Graphic design has made life much easier, particularly in the marketing department. When you want to create a brochure, all you need to do is whip up a design on computer software and send it off to the printers, right? But if you want a brochure that really dazzles, it usually requires a little more effort than that. Creating an effective brochure requires a combination of both design and software knowledge. As you work on a brochure design that’s sure to drive conversions, consider these tips.
1. Know your Audience
This step should be fairly simple if you’re a successful business. Knowing your audience is about understanding your customer base and what they love to see. Ask yourself a series of questions to sketch a picture of your audience:
- What are the demographics of my target audience? (i.e. age, sex, location, etc.)
- Why would they want to buy my product or service?
- What kind of value will my product or service offer?
- What problem can my product or service solve?
- What is the general personality of my audience?
- How do they make purchasing decisions?
For a list of more though-provoking questions to consider when defining your target audience, see this post by Top Nonprofits.
2. Define Your Purpose
What specific purpose are you hoping to achieve with your brochure? Obviously, your purpose is to gain more customers, but this question prompts you to think a little more specifically. Consider the milestones you’ll need to achieve along the way and what specific actions you want your customers to take with that one brochure.
For example, say you are a business that helps direct sellers find success, and you have just written a book that you want your clients to buy. You create a brochure all about what you do, and then you put in a blurb about the book you’ve written, leaving them with a call to action directing them to visit your website and purchase a copy of the book.
Getting customers to your website and directing them to your self-help book are examples of some specific goals that will help you on your way to your ultimate goal.
3. Create a Unified Design
Fonts and colors are both important and exciting features of the brochure, but too many can ruin the overall look. Choose just a few colors that complement your brand. Be sure that the colors are serving a purpose and look unified rather than clashing.
Then, choose no more than three fonts-one for your title, one for each sub-heading, and one for the overall body. This unity will make your brochure look professional and easy to read.
4. Design a Compelling Cover
Your brochure design needs to make a great initial impression, and that requires creating a compelling cover. It should stand out as unique, but attractive among traditional brochure designs so that your customers feel compelled to not only pick it up, but to read through it.
In order to design an effective cover, do your research to find things that you like. You may also choose to do UX testing to see how your customer base will respond to different designs.
5. Invest in the Writing
Don’t ever underestimate the importance of great copy in your brochure. The design is important for getting customers to pick up the brochure, but the copy is what will get them to do what you want. Make sure the writing is high quality and relevant to your cause.
6. Line Up the Paper and Printing
Finally, once you have a solid brochure design, pick out your paper and line up the printing. Your paper should be high quality. It’s more important to go for good quality than to go for affordability.
It should also match the design of your brochure. For example, if you’re crafting a brochure about green living, you’ll want to choose recycled-type paper for your brochure rather than glossy paper.
As for your printing, go with a company who will deliver high quality paper and ink at a price you can afford. You should also consider the ease of ordering and receiving your brochures. For example, at Low Price Print, you can simply upload your design and find excellent pricing on bulk orders of brochures. They’ll have it printed and sent to your door. Not having to worry about sending and picking up the order for the print will do wonders for improving your efficiencies.
Above all, remember that a brochure is only as good as its design. Use these tips to create a design that will bring customers straight to you.