Brochures are a fantastic way to promote your business and reach out to new customers.
A good brochure can differentiate you from competitors as well as give your clients confidence in your business’s abilities and remind them of your products and services.
In short, a good brochure leads to business and therefore it is vital to get it right.
Paper Size
Firstly, when deciding on a paper size for your brochure it is important to decide beforehand how much content you would like to include. A cluttered brochure is unappealing to read and much less effective.
If you have a lot of content, choose a bigger size so that it is presented in the best possible way. Alternatively, you can have a brochure with additional pages.
If you don’t have a massive volume of content, you can be more flexible.
Secondly, you need to think about what the brochure will be used for. Will it need to fit into a presentation folder? Will it go through a letterbox? Will it be renewed regularly or will the consumer keep hold of it for a while?
The most popular brochure sizes are A4 and A5. Why?
An A4 brochure is cost-effective in terms of printing, and the preferred choice if you need to include a lot of content.
An A5 brochure is a more compact brochure size for those who need less content, yet still gives way for a bit of creativity. This size brochure is also the cheapest option to send via the post.
Both are easy to carry around, fit through letterboxes and slot into literature racks.
However, staying safe has its disadvantages. Being the most popular brochure sizes means that A4 and A5 brochures will not stand out from the crowd.
Is it important for your brand to stand out?
If cost and efficiency is critical to your business, why not create landscape A4 or A5 brochures to be more distinctive among the standardized portrait brochures.
At Crush we have a soft spot for square brochures. A square brochure is a striking way of making a brochure look more premium and original, without a hefty price tag. Square brochures are letterbox friendly and don’t break the bank in terms of postage costs.
Alternatively, for those who are willing to be a bit more flexible in terms of budget, bespoke brochure sizes are the best way to show off your brand. Bespoke brochures allow for maximum creativity, to completely compliment your products and services.
Brochure folds
After choosing a brochure size, the challenge is far from over. The next step is choosing the right brochure fold. This step needs considering at the design stage. Some examples are here below:
The right type of paper
Paper choice can have as much impact on the final product as the design.
There are two main things to consider; the paper density and the finish.
Paper density refers to the thickness and firmness of the paper. It is measured in GSM (grams per square metre). A typical corporate brochure would be between 170-300 GSM.
Think of a firm brochure as the equivalent of a firm handshake. It reflects assurance and professionalism. Whatever you are selling, every business should want to be seen this way.
The right print finish
A print coating is the finishing touch to a brochure. A matte or glossy varnish allows a brochure to be more expensive looking. You can also add lamination for extra protection and a smoother finish.
Once again, the key question is “what is the use of your brochure?”.
One of our clients, an industrial paint company, opted for fully laminated brochures because they recognised that their clients kept their brochures for years, and therefore they needed to be durable. They also needed to survive the wear and tear of an industrial environment.
However, if your brochure is for a one-off promotion it might not need such a finish.
For more premium brochures, other finishes can add a touch of class such as UV varnish, foil stamping, embossing, letter press etc.
If you are interested in finding out more, or thinking of getting new brochures for your business, give us a call on 012460 563357.
