High-quality, well-designed brochures are effective promotional tools. They give business owners a way to reach out to potential customers or clients by providing them with a detailed, informative representation of what they have to offer. This highly versatile format has almost endless possibilities when it comes to advertising to new and existing clients, but only if business owners take the time to familiarize themselves with these ten best practices for creating high-quality brochures.
- Choose the Right Printing Company
There are plenty of printing companies out there, but not all of them are equally capable of providing beautiful, quality results. Even the best-designed brochure won’t look very good if it’s printed on poor quality paper or the colors just don’t pop. Work with an established industry leader like Infantile Industries to bring any business brochure design to life.
- Start By Identifying the Brochure’s Purpose
Before focusing on the details, stop to get a broader picture of the brochure’s purpose. Taking the time to develop a preliminary strategy will make it easier to determine what kinds of content to include and how essential information should be communicated to readers. No matter what the brochure’s purpose will be, it should align with the company’s brand, so take the time to organize ideas and develop a vision now before beginning the design process in earnest.
- Plan What Content Will Be Included
Once business owners have a distinct purpose in mind, they can start considering what type of content to include. Most business brochures include a combination of images and text, but infographics are also perfect for this format. By definition, they include a combination of eye-catching graphic designs and targeted text blocks that convey information clearly and concisely.
- Know the Audience
Business owners or graphic designers responsible for creating business brochures should keep the company’s target audience in mind throughout the design process. Start by gathering basic demographic information about the people who are most likely to view the brochure, then create content that will cater to their unique views and preferences. Brochures designed for existing customers should be focused on attractive designs and offers, while those intended to act as an introduction to a company’s products or services should fill in more details and entice readers to find out more about the company.
- Choose the Right Brochure Style
Once designers have a good idea of what types of content will be included in the brochure and in what quantities, they can start considering brochure styles. Most designers utilize either bi-fold or tri-fold brochures. Tri-fold brochures allow designers to create an element of surprise in the final panel, but both are good options for conveying information in a wide variety of formats.
- Pick the Right Font
Font selection may seem like a minor detail, but it’s not. Branding experts know that using the same typography across all promotional materials is a great way to maintain consistency and improve brand recognition among consumers. When using multiple fonts, make sure the color and style of secondary fonts are a good fit for the company’s brand and, more importantly, make sure that the copy is completely legible.
- Integrate Different Design Elements
Experienced brochure designers make a point of integrating different design elements together seamlessly to create a unified design. Everything from the content flow to the color palette and image selection should be in line with the company’s brand voice, and all of these different elements should flow together to provide an immersive experience for readers. Avoid using colors, fonts, images, and copy that are not in line with the company’s brand or the rest of the brochure’s content.
- Maintain the Flow
A good brochure will perform three tasks well. It will engage the reader, inform him or her of a relevant product or promotion, and invoke curiosity, inducing the brochure recipient to take action and find out more about the company. The key to ensuring that promotional materials can accomplish these three goals is to create a brochure design with a good flow that balances visuals and text.
Try to view the flow of the content from a reader’s perspective. The information should always be presented and arranged in a way that readers will find engaging. It’s fine to think outside the box and incorporate unique ideas, but don’t let them interrupt the flow and ruin what would otherwise be the perfect immersive advertising experience.
- Use Headlines and Bullet Points Wisely
Brochure readers don’t usually sit down and go through every line of copy carefully with an eye to detail. They skim the content to look for relevant information. Designers who want to make sure their brochures see the light of day instead of just winding up in the trash should make life easy for skim readers by incorporating headlines and bullet points to break up the content.
Don’t assume that just any list or tired headline will do the trick. Headlines should be captivating and intriguing, and bullet-point lists should be incorporated only when they can effectively guide readers to further engage with the content or company.
- Add a Call to Action
The final step in designing the perfect brochure is to come up with a clear and compelling call to action. This section of the brochure should stand out from the rest of the content so that readers can’t possibly miss it, and it should always offer an incentive to act right away. Include relevant information such as the company’s website, phone number, social media pages, or email to make it easier for readers to reach out if they have questions, and make it clear what the next step is from there.
It’s Time to Take Business Brochures to the Next Level
Companies that haven’t had much luck with brochure-based campaigns in the past shouldn’t give up hope. This publishing format still holds a ton of value, but only if designers get every element of their brochures just right. Start off the brochure creation process with comprehensive, broad brainstorming sessions, then move on to the details such as fonts, colors, and image placement to get the best results.