Tips for Post Catalog Production Meetings

Basic meeting rules to adhere to:

• Have a written agenda available before the start of the meeting

• Stay in control. And if you don’t stick to the agenda, make sure it’s for the right reasons

• End the meeting with a clarification of action items and responsibilities

Additional meeting rules to consider:

• Discuss what worked in the process; the best way to start the meeting

• Remember, venting has its place, but needs to be respectful and not consume the meeting

• Speak only for oneself, not others   

A few ideas to consider when planning for the next catalog:

• Beware of automation!

  • Although automation is a driver of process improvement, if you’re automating flawed or inefficient processes, it will work against you.

• Balance the proofing process.

  • Including multiple participants for numerous proof stages costs time and money for reworks that aren’t needed. Be proactive in reducing checks and controls that are not absolutely necessary.

• Keep a tight grip on those last minute changes; we all know that a printed catalog doesn’t have the latest content. So, as the deadline appears, here’s the priority list:

  • Definite - If we don’t make the change and it will result in a return of a product.

  • Maybe - If we don’t make the change a missed, high-volume sale could occur.

  • No – It doesn’t match the style, precisely, but is something only noticed by us “catalog nerds”, not the consumer.