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303
Haggar College Center
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574)
284-4595
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Q:
I just need a simple flyer. Why does it take two weeks to complete
this job?
A:
Actually, the two-week turn around time involves three factors:
1) The
first factor is obviously the actual labor needed to professionally
produce an attractive publication that meets your needs and
meets the graphic standards of Saint Mary's College.
2.)The
second factor considered is the current job load in the Marketing
Communications Office. Historically, on any given day, the Marketing
Communications department accepts several brand new jobs a day.
3) The
final factor to consider is the time that the project actually
spends at the press getting printed. An important thing to remember
is that the faster you try to push a project through
the process, the more chance there is for something to go wrong.
• Most
printers can turn a job around in 3-5 working days.
• The
printer also considers the specifications of the project and
their current workload.
• The
MARCOM office has some control of how quickly a project goes
through our office, but very little control once the job goes
to the printer.
Although
your project is one of many that will be in production on any
given day in the MARCOM office, it will be treated with the
expediency necessary to deliver the final product to you as
soon as is possible.
Note:
On occasion, depending on the project and the Marketing Communication’s
workload, we may be able to complete a job more quickly than
the 2 week standard.
Q:
I've always produced my own publications...
What are the benefits of using Marketing Communications resources?
A:
The MARCOM office is here to save you time and money. The MARCOM
office is staffed by professionally trained individuals with years
of experience dealing with the world of publications and the organizations
that print these publications. By allowing us to assist you in
these projects, we allow you to use your time for what you do
best whether it be fund-raising, recruiting, counseling, data-entry,
coaching, or teaching.
In
addition, by centralizing the marketing efforts of the college
community, the Production Coordinator can develop relationships
with the local printers to get the best quality, service, and
cost. When a project comes into MARCOM, the production Coordinator
secures 3-5 quotes from various local printers that are aware
of the fact that they are competing for the project. In several
cases, this process has saved hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.
These cost savings can then be used for additional marketing projects
for your department, or used to upgrade your marketing piece by
upgrading paper and ink quality.
Q:
There was an orange "Proofreading Checklist" attached to the proof
of my project requiring my signature for approval. What is the significance
of this form?
A:
This document is very important to the process of completing a
print project. This form serves in two capacities. First, the
form serves as a means of controlling accuracy and copy quality.
The MARCOM office currently does not have the human resources
to thoroughly proofread every piece that it creates.
•
We rely on you to make sure that the content of your marketing
piece is correct and has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate
parties on campus. By following the checklist that is listed on
the Proofreading form, you can rest easy knowing that you have
covered all of the proofreading bases.
•
If requested, at an additional expense, outside individuals can
be hired to proofread your project, although they will concentrate
on grammar and punctuation.
By
completing this form, we know that the information contained inside
your project is current and correct.
In
it's second capacity, the Proofreading Checklist alerts the Production
Coordinator that the project is ready to enter into the final
stage of production. Once the Production Coordinator receives
the form, printers are contacted for pickup.
Q:
What determines when a project can be printed on campus, and when
it must go off campus?
A:
To
a point, the most economical means of printing exists right here
on Saint Mary's campus in the Facilities Building. But, there
are many factors to consider when weighing the pros and cons deciding
whether or not to print on campus. Below are a few items to consider:
•
Complexity: In most cases, if your job is going to require more
than one ink color, the job should go off campus. If your job
is going to require special paper, or processes (perforating,
special folding, or drilling), the job will need to go off campus.
•
Deadline: Because of the limited resources of Print Services,
if you have a tight deadline that must be met, your best bet will
be taking the project off campus. Outside printers have the luxury
of more than one press operator and multiple shifts.
•
Quality: By no fault of the personnel in print Services, some
jobs that require a higher quality output are best reserved for
outside printers. Some of the machinery used in the print process
are past there prime and may not produce optimum results.
Q:
I've got an event coming up next month and would like to have
a photographer present. What factors do I need to consider when
requesting a photographer?
A:
Several questions should be considered:
•
How will these images be used in the future?
MARCOM
tries to utilize a variety of photographers with varying styles,
costs, and specialties. For instance, if the images are to be
used for archival purposes as opposed to publication in the
Courier, a substantial amount of money could be saved.
•
What is the subject matter?
Deciding
if the images will be general informal shots, or staged images
with specific individuals will also aid the MARCOM office in
selecting a photographer.
•
What is the nature of the event being photographed?
Due
to varying styles, some photographers are very visible as they
work, while others will get the shots you need very discreetly.
Photography
costs can range from $30-$40 per hour to over $100 per
hour. Knowing your budget up front will allow MARCOM to select
a photographer to meet your needs at the most economical price.
Please make sure that your account number is on your request
to ensure billing to the correct accounts.
To
request a photographer, please complete the "Request
a Photographer" On-Line Form
Q:
I would like to take some pictures of my department's activities
with a digital camera for my next department brochure. Is there
any specific information I need to know about taking the pictures?
A:
To insure the quality of the image and of the publication it
will be reproduced in, the resolution setting on the camera
must be set to its highest level. Standard resolution on digital
cameras is sufficient for images that will be shared digitally.
NOTE: The resolution sufficient for publication
on the Web (72 dpi) is not adequate for printed materials.
You
must use the FINE setting (at least 300 dpi) for any images
that will be reproduced in print. And in some cases, these digital
files will still be lacking somewhat in quality.
If
at all possible, it would be best to utilize a professional
photographer with the equipment and experience essential to
producing a quality image.
Q:
The Marketing Communications department has requested a digital
file of my upcoming brochure text. What formats do you accept?
I'm on a PC…will that cause a problem?
A:The
MARCOM office is basically a Macintosh environment. However,
we can usually open PC documents without problem. The easiest
way to get digital files to MARCOM is to send them via e-mail
as a Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect attachment. In addition,
you can also cut and paste the copy into the body of the email
message. We have the ability to open all Microsoft documents,
but in some instances the formatting is lost. If you don't
have access to the Internet, then sending the document on
a disc will suffice. Remember, we are happy to help you determine
how best to transfer electronic files-- And always send
an additional hard copy through campus mail.
Please,
do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions: (574)-284-4595
Q:
The Marketing Communications department has requested that
I return the proof of my job with revisions by the end of
the day Friday. I won't be able to complete the proofreading
until Monday of next week. How will this affect the delivery
date of my job?
A:
A general rule of thumb is to add two days
for every day past the deadline. New jobs are scheduled
for production everyday, not only in the MARCOM office,
but also at the Printing Press that will produce the final
piece. The more lead-time that is provided at the onset
of a project allows leeway for those instances when deadlines
cannot be met.
Q:
Help! One of my projects slipped through the cracks,
and I need to have a brochure created and printed in
three days. Is this possible?
A:
Rest assured, MARCOM will do everything possible to
get your printed piece to you when you need it. In short
notice situations, we cannot guarantee the delivery
of a project in that amount of time. Once again, we
can control how fast it moves through the MARCOM office,
but not how fast it will move through the printing press.
Availability of a press capable of turning around your
work will vary according to the volume of work the printer
has at any given time.
Q:
What can I do to make sure that my project goes through
the system as quickly as possible?
A:
When the job is initiated, it is important that all
of the ingredients in completing the job are in their
final stages.
•
Copy that will need to be approved by a variety of
people will already have been circulated and approved.
•
Budget resources will have been communicated to the Production
Coordinator.
•
Image needs will be communicated so that photographers can be
scheduled immediately or images can be located.
•
Proofs will be reviewed and returned at appointed deadlines.
This
will assist in a smooth transition from stage to stage in getting
your project completed.
And
Remember... please do not hesitate to call us if you have any addditonal
questions: (574)-284-4595
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