6 Ways to Create Eye-Catching Brochures

Direct mail brochures are one of the oldest tools used in the marketing toolbox and continue to pass the test of time successfully. They are an excellent way to reach a large number of potential customers and provide them with a snapshot of what your business has achieved and what it has to offer.

Brochures can be very informative and worth keeping if they are combined with a creative and unique design. While a poorly designed brochure may be discarded without a second glance, a well designed and beautiful brochure may be kept or shared with others. It can be a very effective way to help increase sales for your business.

So, what exactly sets a printed brochure apart from the rest? Here are a few tips and tricks you can use when designing your brochure to ensure that it can successfully catch the attention of its recipients.

If you’re ready to create that brochure-with-a-bang, here’s 6 ways you can create that eye-catching brochure for your business.

1. What type of brochure do you need?

Before you can dive right in and begin creating your brochure, take a step back and do a little brainstorming and planning. It’s important to determine the type of brochure you’re planning to create, based on the industry your business falls under, as well as the type of marketing campaign that best suits your business.

Based on the answers to these questions, you can create a brochure that is best suited to the type of marketing you choose to conduct.

For example, a compact brochure would be ideal for direct mail sales, whereas a larger, more informative booklet may be best if you plan to hand them out at a convention or show. There’s an abundant variety of brochure styles and designs ranging from flyers to tri-fold pamphlets and large professional booklets. The style of the brochure is dependent on the business it is representing and the modes of distribution.

2. Select the appropriate folds

When you think of a brochure, the typical image of a trifold pamphlet style may be the first thing that pops into your head. Although this brochure design is certainly common, there are numerous other ways that you can fold your brochure, with the one exception being single page flyers. Incorporating unique folds into your brochure can be tricky, but if done correctly, they can enhance the overall design of your printed brochure.

A direct mail brochure is usually designed on a 2-dimensional layout, with the folds incorporated after the brochure is printed. In order to help you envision what the final folded product should look like and position some of the content correctly, a rough sample should be created first.

Take into consideration the margins you use when creating your brochure based on the thickness of the paper you are planning to use — folding can affect the margins if a thicker paper is used. Use a mock-up of your brochure first to ensure your final product won’t be unbalanced or uneven.

3. Be creative and unique

Unfortunately, brochures aren’t known to be stored for too long. If you don’t want your carefully designed brochure to end up straight in the trash, you have to lure your readers towards your brochure with an eye-catching design, or something advantageous like a perforated coupon part.

One way to do this is to create a brochure with a unique shape that will stand out from the other brochures and flyers your readers receive. If you include a calendar or a map, for example, your readers are more likely to hang on to your brochure or hang it in a place where your brochure will be easily visible for an extended time.

Two additional ways to help create a unique brochure is to use a technique known as die-cutting and selecting an appropriate finishing for the paper. A die-cut can be used to add creative edges to your brochure or a small window onto the front page of your brochure for a fun design choice. Additionally, paper finishes, such as matte or silk, can be used to achieve an elegant appearance.

4. The Right Software is Your Most Valuable Tool

There are several different software programs available to help you design a brochure, and personal preferences can vary. However, if you want to design the most professional brochure, then Adobe InDesign is the software for you.

Adobe InDesign offers you a variety of different features to create exactly the brochure you planned. It offers you the ability to create a very professional print design, ensure that all the formatting and alignments are correct, and allows you to easily print a mock brochure to get an idea of what the final product would look like.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that other types of software won’t be as effective when creating your brochure, but Adobe InDesign can help make the direct mail designing process a lot smoother for you.

5. Make bold choices for your brochure

If you’re afraid to take risks with your brochure design, you’ll end up with a dull brochure with a front cover that won’t be able to catch anyone’s attention. The front cover is the main point of contact and usually the first thing people see, so don’t hesitate to add some bold and large headings with colourful and eye-catching images, as appropriate.

You can use a variety of colour schemes, such as bright and sparkly or a bright rainbow theme, to create a certain feeling in your readers and draw them towards picking up and delving further into your brochure. Make sure your brochure is the first one to stand out among others and can be easily spotted from afar.

6. Know your direct mail printing options

Once your brochure is designed and edited, it’s ready to be printed, folded or bound together. This usually marks the last stage of its development and the step we’re sure you’ve been working and waiting for. This is where Troi Mailing Services can offer you business printing services.

At Troi Mailing Services, we can help design and print brochures in a wide array of sizes, and with any number of features. We offer a large selection of stocks and thicknesses, including text and card stocks in gloss, matte, silk, uncoated, and many more.

When created using all the tips and tricks we’ve highlighted and your unique additions, your brochure can be a very effective way to help market your business through direct mail advertising. We hope you are able to find the confidence you need to create your unique brochure that helps represent your business in the best light possible.

To learn more ways to design an eye-catching direct mail printed brochure for your business, call Troi Mailing Services at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us here.