Planning your holiday printing: a timeline for the last quarter

The last quarter of the year concentrates more printed pieces into fewer weeks than any other period. Holiday cards, calendars, corporate gifts and seasonal signage are often requested at the same time, and all of them have a date after which they are no longer useful.

In Puerto Rico the season is also long. Decorations go up around Thanksgiving, and celebrations continue through Three Kings Day on January 6 and beyond. Planning in October makes it possible to have each piece ready when it is needed, without rush decisions.

List every piece that carries a date

Begin with a complete list. Items that are commonly forgotten until late in the year include:

• Holiday cards for clients, suppliers and employees
• Calendars for the coming year
• Corporate gifts and promotional items
• Seasonal signage, window graphics and banners
• Gift certificates, invitations and event programs
• Menus, labels and packaging inserts for holiday offers

For each one, note the quantity and who is responsible for it.

Set the date each piece must be in use

The relevant date is not the holiday itself. It is the day the piece has to be working.

• Cards need to be in the mail early enough to arrive before offices close for the holidays.
• Calendars should reach clients before the new year begins.
• Gifts are needed before the office party or the last client visits of the year.
• Seasonal signage should be installed when the season starts, not halfway through it.

Once each date is set, count backwards to allow time for delivery, production, proof approval and design.

Order first what takes longest

Not all products move at the same speed. Promotional items and gifts generally need the most time, because the blank products must arrive before they can be decorated, and popular items can become scarce late in the year. Products that are shipped to the island need additional time as well. Our post on choosing promotional items covers how to select them.

Custom calendars and large quantities of any product should also be near the top of the list. Short digital runs, such as invitations or event programs, can usually be scheduled later.

Prepare the content before design begins

Most delays begin before a job reaches production. The following should be ready in advance:

• An updated mailing list, with complete addresses
• The logo in a vector format
• The greeting or message, already approved by whoever signs it
• The language of each piece: Spanish, English or both
• Photographs at print resolution, if any will be used

Our guide to print-ready files explains the technical requirements.

Approve proofs promptly

A proof that waits several days for a reply is the most common cause of a late delivery. We recommend naming one person who collects comments internally and sends a single, consolidated response. Read every name, date and phone number on the proof carefully. Corrections after approval usually mean reprinting.

Leave a margin

The end of the year brings its own complications. Hurricane season continues until November 30. Carriers are at their busiest in December. Internal approvals take longer when people are on vacation. A margin of several days between the planned delivery and the date the piece is needed absorbs most of these problems.

A suggested calendar

• First half of October: list the pieces, quantities and budget. Order promotional items and calendars.
• Second half of October: prepare content and begin the design of cards and signage.
• Early November: review and approve proofs.
• Mid to late November: production. Install seasonal signage around Thanksgiving.
• First week of December: mail the cards and have gifts ready to distribute.

Please note. This calendar is a planning guide. Actual production time depends on the product, the quantity and the finishing, so ask us to confirm the dates for your job when you request the quote.

If you already have a date in mind, send us your list and your deadline. We will tell you what needs to be ordered first and prepare a schedule for the rest.