Advance Planning
The need for users to plan ahead is critical.
Publications typically take weeks to write and design and then weeks to print, finish and deliver. If the publication is to be mailed, Mailing Services might be required to sort and prepare mailing lists or to do special inserting or other post-printing processes. And, time should be budgeted for the Postal Service to carry the pieces.
It is recommended that Marketing Communications and/or Printing Services be contacted as soon as it becomes apparent that a publication might be needed to support a program or activity. Early contact allows the managers in Marketing Communications and Printing Services the opportunity not only to explain the processes that will be required but also to begin scheduling and allocating resources to support the project.
Production schedules can be fixed in advance, specifying dates for delivery of draft copy, dates for delivery and return of creative proofs, and the date for delivery of the completed publication. Schedules obligate both the customer and the service providers; adhering to the agreed time lines helps avoid unnecessary stress and unwanted rush charges.
The staffs of both Marketing Communications and Printing Services are ready to provide planning assistance, and either of the offices should be contacted as early as possible in the development of a publications project.