Making a tailored suit is an art that is the same as designing a book since no two publications will be the same. Each publication is unique in form and purpose so we must start the editorial process properly to avoid mistakes. So let’s start with avoiding pricing errors.
In addition, quotes are tools to provide the client with the cost of the design and layout service of a publication, but to do them you must have editorial experience.
7 common mistakes when you need a book design budget
Finally, the experience in the field of Editorial Design will allow the designer to avoid these common mistakes when quoting a publication and thus forget about headaches. So here is a list we have developed of the 7 common mistakes when you need a book design budget
And we also include some tips that can help you make a successful book budget.
1. Failure to brief the client
Gathering information is important to be able to quote a product. Therefore, this step should be mandatory when making a quote for a book since each publication has characteristics that make it unique from its editorial flow to its design and layout.
While the Brief is being done, you can talk with the client to define the scope of the publication and the budget.
The brief contains: objective of the publication, printing material of the publication, having access to the final document of the publication in Word, among others.
Do not calculate the number of pages to diagram
This error has consequences such as: inadequate budget or unbilled additional time. Therefore, a rough calculation must be performed with the InDesign Template and the final client document.
For example, you can diagram 10 pages of the client’s document in InDesign and evaluate the number of pages that result. Finally you will only have to do a simple rule of 3 to know the approximate number of pages.
3. Not having specific delivery dates for products and customer approvals
The editorial project must have a tentative calendar with all the proposed dates. This step is important so that the designer and the client define delivery times and the publication has an end date for printing.
If they do not have a calendar, each member will not have a product delivery time and the editorial project would be too long.
4. Do not request Graphics with editable information
If the final document sent by the client has graphics in JPG, the Excel file must be included. This file is requested to be able to design the graphics in Illustrator and to be able to copy the information from Excel.
In case the Excel file is not available, the following could be generated:
Errors in the data entry.
Additional times in the layout process that were not included in the initial quote.
5. Do not quote image retouching
The preview of the preliminary or final version of a document to be designed is important because it will be possible to see the elements that make up the publication. At that stage, you can see the number of images and check their quality.
This aspect is mentioned since the photographs are not always balanced in color, saturation and other technical aspects that must be solved in the Color Correction.
Finally, you can evaluate the images and the time it would take to retouch them in Photoshop.
6. Do not quote the additional cost of stock photos
Any element that is required to make the design of a publication must be included in the quote. And it is very important to explain these points to the customer because they might think that the additional images are free.
The current advantage that we can offer to the client is that the images from iStock or another repository are affordable and could help to beautify the publication.
