Delivering an effective print publication (or three)

Hannah Montgomery, editor at 44, is looking back on a few whirlwind weeks that saw her deliver three print publications in tandem. Here, she shares her lessons for delivering effective print publications.

As our senior editor Bryan Jones attested in his latest blog, there’s still a place for print in this day and age. And in the internal comms world, there’s a clear space for effective print publications that are designed to inform, inspire, engage and so much more.

As an editor at 44, I oversee all stages of some of our key publications, from the early stages of editorial planning through to design and distribution.

Due to the natural laws of internal comms (like buses), we had a situation at 44 where three of our print products were heading to the printers in the same week.

Luckily for me, print is my passion and I was completely prepared for this eventuality. I knew it was going to take some serious juggling and that organisation was the key. In other words – challenge accepted…

The result was three effective print publications that were well received by the clients. Now, as the schedules begin to space out again, I’m taking a few moments to reflect on the lessons I learned from the experience.

Employ a newsroom approach

When it comes to managing print publications, adopting a flexible and responsive way of working makes a massive difference. This could involve being on standby to jump on any last-minute changes from a client, or operating a subs desk so our copy and layout experts can work their magic. Yes, subs desks aren’t just the reserve of the dailies!

Top tip: The days ahead of the deadline will always be busy with final sign-offs and print proofs, so don’t be afraid to plan your and your team’s calendars yourself to give each publication the time it needs to get to the printers.

Don’t be afraid to challenge

It’s OK to be a ‘critical friend’ and speak out if you disagree with something, whether that’s to a colleague or someone you’re working with on a project. At 44, we put ‘Friendship’ as the first of our five key values, and that doesn’t just mean being friendly – it means being honest. We want to deliver ‘Excellence’ (another one of our values) always, and that can mean pushing for a change or enhancement we know will benefit our client and the project.

Sometimes people may not feel confident to challenge if it relates to a person in authority, but it’s worth raising your hand and asking the question if you think you have a valid query or point.

Top tip: AMBA’s advice when challenging authority is to use data and facts and to avoid emotions, while being specific with your feedback. They also recommend flipping the narrative – creating a culture of ‘unboss’ – so the leader is viewed as helping a team rather than it being a hierarchy of staff working under a boss.

Always have a backup

Things don’t always go according to plan, which is why it’s a good idea to have some alternatives up your sleeve. This means having a plan B – and sometimes even a plan C. It’s better to be prepared than to stumble, so it’s worth taking a little bit more time out to think about backups, whether it’s a new concept for a double page spread or a time-saving solution to work up a front page. We plan for this during the content generation stage, identifying contingency features and stories, and working on copy for future issues that can be brought forward if needed.

Top tip: It’s worth having some resources on file that you can pull out if needed. LinkedIn suggests storing an archive of materials in a photo and video library for more generic content that can be grabbed at any given time.

In short, the best way to weather a whirlwind of content is to brace yourself with resource and resilience… and then enjoy the calm and reward afterwards (…and relax).