Despite the digital revolution, traditional marketing and printed materials still have their place. Some industries, such as automotive, educational institutions, financial, health care, publishing, real estate, and retail, just to name a few, require in-hand materials that can easily be grabbed, left behind or mailed for further review. Brochures are the perfect vehicle to do this. Use a brochure to introduce your company’s products, services, and/or explain a process or procedure to your customers. When used in conjunction with other marketing campaign tactics, brochures further increase your brand’s reach and awareness.
In this “Baer Necessities” blog, you’ll be guided through the key elements of brochure development, step by step:
1) Determine the purpose and size:
How will the brochure be used? What size or format works best? Tri-fold brochures and rack cards are easily tucked in a folder, purse, pocket or mailed. Use multiple-fold or larger bi-fold brochures to present more information or to make an elevated, professional impression.
2) Map it out:
Plan out the elements you wish to convey in the brochure, from photos to messaging. Hand sketch or draft an outline on the computer specifying what will go where for easy collection of materials and assembly.
3) Collect and organize the materials:
Collect all the design essentials in a folder on your computer.
Written content
Create meaningful content focused on educating or informing the target audience about the company’s products, services, and/or mission. The headline of the brochure should instantly tell readers what the piece is about. Present key information in a clean and organized manner. Communicate your unique selling points without using clichés. Convey clear messages with simple statements, captions and bullet points. Be sure to avoid big words, and don’t forget to finish with an impactful call-to-action (not just for more information—give them a reason to call you).
Photos/images
Select a few of the best photos of your products, services, staff and/or business. You might want to pick key products that you want to design the brochure around. Make sure you have high-quality photography for the best print outcome.
Company logo
Locate the highest resolution version of your company logo so it comes out well in print. If you have revised it in the past, it’s crucial to make sure you have collected the latest version.
Contact information
This includes the office address, phone number, website, email address, and any other important contact info such as social media channels or business hours. If you have multiple business locations or branches, be sure to list those also.
4) Assemble your design:
There are many tools and online resources for designing brochures that offer templates that can be customized to suit your needs. Use images, colors, fonts and messaging that match your brand. Consult your brand standards or guide if you have one. Be sure to limit your fonts to no more than three typefaces. A minimalist approach works best. Don’t cram everything into one brochure. If you have too much content, reexamine it, and simplify the elements or create additional brochures, breaking them up by product or service. When in doubt, always seek out professional help. Hire a graphic designer to assist in making your vision come to life. In doing so, you will get a professional, custom brochure that is as unique as your brand.
5) Proof:
Proofing is a very important part of the design process. Take your time, spell check, and look for grammatical errors. Don’t forget to have others review your piece prior to printing. You don’t want any typos or bad photography to get printed. Beyond errors, have them make sure it makes sense and is selling the right points.
6) Print and distribute:
Paper quality can make or break the first impression you want to create with a brochure. There are many different finishes and paper thicknesses available. Work closely with your designer or printer to select the best paper for your project. Once your brochures are printed and in hand, you can start distributing them. Keep in mind that you can also save your design as a .PDF and distribute it electronically, placing it on your website or sending via email.
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