With so many marketing options out there, it can be difficult for a business to choose the right strategy for them – especially when they are restricted with a tight budget. However, that doesn’t mean those companies need to miss out on the successful methods. Specialists in perfect bound brochure printing, Where The Trade Buys, explain how you can produce brochures that are professional and an effective marketing strategy for your company on a budget.
In the early stages of your design process, there are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure you keep your costs down but still achieve a professional finish that was worth your investment…
Table of Contents
1. Quality
Even if you are limited with your brochure, the quality shouldn’t be compromised. Instead, there are alternatives which remain professional and high quality without breaking the bank. The size of your brochure and the way it is finished can influence the way it is received, and of course the cost. Whilst it is tempting to cram as much information onto fewer pages to save money, you don’t want to make your brochure look unprofessional.
It might sound obvious, but the accuracy of your brochure can save you a lot of time and money. You don’t want to waste money on unnecessary reprinting because a mistake has slipped through the net. Make sure all design and text have gone through thorough quality checks for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and just general mishaps. Check, check and check again that everything is correct.
The finish on your brochure can affect how professional it looks – you should make your decision based on who your audience is, and what the purpose of your brochure is. Case bound can be quite expensive, but is the crème-de-la-crème when it comes to top quality. If you’re targeting high end corporate clients and have the budget to pull out all of the stops, then case bound is the option to go for. However, PUR is a high-end binding option that is more affordable than case bound – this finish is ideal for pitch documents and coffee table brochures. Saddle stitched brochures are a sleek way to present your corporate brochure or catalogue to your audience, as they are generally finished with a gloss or silk lamination. The Scodix finish is available for companies who want to make their publication stand out and generally has a minimal difference to the cost.
The paper stock will also affect the cost. For an informal brochure, a thinner and cheaper paper stock is the better option – but if you are targeting a high-end corporate conference, you’ll want to invest a bit more money in a better paper stock.
2. Need-to-know information
Keep it simple on a need-to-know basis. Remember less is more. Text should be clear and concise. This is good for budgeting, as you will save money on fewer pages. But remember to include your company logo, contact details and, of course, your key message – without these your marketing campaign will be a flop.
For an informal brochure, you can arrange your text in a quirky way to make your design pop. The design is down to you – but remember it needs to remain clear to read and fit on the pages correctly.
3. Quantity
When it comes to printing, ensure you get the right amount of copies printed in one run. You don’t want to have to pay for additional runs, and the same goes for long runs – although the more copies you request, the less you pay per copy, you don’t want to pay for copies that will be sat around the office catching dust. It is worth checking the price guides before you place an order to consider if a long run, medium run or short run will be the most cost-effective. Quick buy pricing guides allow you to make an informed decision without contacting the printing company directly – cutting out the middle man. Generally, longer runs are most suited for handout brochure at events such as trade shows because they are more cost-effective.
4. Free platforms
You could also utilise digital free platforms and make your brochure available for download as PDF online as well as a hard copy. This way, you can have both printed brochures and e-brochures, and have potentially more reach to your target audience.