99designs by Vista<\/a>, you can even find the perfect professional designer to help bring your brochure design ideas to life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n2. Write high-value copy.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve defined your brochure goals, it\u2019s time to write some copy about your business. Brochure guidelines generally recommend that copy should cover three basic sections: information about your business; product and service information; and a call to action (or CTA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Information about you and your business.<\/strong> Your brochure is an opportunity to share more about who you are as a business and what you\u2019re about \u2014 so make sure to take advantage of that opportunity when thinking of brochure ideas. Share key information about your business, like your mission, values or story, or share with potential customers what makes you stand out from the competition. It\u2019s also important to add contact details to your brochure, like your website, social media handles, phone number, email address, physical address and opening times.<\/p>\n\n\n\nProduct or service information.<\/strong> Brochures are a great selling tool \u2014 so use them to sell your customers on the benefits of your products and services. If you provide multiple goods, products or services, split the copy up into categories to make it easier to scan and digest.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA CTA.<\/strong> If you want your brochure to drive a specific result, you need to tell your audience what to do with the right call to action. Write a strong CTA instructing your audience on what you\u2019d like them to do, and then incorporate that CTA into multiple locations in your brochure. This CTA could be anything, from encouraging customers to sign up for a product demo, to encouraging them to stop by your restaurant for a meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMake sure to include information about how to follow through on that CTA. If you want them to come into your restaurant, make sure to include your address and opening hours. If you want them to sign up for a product demo, include a URL for the sign-up page \u2014 or add a QR code for easy registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you\u2019re writing each section of your brochure, make sure to keep the \u2018cardinal rules of copy\u2019 in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep the sentences short, to the point and focused on a single idea.<\/li> Write in the first person, use \u2018we\u2019 and \u2018you\u2019 to personalise the text and never refer to your readers as \u2018customers\u2019.<\/li> Limit your paragraphs to 3 or 4 lines so they\u2019re easier to scan.<\/li> Use subheadings and bullet points to separate the information and make each item more digestible.<\/li> Less is more! While you may be tempted to share everything there is to know about your company, to avoid overwhelming readers, keep the focus on one or two key messages.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n3. Use smart visuals.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Brochures generally have a lot of copy. But text isn\u2019t the only way to make an impact! The right visuals can also help your brochure better communicate your message, build brand recognition and drive results. Some visuals you can consider incorporating into your brochure design include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Logos. <\/strong>There\u2019s no visual that\u2019s going to help you build brand recognition with your customers quite like your logo\u2026which is why it should be featured in every brochure design. You can also incorporate the colours and design elements from your logo into your overall brochure design to create a consistent brand look.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhotos<\/strong>. Photos can go a long way in adding visual interest to your brochure. If you can, consider hiring a professional photographer to take photos of your products, completed projects, workspace or even behind-the-scenes shots of you at work. If you decide to take your own photos, try to use a high-quality digital camera, which allows adjustments for depth of field and lighting \u2014 and generally produces better photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you have photo needs that don\u2019t require a unique image, you can purchase high-definition stock photos online. Just make sure not to use any of the same (or similar) images as your competitors!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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VistaPrint Tip<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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If you\u2019re on a budget or don\u2019t have access to a digital camera, not to worry! A good smartphone can also capture fantastic images \u2014 as long as you know what you\u2019re doing. With the right lighting and composition techniques, your phone can capture the images you need to bring your brochure design to life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Graphics<\/strong>. If you decide to use graphics in your brochure design, make sure to choose easy-to-digest graphics that make a statement about your brand without going overboard. Some graphics can have an amateur, \u2018looks-like-clip-art\u2019 feel that can cheapen the overall look and feel of your brochure design, so we recommend using graphics sparingly for maximum impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen you’re adding visual elements to your brochure design, aim to keep things clean. You don\u2019t want to throw so many elements on the page that your audience is visually overwhelmed and no longer knows where to look. Remember: visuals should serve your core message, not eclipse it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Choose the right fold.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve got your copy and visual elements figured out, it\u2019s time to make all of these pieces work together in your final brochure design \u2014 starting with choosing the right fold type. When it comes to choosing the fold type for your brochure design, there are three main options to choose from: tri-fold brochure design, bi-fold brochure design and Z-fold brochure design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bi-fold brochure design.<\/strong> Also known as a half-fold, a bi-fold brochure is made from a single sheet folded in half \u2014 the end result has a front cover, two sides of the brochure and a back cover. This type of brochure works well if you\u2019re using large graphics to illustrate your benefits or you have high-quality photography that you want to highlight. Since the fold is simple, it allows the design to take centre stage.<\/li>Tri-fold brochure design. <\/strong>Tri-fold brochures have two distinct folds, taking each side of the sheet and folding it in towards the centre \u2014 this cuts the brochure into three separate equal panels. With more space for copy and visuals, tri-fold brochures are ideal when you have a lot of information or elements you want to include in your brochure.<\/li>Z-fold brochure design.<\/strong> Z-fold brochures also have two distinct folds that create six separate sections\u2026but unlike the tri-fold design, which folds both ends of the sheet towards the centre, Z-fold brochures fold each side of the sheet in opposite directions, creating a zig-zag shape. Z-fold brochures can be a solid pick when you want to feature larger graphs or images, or if you want your brochure to tell one large, comprehensive visual story. Because of the way they\u2019re folded, Z-fold brochures easily fold out into one page.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n
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5. Find the right fonts.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The next design element you’ll want to consider is your font selection. Limit your choice of fonts to two or three for consistency and clarity \u2014 any more than that can feel visually overwhelming. Choose one font for body text and another for headings. Choose fonts that are consistent with your overall branding (if you have a brand style guide, pull fonts from there \u2014 or, if you don\u2019t have a guide, use fonts you use in other marketing materials to create a consistent look and feel). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For subheadings, use a third font or a smaller size of the second. Make sure these fonts not only work well together, but also feel like an accurate representation of your brand. For example, if you\u2019re designing a brochure for a children\u2019s clothing brand, using corporate fonts would feel out of place \u2014 though this font could be the perfect fit for a financial services company. If you\u2019re including quotes or excerpts in your brochure design, you can use the same font as your heading or body text \u2014 just use italics for emphasis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nicholas David, an Art Director on Vista’s Product Design Team, advises using the same font family for a design, where the bold face should be used for the header and the regular face for the body copy. “Another suggestion would be to skip decorative or script fonts for body copy \u2014 focus on legibility instead.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Consider content placement.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important to consider where in your brochure you want to place specific pieces of content. Covers should be low on text but high on appeal; whether it\u2019s a logo, a slogan or a photo (or some combination of those elements), the cover image should convey your key message and get readers to unfold the brochure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interior panels are where most of your text will live. Just make sure to leave plenty of white space; not only will white space keep visual overwhelm at bay, but it will also make your text more readable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The back panel should always feature your contact information and CTA. One exception is the Z-fold; on a Z-fold, the 4th panel in sequence becomes the back when folded \u2014 so keep that in mind as you\u2019re making decisions around content placement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Pick the perfect paper.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n How you design your brochure is very important. But once it\u2019s designed, what you print your brochure on is equally important! Most brochures are printed on one of four kinds of paper stock:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glossy<\/li> Matte<\/li> Uncoated<\/li> Recycled<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s no \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 solution to which type of paper stock is best for brochures \u2014 each paper type has advantages and disadvantages depending on the effect you\u2019re going for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glossy paper<\/strong> works best if your brochure design features vibrant colours or large photographs. Just keep in mind that the high reflectivity of glossy paper can make it difficult to read under bright light, which is something to consider for more text-heavy brochures.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMatte paper<\/strong> is terrific if you want to keep things black and white, or employ any high-contrast colour pairing. Also, it\u2019s worth noting that many people subconsciously consider matte paper more \u2018professional\u2019 than glossy \u2014 so if you\u2019re trying to pull off a more corporate or professional feel, this could be a good pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUncoated paper<\/strong> feels more natural and rustic. It’s easy to read and write on, making it a versatile choice for a variety of brochure types \u2014 especially if you want to jot down your contact information at an event.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRecycled paper <\/strong>has a textured finish and is made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper \u2014 a great option if your small business is prioritising sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n8. Make a mock-up.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Like the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. If you\u2019re not sure how all of your design elements are going to come together, play around with some mock-ups before you move forward with the printing process. Here are some elements you may want to practice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sample folds.<\/strong> Take a sheet of paper and fold it into one of the common formats to see how it looks. And then, just to give yourself a few options, repeat for at least one other format (for example, a bi-fold brochure and a tri-fold brochure).<\/p>\n\n\n\nMake a template.<\/strong> Once you have your sample folds, sketch out the key elements that will fill each panel and see which option feels more effective or impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPlay around with placement.<\/strong> Print out your text blocks, logos and graphics and place them into your brochure template to figure out where you want each type of content to live. For example, does the balance of content to white space work? Are the essential elements easy to find? Once you\u2019ve figured out where you want to place everything in your brochure template, glue or tape the elements in place to get a sense of what the final design might look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead your finished mock-up.<\/strong> Once your mock-up is finished, read the brochure from cover to cover. If you\u2019re happy with the flow of ideas and information, great! You\u2019re ready to print. If something seems off, it\u2019s time to go back to the drawing board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Are you ready to take your small business brochure design up a level? After all, you pride yourself on what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":3063,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How to Make a Brochure in six steps | VistaPrint NZ","_seopress_titles_desc":"Check out our easy step-by-step brochure guide that will help you design a professional brochure. Discover ideas and tips on how to make the most of your brochure and engage your audience with smart visuals and enticing copy.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design-tips"],"acf":{"vp_publishing_settings_post_modified":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3061"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4313,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061\/revisions\/4313"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.nz\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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