Print brochures can be an effective tool for marketing your business. However, as you start designing brochures for your business, there are several things to consider. To walk you through the basics of designing an impactful brochure to market your business, we’ve created a basic guide. These six simple steps will set you on the path to creating beautiful brochures to meet your needs and achieve your goals.
As with any good marketing strategy, the first step is to identify your brochure’s objectives. Once you determine your purpose, you will revisit this plan throughout each subsequent step. This will determine the entirety of your brochure marketing, and by extension, the design of your brochures.
Start by considering your audience. Which segment of your target market are you going to distribute your brochure to? Next, consider your distribution methods. Will your team distribute brochures by hand, perhaps at an event, or send them through direct mail?
You must also think of your end goal. After all, brochures are marketing materials. What are you marketing, and to what end? What benefit do you hope to get? When you start by answering these questions, you will be well on your way to an effective brochure design.
One of the distinguishing features of a brochure versus a flyer is its numerous folds. In fact, these folds control how your product and service information is presented to your recipient. Thus, the fold is an important design aspect and the key to how your message is delivered.
Picking the right brochure fold can be challenging. You want the fold to complement the content in the brochure, as well as the way your recipients read it. Things like product features, or a sequence of steps, would benefit more from a brochure that folds open to reveal each step sequentially. Or you may choose to reveal images in a specific way.
At Sprintings, we offer several types of brochure folds. Each offers unique features and best applications. If you find yourself getting stuck on this step, simply reach out to our experienced team for guidance.
Although there are many fold options available, these are the 4 most common folds we see. Consider one of these when designing brochures for your business:
In a Tri-Fold brochure, the flaps overlap one another. The left-most flap is the front of the brochure, while the right-most flap is tucked under it when closed. Each section is identical in size and width, for a clean and even Tri-Fold brochure.
The Z-Fold uses 3 sections like the Tri-Fold, but the back-and-forth gives the signature “z” design. The 3 sections are the same in size, creating an even and clean fold.
Half-Fold brochures resemble the standard greeting card. However, they are much larger and can include a lot more content. With Half-Fold brochures, you can use larger photos, since you have more horizontal space. You can also get creative and divide the page by color and design since you are less restricted by folds.
Gate Fold brochures open and close like exterior window shutters. The two outside flaps come together to completely conceal the middle portion of the brochure. The middle section is about the size of the two outside flaps combined. This technique is great for emphasizing a single product or service while giving additional information on the sides and back.
The front of your brochure is the first thing people will see, so make sure that the first panel is appealing. Don’t go overboard with colors, and stick with your brand palette so your materials will be easily associated with your company.
Fonts determine the readability of your text, set the tone of your brochure, and influence its visual appeal. Consider how you may use different fonts for headings, sub-headings, and general text.
Images can bring your brochure to life. Make sure images are relevant and attractive. Use them cohesively in the design to tell a story. And always make sure any images are high resolution.
Your brochure fold will impact your design and content. Once you have that settled on the fold and design, consider the best paper to fit those decisions.
Typically, businesses opt for either an 80lb or 100lb stock paper for brochures. You can also choose a gloss or matte finish. When weighing your options, consider upping your budget and going with a heavier stock. 100lb stock is surprisingly more substantial than 80lb stock paper without a huge cost difference. Using a heavier paper may convince a potential customer that you are more professional or serious than your competitors.
Give some thought to your paper finish. Adding varnish can add an appealing gloss to your brochure. However, if you have a lot of ink coverage your brochure will appear glossy anyway. But if you use too many dark colors in your brochure design, the ink may smudge. Using a varnish will help prevent such fingerprint smudges on your brochure.
Review your copy for your audience. Is the information too long and overwhelming? Is it too short and missing valuable details? As a general rule, concise writing is best for brochure marketing. You have to give valuable information in a small space.
You should also review how your copy impacts the overall visual design. Too much text and your brochure will look busy and unreadable. And of course, always check for spelling and grammar mistakes.
It is also important that you include a call-to-action statement that will lead your customers back to you. Make your statement immediately visible. Use visual cues, such as a bigger font or larger white space to help the call-to-action stand out. Be specific with what you want from your recipients.
Ready to get started? Contact the Sprintings team today to start designing brochures for your business!
Call Now: (562) 294-3207
Every time. Any reason. Or we’ll make it right.
