As the leaves start to turn, savvy marketers see fall as a season full of opportunity. From back-to-school promotions to fall festivals and end-of-year product launches, success starts with planning ahead and staying on top of your print deadlines for fall campaigns.
From signage and brochures to packaging and catalogs, every element of your campaign has its own lead time—and missing just one deadline can ripple through your whole rollout. Add ongoing supply chain complexities to the mix, and delays become not just inconvenient, but costly.
What to Start Printing Now for Fall
If you’re planning a fall push, here’s what should already be in motion:
- Custom Event Signage: Think banners, directional signage, branded backdrops, and trade show displays. These often require design coordination, proofs, material selection, and shipping—so count backward from your event date and plan for at least a 3–4-week lead time.
- Marketing Brochures and Sales Collateral: For mailers, handouts, or point-of-sale materials, factor in proofing, printing, and fulfillment. A realistic timeline is 2–3 weeks, but more if your piece involves custom folds, die cuts, or inserts.
- Product Catalogs: Especially for retailers or distributors with seasonal inventory, catalog production should be underway now. With layout, copy, product data coordination, and printing—this can take 4–6 weeks or more, particularly if you’re mailing.
- Product Packaging: If you’re launching anything new this fall, packaging timelines are critical. Custom packaging can take 6–8 weeks, especially if sourced overseas. Delays here can hold up your entire launch.
What’s on the Fall Marketing Calendar?
Fall is packed with promotional opportunities, and each one demands a different approach to print. If you’re launching a Halloween product, signage and packaging likely need to ship by mid-September at the latest. Thanksgiving-themed promotions often tie into broader campaigns like Black Friday, meaning brochures, mailers, and in-store signage should hit the press by October. And if you’re involved in fall festivals, school fundraisers, or seasonal markets, your event signage and print collateral need to be finalized in the very near future to stay on track.
These milestones sneak up quickly—especially when vendors are booked out weeks in advance.
The Hidden Challenge: Supply Chain Delays
Even the most well-planned campaign can hit snags because of material shortages, shipping delays, or vendor backlogs. That’s where Eagle comes in. Our experienced team helps clients forecast accurately, build in buffer time, and navigate unexpected challenges—so your campaign launches on time and on brand.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Fall is a busy time for printers, and production schedules fill up quickly. The sooner you lock in your print specs and quantities, the better your odds of avoiding rush fees or stockouts.
Behind on Your Timeline? We Can Still Help.
Even if your deadlines feel uncomfortably close, don’t count yourself out. At Eagle, our team specializes in quick turnarounds and creative problem-solving to keep your campaign on track. From rush orders to last-minute adjustments, we know how to move fast — and we can deliver anywhere in the country. No matter when you start, we’ll help you get it done.
Need help navigating timelines? Talk to an Eagle account manager today.
