Sian Cameron, project manager at Ottimo Digital is a new recruit to the team but has been in their orbit for some time as an event professional and long-standing graphic designer for exhibitions, press, and print. Sian has print in her blood and started out working with her father's printing firm in the days of offset litho and camera-ready artwork.

What do you like about working at Ottimo Digital?

It's a cliché, but we're a family. There's a strong sense that we all look out for each other and that we share a passion for the business and our clients. Nick and Lee, the directors, understand the importance of having a solid team identity and building a sense of everyone pulling together. Along with everyone else, I am proud to be a member of the Ottimo team.

What makes Ottimo Digital different?

Everyone takes client satisfaction seriously, but here at Ottimo, it is at the centre of everything we do as a team. We have developed our own, highly efficient, workflow that enables us to plan everything meticulously and maintain a steady throughput of client work regardless of how complex or time consuming any particular job might be. This efficiency gives us the capacity to respond to urgent needs, same-day deadlines or out-of-the-blue problems without breaking our stride. This rapid response, can-do attitude, with our trademark speed and efficiency is what makes us different and keeps clients coming back.

Why are exhibition graphics important?

Exhibition graphics is the tool you use to capture attention, and you only have a few scant seconds to interest audiences in your stand. With the explosion of trade shows covering even the smallest industries, there are many SMEs keen to start exhibiting, and exhibition graphics is probably their route to best "bang for the buck" in terms of impact and ROI. But it's the quality of the design and print that matters. Poorly designed exhibition graphics will be a waste of money, no matter how well they are printed, and vice versa. With so many options for exhibition graphics, it’s not just about the content, it’s also about how you best display that content to communicate your message - and to stimulate and entice that potential new client to visit your stand.

How can I best save money on exhibition graphics?

So you want to make your marketing budget go as far as it can at an exhibition? Think about reusable options, such as fabric-wrapped modular displays that are easily transported from event to event and can be refreshed or adapted for subsequent events. Wrapping larger custom-built stands and walls with printed vinyl produce the most amazing professional finish and is relatively inexpensive.

What are the most common problems you have to deal with? And how do you solve them?

Artwork is our number one issue. Because there's such a huge range of file types and software producing them. But we have a deep reservoir of expertise in digital formats and given one file type, we can either convert it to the required format or, where necessary, redraw/reproduce the client's artwork. Sometimes our graphics simply aren't hardwearing enough for the environment they've been placed in, usually due to higher than predicted wear and tear, or exposure to more weather than anticipated. In these cases, we revisit the project and resolve the problems with different substrates.

What’s the goal of a successful graphics project for a client?

We want to ensure that the client feels that they have received the best customer experience from the initial brief through to the delivery or installation. No matter how small or large a project is we still apply the same level of care and expertise to meet our customers' expectations but most importantly we want to delight and surprise them with the end result exceeding their expectations

How do you know you’re doing it right?

Well for me I’d say the vast amount of work that we do, year after year - the majority of which is for our longest-established clients. We have an extensive and loyal client base featuring many great companies and a few household names. Coupled with the most amazing feedback from all our clients, we strongly believe we have a winning formulation that’s only getting better and better.

TALKING OTTIMO, WITH SIAN CAMERON