Notes On The Catalog Checklist
These notes are a supplement to the material presented in this chapter. They are not a substitute for that material. The checklist is shown in Figure 6.3.
1. Schedule. For scheduling purposes, the most important management decision is the date the catalog must be completed and what "completed" means. If meeting the deadline is impossible under normal time or budgeting constraints, management must decide whether or not to authorize the impossible. (Do not present management with an on-time delivery at a cost that is significantly over budget because you "knew" they wanted it that way. Even if they did, it is their decision. Some of our best friends have been fired for not understanding this difference.)
CATALOG CHECKLIST
Project Title_ Date_
Project Description_ Project #
Checklist #
Overall Supervision By _ Deadline _
Budget _ Completion Date _ Start Up Date _
MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ASSIGNED TO DUE
IN MUST APPROVE BY DATE IN INFO COPY ONLY SEE ATTACHED
CREATIVE DECISIONS
9. Layout ______□_______□__________□
10. Copy ______□_______□__________□
11. Typesetting ______□_______□__________□
12. Cover Subjects ______□_______□__________□
13. Photographer(s) ______□_______□__________□
14. Artist(s) ______□_______□__________□
15. Insert(s) ______□_______□__________□
16. Order Form(s) ______□_______□__________□
17. Envelope ______□_______□__________□
MECHANICAL DECISIONS
18. Disk/New Art: Cover(s)______□_______□__________□
19. Disk/New Art: Body ______□_______□__________□
20. Disk/New Art:_______□_______□__________□
21. Film: Cover(s)* ______□_______□__________□
22. Film: Body ______□_______□__________□
24. Print: Cover(s)* ______□_______□__________□
25. Print: Body ______□_______□__________□
27. Bindery ______□_______□__________□
28. Mailing Service* ______□_______□__________□
29. Postage Check(s) ______□_______□__________□
* Separate checklists are included in Chapter 16 for film work, printing, and mailing service. © 2003, Fred Hahn
Figure 6.3 The catalog checklist.
2. Quantity. If the needed quantity becomes a budget problem, here are a few ways to get more catalogs for the same dollars:
• Use less expensive paper. Often a slightly lighter-weight paper, a somewhat smaller size, or both will save enough on postage to make up the difference.
• Use fewer (or more!) pages, provided that they give you the least expensive printing. Adding just 4 pages to a 32-page catalog adds appreciably more than one-eighth the cost. The same or even higher costs may be true when printing "only" 28 pages on presses designed for 32. Discuss with your printer the most economical ways to get the job done. If you are unfamiliar with purchasing print, make sure that you learn the whys involved.
• Give your printer a needed quantity and the budget decided on. If the printer can't meet it, shop around for another.
3. Budget. In estimating budgets, make sure that the suppliers know when the services will be needed. If there are likely increases in union rates, nonunion shops will probably have similar raises. Check with the post office for possible changes in regulations as well as postage. As always, try to keep management's surprises pleasant.
4. Theme. Try to keep managers from becoming copywriters. Good luck!
5. Audience. "Audience" relates directly to #2, the quantity needed, and #3, the cost of getting catalogs to each recipient. Remind management of this interrelationship, and, where budgets are limited, get the priorities or some other guidance.
6. Report(s). Is there a report needed or wanted beyond the budget, costs, and results? Discuss the practicality of each request if getting the information is not already built into your system. Much of this kind of data is nice to know, but what will be done with it after it's been gathered?
7. Project manager. The project manager, if different from the overall supervisor, will be directly responsible for the supervision of points 8 — 28. She or he most often appoints as well as supervises the persons involved.
3-9. Design/layout. Who will do each? In some instances, the layout can be done internally, even if a design is purchased outside.
10. Copy. How much does the writer have to know about your product or service to do the job? Write technical copy inside, and then give it to an outside writer for review. In accuracy versus sell, settle for accuracy every time.
11. Typesetting. Discuss with your designed typesetter the practicality of your producing the manuscript on disk, then having them prepare the typographically designed version for printing or web site use. This is often the best solution when the copy is other than standard English or there are numerous last-second changes in numbers, prices, or other data.
Covers. Who decides? Who assigns? Who approves final art? Photo/art. Commercial artists and photographers tend to do best at specific kinds of projects. Get samples. Negotiate for prices. Get a signed agreement. Try to give "the kid" a chance.
Insert(s). Inserts are a practical way to address specific audiences without adding everything to the main catalog. Use them also for testing, as described on pages 85-90. In using different inserts for different parts of your mailing, discuss controls with your mailing service before mailing lists are ordered or anything is printed. Identification codes will be required on each part. Find out where to place them! Order form(s). It often pays huge dividends to have more than a single order form in catalogs that have a fairly long life. Test. Envelope. Few catalogs are mailed in envelopes, unless they are accompanied by a variety of loose materials. Often the latter can be bound in. Check, Save!
Proofs. Be sure to build in adequate time for in-house review. Everyone who sees anything will want to suggest changes, so ask for corrections and comments from the fewest number of persons safety allows. Nothing gets reviewers more furious than being asked for comments and then being ignored!
Printing OK. Use in-house expertise if available; get the designer involved if not. On-press approval tends to be a very lengthy job. Allow for that in scheduling and budgeting.
Bindery/mailing. Two excellent ways to let beginners learn the importance of nitpicking detail is to supervise the bindery and to supervise the mailing operation. Little is likely to go wrong. But everything must be checked—continually—to keep it that way.
Postage. The postal service will not accept a mailing without payment in hand. In organizations where payment is sometimes slow, get management to set up a system that won't delay the mail.
Continue reading here: Yellow Pages As A Mirror Of A Market
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