Seven Easy Steps to Boost Your Professional Image With Adobe

Often-overlooked commands can boost sales and project a more professional image. Adobe Acrobat Distiller is one of today’s most effective tools. Using Acrobat, you can distribute attractive and easy-to-read formatted documents for free.

Unfortunately, however, few take full advantage of Acrobat’s capabilities. As a result, their documents are not as effective as they could be.

Here are seven easy ways to improve the image and effectiveness of your Acrobat files.

1. Activate links:

E-mail and web site URLs on many Acrobat files look like active links, but don’t function. Although blue and underlined, the links do not take readers to different pages in the publication, launch their e-mail program and address an e-mail, or open an Internet browser and go to a web site.

After creating an Acrobat file, you must activate the links. Start by selecting the Advanced Editing Option, and use the Link tool, to outline the link, assign an action, and format the link.

Then, you must remember to re-save your Acrobat publication.

Most important, every time you return to the original program and make any changes and create an updated Acrobat file, you must remember to reactivate the links! Otherwise, the links will no longer function—even though they will still appear blue and underlined.

2. Insert and delete pages:

The full version of Acrobat Distiller permits you to insert, delete, and extract—or copy—pages from one Acrobat document to another.

This permits you to create “composite” publications containing pages created with several software programs.

You can include pages created with a variety of software applications with a framework created using Microsoft word. This newsletter, for example, contains a copy of the Mind Map I used to organize my thoughts. The page shows how you can use Mind Mapping to do better work in less time.

3. Save as...

Acrobat’s Save As... command permits you to create a composite document, separate from the original .PDF files. This makes it easy to reuse your original “framework” files.

4. Headers and footers:

After creating a composite Acrobat file, you can add headers and footers. These can include title, author, client information, copyright information, date, and page numbers.

5. Comments:

Although intended for team review and editing of publications, you can use Acrobat’s Comments feature to draw your reader’s attention to specific passages or discuss their relevance.

You can use Comments to add a personal touch to formal documents intended for specific individuals, for example, “Fred: I inserted this after you requested it when we met in July in Las Vegas. Roger”

6. Web browser:

Adobe Acrobat Distiller can capture and save web site pages. This works better than saving or printing from your web browser. It avoids cutting illustrations or lines of text in half as often occurs when printing from a browser.

By saving at frequent intervals, you can keep track of how your competitor’s web site changes over time.

7. File size:

The smaller the file, the faster it can be downloaded or sent as an e-mail attachment.

Always choose the appropriate resolution when creating a .PDF file. Documents intended for on-screen reading and desktop printing do not require as much information as publications intended for four-color printing on glossy paper by commercial printers.

After deleting pages or extensive editing, use File>Save As... to save your publication under the original filename. A prompt will appear warning you that the original file will be over-written. This purges unnecessary information.

Adobe Acrobat is a powerful tool that few people take full advantage of. Using these seven techniques, your documents will be more effective.