Steps to producing a marketing collateral from the client-side perspective

1. Draft up a marketing plan with budget estimates to secure funds for your projects. In order to do that, you may need to check yellow pages, internet and make cold calls to vendors who can supply the product that you need. See if they are willing to do a no-obligations sales meeting to show you their portfolio, products and services. Some vendors will not quote you unless you engage them for the project.
2. Once your marketing plan or campaign is approved, you can proceed to invite for quotation for your specific projects or collateral.
3. A written specification may not be clear. Sometimes you may need to get vendors to attending a briefing. Be clear in your specifications e.g. whether you need content research/copywriting/design/printing, state whether you want the vendor to transfer the copyrights for the entire works, whether you are require commissioned photography or stock images, formats for the output, finishing e.g. gloss/matt, binding e.g. saddle-stitch, paper type, 4C/2C/1C printing (if it is print collateral), corporate identity guidelines, target audience, languages. You can request for vendor to submit mockups as part of the quote. However, it is not industry practice for vendor to do so.
4. receive quotes, evaluate and submit for management's approval
5. send out letter of acceptance and rejection letters. purchase order, which is a legally-binding document, may also be sent to award the project.
6. vendor will do content research, copywrite and submit design for client's approval. Client may comment and vendor will usually allow for one round of changes.
7. approve artwork
8. vendor will
show you a color proof in the form of color separation film or a digital
proof. this is for you to check color. colour sep can costs S$600 and is more expensive than digital proof.
9. approve color proof
10. printing (if you are printing double side, it will take longer as the
printer will print on one side first, let it dry and then proceed to print
on the other) it may takes 1-3 days to dry.
11. printer to deliver product

Timeline: min 2-3 mths