How to Print Brochures

Getting information into the hands of the people you want to reach to promote your business, club or organization is crucial for success. With a few guidelines and a little creativity you can produce a brochure that fulfills its purpose. Designing it to be easily printed takes a little more planning. A series of decisions need to be made to ensure the best results. The first question you need to ask is “How is the brochure going to be printed?” Read on to learn how to print brochures.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Computer software like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Microsoft Word or Publisher
• Paper
• Commercial copier to use
• Print Shop

1. Decide which printing process you need to use. There are several options. Ink jet printing may seem like a solution good, but if you print in color the cost of ink cartridges adds up fast. Ink jet ink bleeds if it gets wet. The results also tend to look home made. Photocopying the brochure can result in professional looking brochures if the paper quality is good. Today’s copy machines both black and white and color produce high quality results. Professional offset printing is feasible for large runs. To lower costs using a two-color scheme will give your brochure some added interest and is less expensive than four colors.

2. Consult a printer for estimates on the processes you are considering. The price of the job will help you decide what is best for your needs and budget.

3. Design the brochure to fit the printing process. When consulting the printer about the pricing of the brochure be sure to ask about any special requirements he has in file preparation. Most printers will accept the PDF format. If you have Adobe Acrobat you can produce PDFs from most software. Follow these general guidelines when designing. Leave a margin. The most common design error people make when laying out a brochure is they forget about margins. Since most brochures are tri-fold making each section panel 3.667 inches. You will need to subtract a ¼ inch on each side and allow for a ½ inch gutter between the panels.

4. Panels for front, back and inner flap

   Lay out the cover information and the photos in a way that is visually pleasing. For layout flow consult the diagram. The front panel is panel number six. The front cover should have an eye catching element and answer the question what or who. The title of the brochure should be on the front panel.

5. Lay out panel five. Panel five is the back of the brochure. This is a good place for contact information and maps.

6. Lay out panel four. Panel four is the second panel people will see as they open the brochure. It should have a summary of the brochure on it as well as highlights, bio information or an introduction.

7. Inside panels

   Lay out panels one, two and three. This is the inside of the brochure. It can be treated as three separate panels, as a whole or any combination of possibilities since it open up as a full 8 ½ X 11 sheet.

8. Chose a font that is easily read for the body text. Times New Roman, Arial and Helvetica are just a few on the more common ones. More elaborate or decorative fonts can be used for titles and subtitles.