4 tips for creating a professional brochure

Are you tired and frustrated from your customers and prospects ignoring your brochures?  It’s time to rethink your approach.

4 tips for professional design to ensure your brochure clicks with your customers:

1. Have the Final Layout in Mind

Before you get started, know that when you create a brochure, there are a ton of layout, design, and fold options. For example, did you know there are over 15 types of brochure folds commonly used in the business world? Trifold, bifold, four-panel fold, z-fold, accordion fold…the list goes on. That’s why (though it may sound counterintuitive), you should start your brochure design with the end product in mind.

If you’re creating a brochure, focus on the message and let a designer handle logistics of the layout. At Heritage, our team of designers will help you decide on the best design options to make your brochure shine. We’ll assist you with choosing fonts, using colors to compliment your branding, and designing a layout that stands out.

Designers know which fonts are easiest to read. (For example, Helvetica is often a favored font because of its legibility.) A trained eye will also know how to play with white space, a critical element of brochure design. Don’t fill every inch of your brochure with text and images. White or empty space draws attention to important points and helps the reader with clarity and focus. Design pros know how to maximize space and choose the best elements. Start your brochure creation on the right foot by talking to designer FIRST.

2. Write for YOUR Audience

Once you’ve decided the basic fold type and layout for your brochure, you’re ready to craft the language. As you draft up the wording, always write for your target audience.

Take the medical industry, for example. A brochure describing a new drug will look very different for an audience of doctors than a brochure geared toward patients. Does your brochure need to include technical phrases and instructions for experts? Is it meant to inform? To sell?

As you make a brochure, write concise, targeted language for each specific audience. You may want to keep certain elements universal across several different brochures, but each message should be unique to the target audience. A brochure is more informative than a postcard or flyer, but it’s still meant to lead your audience to learn more. Prioritize your message, breaking it up by audience segments. There’s rarely a one-size-fits-all option, so when trying to write for all, you may ultimately resonate with none.

3. Use High-Quality Visuals

Use high-quality visual content like photos, logos, and icons. There’s no quicker way to make a brochure look unprofessional than with poor graphics (or worse—canned clip art)! Your message is important; it deserves beautiful images.

Keep your images consistent with your brand. Every font, image, and color used in your brochure should look like it came from the same source. Even a brochure with several panels should appear cohesive and unified when laid flat.

If you’re cutting corners with stock photos or by skimping on quality visuals, you’ll only hurt your results in the long run. Visuals are powerful. Photos either help you attract or repel customers. So high resolution, professional quality photos are the best choice.

4. Include a call-to-action

Without a call-to-action, your brochure will ultimately fall flat. Your audience is drawn in by visual design, wowed by the description of how your product fits their needs, and excited about learning more. They will have questions and want answers!

A compelling call-to-action is a vital element in your brochure design. When you make a brochure, you should always move your audience toward ONE action you want them to take. Keep the message direct and tell your audience exactly what to do and when.

An effective call to action includes a request for a verb: Call now to schedule a free quote! Follow us on social media to get 15% off your first order! Email me today to learn more! Calls-to-action must be clear and carry a sense of urgency. This is the moment the customer should act!

Make a brochure that’s beautiful, eye-catching, and compelling. Create a piece your customer won’t put down until they’ve taken the next action to learn more. We know how to make a brochure that gets noticed. If you’re ready to reach your customers, Heritage Printing can help.