There are concerns in which publicity and sales work must be subdivided to such an extent that the sales manager has all printed matter prepared under his direct supervision; while the advertising manager is responsible for the preparation and placing of the copy. In one such concern, which has come under the writer's observation, copy for printing is turned over to a man entirely outside of the sales division. The theory is that the outside man will watch the interest of the house, in the matter of price, more closely than the man who prepares, and perhaps is to use, the copy.
This theory may have some foundation in certain quarters; probably there are some otherwise competent advertising men who are occasionally outwitted by the printer; but it is also true that the buyer of printing, who places his orders on the basis of price alone, frequently loses more in quality than he saves in cost. The man who is to use a booklet or folder is really the best judge of its worth—what he can afford to pay for the kind of work he wants; he knows best its possible value as a revenue producer. He should be competent to supervise the placing of the orders, but without exception all printing orders should be placed by the same man.
No matter by whom placed, the printing order should specify every detail; or if it is not on the order blank, there should be a specification sheet. The specifications would be something like those shown in the order form, Fig. 9.
This order should be made in triplicate. The original and duplicate will go to the printer, the duplicate to be signed and returned as an acknowledgment of the order, while the triplicate is filed in a tickler under the date when the acknowledgment should be received—usually the following day.
Fig. 9. Triplicate Form of Order for Printing
When the duplicate comes back from the printer it is placed in the tickler, under the date when proofs may be expected. At the same time the triplicate is removed from the tickler and placed in a loose-leaf binder, all copies being filed in numerical sequence. It will be noted that, at the bottom of the triplicate, the department or account to be charged is entered, this record being made when the order is placed.
When proofs are returned, the duplicate is moved ahead to the promised date of delivery. In this way the follow-up for orders is made practically automatic, all orders filed under any date being removed for attention on that day.