The most important details you need are all about how THEY are going to handle the file. It determines your setup. What kind of printer(s) will be printing this? Lasers? Inkjets? Postscript? Non-postscript? One master print-out color-photocopied directly? Any plans to have any issues also commercially printed? Or made into distributable or posted PDFs?

The answers to those will determine much of how you set this up.

Oh Broacher, I'm beginning to feel sick already.
I only got the request today and haven't replied as yet, however, what you have said makes a lot of sense and I will now be able to ask these questions of them. So glad I posted this thanks you have helped already.

I have a feeling this is going to complicated. The next thing will be doing a quote for the work which is difficult when you don't know what your doing ....eeek

Another route that you should suggest, if it's possible for this particular job-- is to preprint (in colour) as much as possible (Nameplate, masthead, anything that's going to last the length of the NL design) on press on laser-friendly paper, and set up the Word template to fit the pre-printed layout.

I'd say maybe 10-20 percent of people who are looking to self-printing will be happy with this compromise. Most though are much happier justifying the enourmous consumable and staff cost of doing 'everything' on the new office colour laser. Go figure.

Thanks again for the extra advice.
Clients are really strange it never ceases to amaze me the things they say and think or want to do.
Oh well another learning curve for me. Don't suppose this will be the last cry for help on this.

You could design a shell (something that looks a bit like a letterhead, but for the newsletter) have those printed in full colour or spot/s, and they just print their newsletter text into this each time.

That way as long as the avoid where the existing elements are on the shells, they should be fine.

ahem...now reading other posts...what Broacher said!

Wouldn't it be easier if these clients just bought Adobe Acrobat? LOL. I hate it when clients insist on using Word or PowerPoint for design jobs. Seriously, outside of the design community who has even heard of InDesign or Quark?

What I would do is make a very simple template for them with graphics to avoid the font issues. Not sure if this will help, but HP has a template archive for Word. You can look at a few of thoses and see what they do for the dummy-proof design you're trying to create.

I don't think you should literally match the borchure, but rather focus on the colors and a proper heading. They're going to want a lot of room to be flexible and brochures are typically not created to be that way. A heading, footer, and other simple elements should do the trick for a newsletter.

I actually have 2 clients that have bought Indesign so they can work my templates. It's fantastic!

Great advice guys, another question does it make any difference if I eventually prepare and save the template on a Mac for it to be used on a PC? Is all I have to do, append the .doc to the file and it can be opened? S'pose as well as the things Broacher suggested I need to know what version of word they are using too.


I've spent a couple hours thinking about this already and I haven't started the job lol

Well, your main problem is going to be fonts. I had to do a similar thing for a client once, and it wasn't fun, I can tell you that, and it sounds like yours is actually a little bit more complicated than what I had to do.

If they insist on doing the printing of future newsletters themselves, I would suggest you have them purchase the actual Windows versions of the fonts you used, especially if you used Postscript Type 1 fonts. Mac Postscript fonts won't work on a PC.

If you used OpenType, you might have a little bit better luck.

As Broacher said, you'll need to find out what kind of printer they'll be printing it on, specifically if they have a Postscript capable printer. If they don't, EPS for graphics won't work.

I don't wanna scare you, but this is not a savory project whatsoever.

people who send us word documents and expect them to be printed as is on screen with horrible pictures "but they didnt look like that on the computer " oh the headaches

yes the font issue is gonna be one of your main problems

Ok I'm scared now

Maybe the best thing to do is try and persude them to let me do it quarterly and get it printed and arrange a mutally beneficial price.
If they insist on printing themsleves I could supply a pdf for them to run off. And as has been said One good proof could then be colour photocopied at a photcocopy bureau.

I will let you know how this goes

Been there Panzer,
I was doing a programme for a heavy horse show and country fair supported by adverts. Those knocked up in word with 72 res pics... as you say 'headaches' and the re-working.

Hmmm I'd thought about fonts the owning/buying them issue but had forgotton about the Post Script/TrueType/OpenType issue

Have them prepare the text, have you design the news letter. Then when the time comes all you have to do is copy and paste into your program. Spend a few minutes tweaking and PDF it for them to print. This will be the easiest on both of you.

Also explain to them that this would be the most efficent use of both their time and yours.

Charge them for "teaching" how to do a news letter. So if they insist on doing it themselves, you'll need to explain that the time it takes for you to help them each month is chargeable. After the first month and the $XXX of money it takes to have you help their staff, they'll soon realize that your first suggestion is better.

The main thing is don't cut yourself short by being too nice about jobs like this. The customer will expect you to show them how to do it, and support the project because you gave it to them. All your hours are chargeable and make sure the customer knows it when they start calling, email, or asking for any type of support.

I like the idea of having the background of the newsletter preprinted. Then they can just fill in the columns. And if they mess up all you have to do is email the original template to them.

News letters in word with a preprinted page, is pretty much just setting up the two or three columns in word. If they want the exact fonts they will need to buy them. I'd advise to not give away copyrighted fonts. However if you have a free source font, by all means send it forward or give them the URL to download it.

Word docs once saved are universal.

Good Luck.
=)
Jade

OK so now I have compiled an email with all potential difficulties for both of us and the possible remedies stressing that the best all round remedy for all concerned is for me to take charge completly for a really professional quality newsletter to promote their business. How corporate stationary is the first inkiling a client has of their business professionalism and quality, that a newslettter with low res untouched images and 80gsm photocopy paper just would not cut the mustard. If I do it they can get on with the business of caring and me the business of visual communication.

Of course I was not quite so brusque.

Thanks for all your contributions much appreciated. xxx