Proofing from Home Tip 1 - RESIST PRINTING STUFF OFF
Proofing from Home Tip 2 - COLLABORATE MORE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES
Proofing from Home Tip 3 - KEEP THE KITCHEN TABLE TIDY
Proofing from Home Tip 4 - TRY NOT TO USE EMAIL
Proofing from Home Tip 5 - FORGET ABOUT STORAGE AND FILE TRANSFERS
Proofing from Home Tip 6 - USE REMINDERS AND DEADLINES
Proofing from Home Tip 7 - SAVE PLANET EARTH
As we reflect on world Earth Day, online proofing software was pioneered by visionaries like GoProof to remove the unsustainable barriers around team collaboration, inefficiency and getting work signed off for release.
Now, with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, it’s value and purpose has been exacerbated to another level and is proving its worth for thousands of marketing and creative professionals.
The key? Online proofing software works just as well for remote collaboration as it does in the office. And it’s totally proven to be more sustainable.
So it’s great to use from home and it’s better for our home. Perfect.
To spell that out a bit, we’ve picked 7 power-ups inside GoProof online proofing software that make you proof like a total superhero from your home office and save the entire planet.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 1
RESIST PRINTING STUFF OFF
Old habits die hard. But they have to go.
Printing off copies of designs and scribbling on them just isn’t needed anymore now online proofing tools are available.
And ultimately, it isn’t possible when you’re working from home.
You can use an online proof that you can scratch, circle, strike, highlight, measure or basically do anything you want to. It’s exactly the same as printing it off but with one massive difference.
You don’t use any paper or ink.
Oh wait, sorry, there’s another one too.
You don’t have a single physical object that can only be on one desk at a time.
If printed designs or documents are sat with you for proofing, it’s not with someone else, which is totally inefficient and isolated.
So resist the urge to print it off. Upload it to GoProof instead and create a virtual design meeting with threaded comments that your team can join from home or wherever they are.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 2
COLLABORATE MORE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES
As many of us may be working from home for the first time, there are bound to be some weird and insecure feelings felt by the team. It’s inevitable and completely understandable.
Collaboration and openness stops everyone feeling like this and powers up on confidence.
But crank your collaboration up a notch and you’ll unlock a new level of self-comfort for your colleagues, especially those who are not used to working in isolation or remotely.
Engage more. Share thoughts more, even if they may be obvious. Don’t be shy to express your opinions.
Online proofing software provides the platform for incredible visual and mental collaboration across all departments of the business, leading to better creative results and team success for any industry.
It brings everyone closer together at a time when they couldn’t be further apart. Add in a Zoom conference or Google Hangout and there's nothing you can’t do from home.
Most of all though, it makes your co-workers feel secure and value themselves.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 3
KEEP THE KITCHEN TABLE TIDY
So for real, right now we’re working bent over a breakfast bar or wedged on the kitchen table in between the salt and pepper shakers.
It’s like you’ve introduced to your home a hidden side of your life it never sees and set up camp right in the prime spot.
It’s not going to chime well with your house.
Keeping any kind of order in this space is going to be a tough grind. Adding a home printer (probably with missing ink) and folders of content is just going to finish everyone off and make them feel like they’re eating dinner in a crime scene.
The more you can push online, the better. Go digital. It’s way calmer.
There’s no reason to have anything on the kitchen table but your computer, making it easy to keep the area clean and clearable for when you switch to home living at the end of the day.
Online proofing software becomes your mess-free office, chat room and stationery cupboard.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 4
TRY NOT TO USE EMAIL
Sending emails for everyday questions and answers is on the way out.
The Slack, Messenger and WhatsApp way of instantly communicating to individuals or groups is so much easier and online proofing software provides the same easy platform for reviewing work.
If anything, it’s even more important, as it’s driving collaboration on shared media that would otherwise have to be sent as a separate attachment or file-download link.
Attachments on emails are nasty.
Get more used to commenting rather than emailing. Uploading not attaching. It’s a new way of communicating but once you do it, you won’t look back.
Creative journeys are reduced this way and the energy and clarity you create from talking in real time pays huge dividends.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 5
FORGET ABOUT STORAGE AND FILE TRANSFERS
Online proofing software such as GoProof looks after all the sharing and caring of your media files. It’s awesome.
If you have to access internal servers, folders and systems over flaky VPNs from home, stress levels rise and anxiety kicks in as your performance deteriorates.
Using intake file uploaders and Adobe Creative Cloud extensions, files are quickly uploaded to the proofing cloud and made available for everyone to access and collaborate on through a secure website.
Extra images such as logo replacements can be uploaded through the comments by collaborators - so no emailing or Dropbox links needed - ensuring there’s one central place for all content to be viewed.
Convenience level = 100.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 6
USE REMINDERS AND DEADLINES
Feeling lost, outcast or unguided is not good for mental health and wellbeing, particularly in an unfamiliar home-working context.
The way to prevent this feeling of exclusion from others is to maintain a solid timescale and milestone structure to your projects that you are all invested in.
Structure and purpose for each content review is essential and online proofing software is amazing for that. It’s easy to set deadlines and reminders for each step of the journey, triggering automated actions when they are met or missed.
Keep everyone locked in together. Maintain momentum. Reach goals.
Share the success stories afterwards and appreciate what everyone has contributed from their home isolation.
PROOF FROM HOME: TIP 7
SAVE PLANET EARTH
Today is world Earth Day and ironically we’re marking its 50th anniversary.
And it hurts that right now the majority of us cannot get out there and live it because of coronavirus lockdown.
On the other hand, cnet describes this as a gift to the environment.
One thing is for sure, it sends an even stronger message to us that we all live in one shared place we all call home.
The big picture is simply that space isn’t our home. Nor is Mars. It’s Earth, and we need to respect it, protect it and do everything we can to make it last as long as possible.
“We must act decisively to protect our planet from both the coronavirus and existential threat of climate disruption” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said. “Biodiversity is in steep decline. Climate disruption is approaching a point of no return.”
We can easily reduce our carbon footprint through online proofing. It’s a sustainable solution with low environmental impact and maximum efficiency.
Reduce travel, stop unnecessary paper consumption and cut out those courier and mailing costs.
Your future generations will prop you for it.
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Happy Earth Day everyone. Stay safe.
#StayHomeSaveLives.
