time again. Most people I meet start out wanting a non-geographic number as they feel an 0845 or even an 0800 number looks more professional. This is not always a good thing but does have it’s place.

For local businesses, a local number is always best as you demonstrate instantly that you’re in your target market’s area code. A mobile number can work depending on the type of business but usually best avoided for initial advertising as it suggests you’re on your own and rarely in.

If you deal with small businesses, they tend to call from mobiles due to very good mobile packages with included minutes. Most mobiles are charged for 0800 numbers and most 0845 calls are outside their allowance. A local number however is included no matter where you are in the country. If you’re marketing to the whole country, presumably locality doesn’t matter anyway and potential clients shouldn’t be put off by the fact that you’re based many miles away.

If you deal internationally, the 0845 may not work and the 0800 will not be free (yet you will still be charged for receiving). A local number is still best.

If you are a B2C however and tend not to work with other businesses, an 0800 can get good results. Many consumers still rely on mobile so offering a local number as an alternative on your contact page might help capture those people. Other NGN’s can also work depending on the type of business but with scams appearing left right and centre, any variation of 0845 and even 0845 can lead to a lack of trust. I would advise offering a local number as an alternative on your contact page.

Mostly it’s all pennies when it comes to calling various numbers, but these pennies can make a huge difference as to who calls you.

A mobile number suggests solitary worker, hard to get hold of and never in the ‘office’. If I get through, I know I’ll be able to speak straight to the person I want.

An 0800 number suggests a solid call centre. Free to call from landlines but I wouldn’t want to call when out and about as it will cost me. Might be difficult to speak to a specific person. Not sure where they’re located so can’t pre-think a meeting request. Might have to sit through automated services.

An 0845 number suggests a solid call centre. Will cost me every time I call, might be difficult to speak to someone specifically. Not sure where they’re located so can’t pre-think a meeting request. Might have to sit through automated services.

A landline number (locally) suggests a solid office. Free from my mobile, the person I want to speak to is probably near the phone. Handy as their office is just down the road so before calling, I’ll get a list of dates and times we could meet.

A landline number (non local) suggests a solid office. I know where they are, I may not be able to meet them but I know this before calling. The person I want to speak to is probably near the phone.

As a side point: When printing business cards with your name, ALWAYS include a direct line or mobile, a direct email address and optionally twitter, linkedin, ecademy links.

It’s finally here! Zako Media is shortly moving to South Wales. We will continue normal operations, existing websites will remain unaffected and we will be more contactable.

Why is Zako Media moving to Swansea?

We’re currently based near London and so paying what I like to call ‘London Tax’ which is basically artificially raised prices of transport, accommodation, office rent and staff. Our clients are based worldwide so we can’t fairly pass this London Tax on. Moving our web design operations to Swansea and Cardiff means we can keep our prices competitive and give us a better shot at organic business growth. We’ve operated so far without loans, debts and investments and to make the leap forward, we would like to keep it that way. Our new offices will allow physical expansion, while extra spare cash will allow us to take on more staff.

The second reason behind the move is the environment. Watford and London have very few areas of natural beauty and no access to the real sea. We have Southend 45 minutes away, but that’s really just the mouth of the Thames. Swansea has the sea on one side and the Gower on the other. Cardiff being just up the road gives us the city culture we would otherwise miss.

Other city candidates included: (and please note I mean no offense)

Norwich - Was too flat, Yovina is Mauritian brought up at the base of mountains just a stone’s throw from the seaside. The beaches were lovely but less awe inspiring scenery.
Ipswich – Very similar to Norwich
Some surrounding villages were very idyllic however, but for transport and city life, they wouldn’t have been ideal.

Portland and Weymouth
We absolutely fell in love with Portland. We have some amazing photographs of water spraying up from between the rocks. Nearly every home on Portland island has a view of the sea… it was just stunning. It has to be on hold for now unfortunately as the nearest big city really is London and it would defeat the point staying that close.

Cardiff
Another bussling city of culture. Cardiff university attracts lots of young, dynamic people and it’s a great business centre. It lacks beaches and is too close to my mum.

Liverpool
Liverpool is my father’s birthplace and I have many family members up there. It’s definitely a city of culture and business but again a little too big with less scenery nearby.

We visited each of these places for a few days (plus many others) and decided that Swansea is the perfect compromise.

Timescale, the move will be some time near the beginning of August 2009 so Swansea beware, there’s a new web designer in the area with a strong client base, amazing contacts and the passion to take over South Wales

Networking group members, invites are welcome as we will be looking to network with people in the area to see how we can help each other.

Contact us using the email address at the top of this site, or by calling: 029 2125 0010