Does your company make use of social networking sites like Ning, Twitter, Pownce, Facebook or Plurk?

Strange names, but wasn't Google and Yahoo odd sounding not too long ago?...

Social networking sites are beginning to get better at making themselves relevant to the business world and some businesses are starting to realize it's a productive tool if used properly.

Recently, I relocated to Shanghai and what can I tell you, I don't speak mandarin, I don't know anyone here, I cant drive in China... so how do I network? How do I create awareness and demand?...how do I work!?

To start, I have made an effort to reach out to the creative and print community in Shanghai and the rest of Asia and let them know I support them and want to help them improve their image in print. It is estimated there are over 500,000 expats living in this area and lots of them are making use of online networking tools to connect.

Great response!

In one short, and turbulent month, these tools have grown my network to over 700 companies ... imagine what this could do for your company - 700 new customers in one month using freely available technology to tell the world what makes you different!

What if your graphic arts business wanted to connect online?

Imagine finding all the agencies and designers in your country and letting then know you can offer certified colour-accurate proofing using Kodak technology.

Imagine publishing a free photo gallery and proudly displaying your clients work and inviting prospects via twitter.

How about letting all those commercial photographers know you offer photo-realistic printing with Kodak staccato screening technology?

Do you use Kodak remote proofing technology? Tweet about it and expand your coverage and your market. Let them know you are just a few clicks away.

Web-to-Print operation? Get clicking... you have no excuse!

Or maybe just getting your customers to follow you on twitter and let them know your latest promotion or award. If they don't get it, tell them to ask their kids.

What do I do with social networking here? I publish a link to 1 Commercial photographer of the day and 1 creative site of the week, everyone loves great photos and creative and its not always on youtube...oh yeah, that's social networking too. Recently a commercial printer in Quebec Canada uploaded a fun video on why he loves print  - it has over 150,000 views to-date. In fact you have probably looked at it just now!

I connect with marketers, printers, associations, publishers, designers and bloggers from all over the world and I share their ideas.

It takes me about 30 minutes a day. Somehow it seems more productive then the time I spend using email! ...and NO spam to deal with.

Connect your graphic arts business with me on twitter, tell me what makes you different, and I will share it.

A party for 650 creative people, ad agencies, graphic designers, digital printers, photographers.. all things creative and something needed to be done to make the big black wall on the dance floor come to life. 3 Metres high and about 16 metres long makes for a pretty expensive print job or a lot of wallpapering!

Enter the Kodak Nexpress 2500 and a little creative thinking with page layout and the print dialog box. By changing the parameters to allow for 'tile printing' a design file that was approx. 3 metres in height and 16 metres long was actually printed on the Kodak Nexpress. Totaling just over 480. A3 sheets of stock, the Nexpress zipped thru the printing before we finished our first coffee. Next it was off to the trimmer (oh yeah, make sure the printing is collated!). A set of 4 trims to the edges and off to the Dance floor we grooved. We used 350 gsm uncoated stock, printed on one side of course. With the magic of double sided tape and lots of very good coffee, a total of 6 Niche Media folks began laying the 'puzzle pieces' on the floor. Once complete, the wall was re-measured and posting the A3 sheets began. It took the team several hours, but in the end. They did an absolutely amazing job. The tiles were almost seamless, you needed to get up close and personal to see that it was actually a series of A3 prints.

An extra special thank you to Louise Ayres of Niche Media, who even incorporated the actual speakers into the design. Special thanks to Jamie Weller and Peter Bousdakas

Could this be a new revenue stream for Nexpress owners and Graphic Designers? You bet! Its been 3 weeks and the building manager liked it so much its still on the wall. With a bit of glossing and watermarking and/or perhaps laminating, you could really take this concept to a whole new level of custom event/showroom design.

Don't forget to come say hello to me on twitter.

One dark and stormy night in Melbourne...

Over 650 creative people along with Niche Media and Kodak celebrated the best in Australia design. Kodak was the proud Principal Sponsor of the evening with special guest, Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Business Development Officer of Eastman Kodak Company ...and Harley Davidson enthusiast, handing out the Photographer of the Year prize and the top award for the evening, Kodak Creative of the Year.

It seemed so obvious on the night that Business can make the world look great if they just listened to the creative community - Kodak is listening and responding!

This year Kodak was the principal sponsor of the Awards. Everywhere you looked there was fine graphic design printed using Kodak technology. From A1 canvas prints to a 500+ A3 panel digitally printed wall using the Kodak Nexpress 2500! Now that is M3 i2

Like no other print industry event, The Create Awards was an evening to remember. This years theme was Pop Culture, roaming through the crowd were actors posing as Marilyn Monroe, Andy Warhol and muse, go-go dancers combined with a live rock band playing music from the 60s. Lots of thank you's to Kodak for supporting creativity and getting involved in the community.

http://www.createawards.com.au

Looking forward to a new look to this event in 2009.

Don't forget to come say hello to me on twitter.