How to Design Note Pads

Businesses can use custom designed note pads to promote their products and services.

Note pads serve many purposes. They are a useful promotional tool for businesses and ideal for using at home to make shopping lists and reminders. Whether you plan to design note pads for use at trade shows or workshops or as a gift, note pads can feature photos, logos and other graphic elements to complement your business identity or express your personal style. Note pads are relatively easy to design using design software such as Adobe Illustrator.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Design software
• Internet access

Instructions

1. Determine the size of note pads you want to create. You may wish to create standard letter size note pads (8.5-inch by 11-inch) if they will be used for customers to take notes at a company hosted seminar or training session. Small note pads, sized 4.25-inch by 5.5-inch, work well for event and trade show giveaways. Note pads typically contain 25 to 50 pages.

2. Print the note pads yourself or use a commercial printer. Working with a commercial printer can save time and labor. You can also print the pages an ink jet printer, then cut and bind them by hand with note pad adhesive found at most craft stores.

   Ask the printing or promotional company about size limitations, design requirements and paper options for note pads. Promotional item providers offer a limited selection of note pad sizes. Discuss minimum order requirements, binding options and pricing.

3. Open a new document in your design software and create a document that is the same size as the note pads you want to create.

4. Use the guide option in the design software to place margins on the note pad document. Margins should be set at ¼-inch from the edge of the document. Place graphic elements inside the margin guides, otherwise they will be cut off in the printing process.

5. Place the logo and text you want to include on the note pad. Be sure to include contact information, including the business name, mailing address, phone and Web address. For seminars or special events, include the seminar name, dates and city location.

6. Proofread the information on the note pads for accuracy and spelling.

7. Save the file in the format specified by the printer you are working with. Attach the file and email it to the printer. If using an online printing service, upload the design as specified on its website.

Tips & Warnings

• Software that works well for designing note pads includes Adobe Illustrator, Adobe In-Design and QuarkXpress.

• Some online suppliers provide pre-designed layout options.

• Leave enough room on the note pads for customers to use as writing space.

References

• Vista Print: Note Pads
• 4Imprint: Note Pads
• Branders: Note Pads
• FedEx Office: Design Print Options

Resources

• Adobe Illustrator: Templates