Planning Tips for Desktop Publishing

Planning Tips for Desktop Publishing
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Tips for Planning Your Publication

With the availability of many desktop publishing programs, sometimes more thought is put into the project once a program is opened. One of the things that can be overlooked when it comes to creating a project is the work you should put into it before you get started creating your publication.

A lot of time and money can be saved for both you and your client when you take steps to plan out your publication. Here we are going to go over some tips to help you in the planning the process and make the creation of your publication run smoother once you open up those graphic and design programs.

Planning Tips

  • Decide how the publication fits in with previous publications that the client already has established.
  • Layout some design ideas that match the client’s vision
  • Finalize your overall budget for the project
  • Plan out how the publication will translate in various media; web, business cards and so on.
  • Make a topic point list to discuss with the client about how prior publications have met their needs and what direction they are looking to go with the new publication.
  • Decide what and who your target audience is
  • Decide what the results you want are; how the publication will be accepted
  • Figure out how you are going to create the publication
  • Decide on the how, when and where you will accomplish the printing

These tips should help you focus a bit more on the work that can be done before you start creating your publication. The two most important tips from above would be that of discussing with the client their needs and knowing what your overall budget is.

When you take the time to fully cover with the client their needs, ideas and expectations it can save you the trouble of having to go back to the drawing board later. And when you understand your buget before your begin the publication, you can avoid running over budget or paying out-of-pocket as some indepent desktop publishing contractors have to do.