Can I review the generic copy before publication?

No. With dozens of Staffing Decisions clients all getting the same copy on page 2, 3 and 4 -- and often page 1 -- it's functionally impractical to let every client have approval authority on the copy.

How do I know there won't be something in the issue I object to?

Because we have a lot of experience producing copy that serves staffing service companies well. Creative Ink has been producing Staffing Decisions since 1991 and several of our clients have been customers nearly that long (so we're doing something right).

Our primary writer is a career HR manager at a large Midwestern utility; her articles have been published in all the major HR-oriented magazines. Our editor worked 11 years as an associate editor for Training magazine. Our publisher has 30 years of experience producing client-sponsored newsletters and magazines for dozens of national corporations.

And if we have the slightest doubt about how any copy in the issue works with the needs of temporary staffing companies, we send it to two long-time client staffing companies for review.

Can I have my imprint in color?

Not at the standard price. We print the 4-color "shell" of the newsletter at one printing company and client imprints at another specialized printer, using Xerox Docutech technology. Only black ink is normally available for the imprinting.

If you really need a color imprint, it is available for an additional charge.

You can pay the difference between a four-color plate-change charge and the much-lower-cost of standard black imprinting -- from $0 to $400 depending on length of press run. (With an order of 4,000 copies or more, the cost of changing four plates and the cost of Docutech imprinting are about the same, so there would be no extra charge for four-color printing.) Call for costs of four-color imprints at a specific press run.

Or, individual copies of each newsletter can be imprinted in 4-color at an extra cost of approximately 25 cents extra per copy. Clearly this option would be of use only for limited quantities under special circumstances.

Can Creative Ink do our mailing for us?

Yes, but we would hire a mailing company to do it and invoice you for their charge plus a 15% markup. You would probably find it cheaper to hire a mailing company in your market area or, for smaller circulations, have employees apply mailing labels by hand.

I like the idea of saving 25% by ordering four issues in advance. But what if I want to cancel my subscription before using up the four issues?

No problem. But we won't refund any money for unused issues of the four-issue prepaid contract. That's why we offer 25% off for prepays -- we don't have to worry about cancellations during the one-year period. If you think you might cancel, you're better off signing up on an issue-by-issue basis until you're sure Staffing Decisions fits your marketing needs on a long-term basis.

How do you define a “Market Area”?

A Market Area is the logical marketing area for a location. Normally, that's a metropolitan area, such as the Chicago Metropolitan Area. However, some pairs, or even groups, of cities -- Minneapolis/St. Paul, Washington D.C./Baltimore, Dallas/Fort Worth, the Quad Cities, for example -- are functionally one market, so they count as one Market Area. Some lower-population states count as one Market Area -- North Dakota or Wyoming, for example. For states with multiple Market Areas -- California, New York or Texas, for example --- each Market Area is a separate $200 fee, to a maximum of 3 Market Areas per state. In other words, to have exclusive use of Staffing Decisions for all Texas, you would need to pay $600 (3 Market Areas) plus 35 cents per copy for the newsletter. (Note: Texas is currently not available.)

If you are in doubt, query us by e-mail or phone and we'll clarify specific situations.

If I choose a prepaid contract to save 25%, what happens if I want to add a custom page, or a couple of photos, that I haven't prepaid for?

Easily done! We'll just bill you for those options only in the issue in which you use them. Let's say you prepaid for four generic issues. But in the third issue of your subscription, you want to add a custom page with a couple of photos to publicize the opening of a new office. We'll do that for you and invoice you for the extra $70 after the issue is shipped ($50 for the custom page, $10 each for the two photos).

What do you mean by “Exclusive use” of Staffing Decisions?

As long as you have a continuous subscription to Staffing Decisions for a particular Market Area, we will permit no one else to circulate Staffing Decisions in that area. If you cancel your subscription or don't renew a prepaid contract, or fail to pay an invoice prior to the next issue, the Marketing Area will be available to any staffing service that wants to use it.

No issues of Staffing Decisions will be sent to anyone with an outstanding amount due on their account from a previous issue.

Can I drop Staffing Decisions for an issue or two and resume later?

Yes, but only if Staffing Decisions is not being used by another staffing service in your Market Area when you want to use it again. Once you stop using Staffing Decisions -- for whatever reason, even for one issue -- you lose your "exclusivity," and the Market Area is considered available to any staffing service that wishes to sign up for it ... including you (unless you have an unpaid invoice, in which case it must be brought current). We usually do a mailing to all temporary staffing services in a Market Area as soon as it becomes available through cancellation.