If you followed our advice last November, you’ll already have a clear idea of what your year should look like from a print perspective. The thinking is done. The panic is avoided.
January is where the real value comes in - turning those plans into something practical, affordable, and well-timed.
This isn’t about convincing you to plan. It’s about helping you execute properly.
An annual print calendar only becomes useful when it reflects reality.
In practice, this usually means plotting delivery dates, not vague campaign ideas. Once you know when materials need to be in your hands, everything else can work out backwards from there - artwork deadlines, proofing time, and production windows.
A realistic print schedule allows room for:
When those buffers exist, print stops feeling urgent - even when deadlines are fixed.
One of the smartest decisions businesses make in January is deciding what needs certainty and what benefits from flexibility.
High-volume, repeat materials, brochures, catalogues, prospectuses, core marketing pieces - are ideal candidates to lock in early using lithographic printing. The unit cost is lower, quality is consistent, and production slots can be secured well in advance.
At the same time, it’s worth leaving space for digital print where change is likely. Campaign tweaks, personalised materials, short-run updates and replenishment orders are often better handled digitally as the year unfolds.
This split approach avoids over-commiting budget while still taking advantage of economies of scale where they genuinely make sense.
Print budgets rarely work well when everything is treated the same. What tends to work better is being deliberate about when money is committed and why.
Many businesses find it helpful to:
Taking this approach in January gives you breathing space. You’re not guessing or reacting as the year goes on — you’re making clear decisions about what’s fixed and what can flex. Once that’s in place, print becomes part of a steady, manageable process, rather than something that only gets attention when a deadline suddenly appears.
Not everything needs to be ordered in January.
As a rule of thumb:
This balance avoids tying up budget unnecessarily while still protecting production timelines where delays would be costly.
One of the biggest causes of rushed print is what we’d call false urgency - jobs that feel urgent only because they were never properly scheduled.
When print is planned into the year, genuine urgency becomes rare. Instead of asking whether something can be “turned around quickly,” the focus shifts to whether it’s the right time to print at all.
That change alone saves both money and compromise.
January is when the relationship with your printer matters most.
With a clear plan in place, conversations become calmer and more constructive. Rather than reacting to individual orders, we can help sequence production, recommend whether to commit early, and flag where flexibility is genuinely beneficial.
That’s how print stops being a series of transactions and starts supporting the wider operation of your marketing activity.
From the Colour Print printworks in Norwich, we print and fulfil orders throughout the UK.
Get in touch to chat about your latest print project.
Call us on 01603 488001, email sales@col-print.co.uk or fill out this contact form and someone from our team will be in touch.