How do you make a good brochure? « Back to list
Where do you start with your new company brochure? It looks great on screen but how do you make sure the printed version lives up to your expectations? We’re often asked for advice on everything from paper to the best type of binding. Hopefully, this guide to producing a great company brochure should answer many of the questions business owners have when it comes to brochure printing.
What is a brochure used for?
Brochures are used for everything from event programmes or introducing a new business to showcasing products or services. You might list your services online but people are much more likely to spend time leafing through a printed brochure than they are reading a website. Consumers and potential customers can take or read a brochure anywhere. That means your message can be seen again and again. If you do business online, brochures help drive traffic to your website. Many businesses get the best results from combining printed brochures with digital media.
What kind of paper is used for brochures?
That’s up to you and depends on your target market as well as your message. Paper choices include silk, uncoated and gloss. If you’re aiming for the high end of the market you might use a luxury paper like linen effect, laid or pearlescent. Covers are often matt or gloss laminated giving them extra durability. The choice of paper and finish affects how your colours will look. Gloss enhances colours while silk offers a more subtle sheen. Swatch books show all of the paper weights, as well as finishes and your printer will be happy to advise.
What is a good paper weight for a brochure?
130gsm – 170gsm paper is usually used for brochures. Covers are often printed on 220gsm-250gsm although some brochures are self-covering meaning they use the same weight for the cover as they do for the inner pages. If you’re unsure about paper weights a good guide is to consider that standard photocopy paper is around 80gsm-110gsm and business cards start at around 350gsm.
What are the different types of brochures?
The type of brochure you choose will depend on the purpose of your brochure and its size.
There are three main types of brochure:
- 8-24 printed pages
- Printed spreads are folded and stapled along the fold.
- Often used for booklets, catalogues, company brochures, magazines and reports.
- 40-700 printed pages
- Printed pages are stacked then glued along the spine.
- Commonly used for magazines, thicker brochures, hardback or paperback books, reports and catalogues.
- 4-360 printed pages (180 leaves)
- Single pages are hole punched along the rear edge and bound together with wire fed through the holes.
- Wiro bound documents lie completely flat when open making them popular for reference books, recipe books and presentation documents.
How do you fold a brochure?
Brochures are multi-page documents rather than folded. If you haven’t enough information for a brochure you might consider a folded leaflet – a single flat sheet folded once to give four panels, or twice to give six panels.
Whatever your requirements DigitalPrinting.co.uk can help you get the best print solution for your brochure. We supply clients with a superb range of brochures, catalogues and company publications. We offer several binding options and an extensive range of paper types, weights and finishes. To find out how we bring your brochure design come to life visit www.DigitalPrinting.co.uk or contact us today.
