Useful Tips for Creating Professional Brochures

In marketing annals, the first impression is often the last impression. A brochure is often the first exposure of a customer towards a particular product/service or company and goes a long way in creating a positive impression in the customer's mind. Keeping in view the importance of a well-designed brochure in creating a lasting impact, it is always advisable to get it designed from a professional graphic design agency which boasts of a team of competent designers well-versed in advertising and branding. On your part, you need to know what a good brochure must have so as to ensure that you have a winner in your hands.

Following is a list of 'must have' for promotional brochures: Be original Remember that the main motive behind a brochure is to convey some unique and useful information about your business to your targeted audience. Hence, it should be designed after proper research and consultation. Make sure that the brochure design is an original one and highlights the positive aspects of your business. Simplicity sells Once you are ready with the idea of the brochure, select only the necessary ingredients that might be helpful in communicating your message.

There is no need to over decorate the brochure design. When it comes to graphic elements to ornament your brochure, keep it to the minimal. Basic elements The important part of the message should be larger, bolder, brighter to make it stand out from the rest of your message. The front page of the brochure must be appealing with all the important things that you might want your audience to know. Also provide necessary contact information at the end.

High resolution images For a professional looking brochure you can't compromise on the quality of the images. Use high resolution images for clear and sharp output. If the images for printing are of poor resolution, it will affect the whole set up.

Paper quality Until and unless the design of a brochure is supported by good quality paper, the brochure will not meet your expectations. Paper comes in all sizes, colors, and textures. You can choose from a wide variety of gloss and matte finish papers.

Go for paper that is heavier in weight and to which an appealing gloss can be added. Color combination Use of right colors is the success mantra of a good brochure design. Particularly, the colors must synchronize with the colors used in your company's corporate branding and positioning strategy. Or else, the brochure may not look as part of the company's promotional kit.

You can also go for colored paper if the need demands so but make sure they don't make the brochure look out of place with the company's brand colors, its website colors, its product packaging colors and so on. Remember, it is always better to use minimum colors in an effective way instead of creating a color riot. Proofreading After the final brochure design is sent for printing, it is not possible to make changes. Hence, it is essential to proofread the final design several times before having it printed. You can even show the design to some other people for their suggestions. It will help you to correct overlooked errors.

Print size For better result, be specific on the size and the print layout at the initial stage of brochure designing. Because, after the final printing is done, it is not feasible to change the whole set up. It is both time consuming and wastage of money. Extra edge Brochures are first printed together in sheets and later on sliced into single units. During the slicing process, at times the blade fluctuates over the text material. Hence, it is advisable to expand the brochure design by some inches beyond the established page borders so that during final cutting, the materials of your brochure remains safe and intact.

It is true that with the help of software tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark Xpress, and Microsoft Publisher, one can design their own brochures. But when it comes to quality, it is advisable to take help of professionals. For instance, if you are a company looking to expand your base in the UK, a professional web and graphic design agency in London would be well-versed with the branding practices in the UK can give your brochure a winning edge.

James Elliott is a web designer who offers affordable solutions for web and graphic design in London. Besides working as a senior designer in a graphic design agency in the UK, he dabbles into writing too. His articles on affordable web design have been published in various sites devoted to the web design industry in the UK.