Creating positive publicity and spreading brand awareness isn’t always easy or cheap, especially if you’re a new or small company. According to findings from StartUp Britain (a national campaign supported by the government), there are around 80 new businesses launching in the UK every hour, so it’s clear that entrepreneurial competition is fierce.
Designing a brochure on a budget
So, how do you promote your brand without bankrupting your company before it’s got going? Where The Trade Buys — a specialist company delivering professional perfect bound brochure printing services — shows how you can get high-quality brochures at a low cost to create an effective marketing strategy.
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Paper stock
Paper stock has a big effect on the final price. It’d be great to use the best paper stock for your brochure, but this might be unnecessary and you should think about your audience and the purpose of the brochure first. For example, an informal brochure doesn’t have to be elaborate and generally requires a relatively thin and less expensive paper stock. But, if you’re targeting a high-end corporate conference, you might want to invest in a higher-quality to make the best impression.
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Finish
There are several finishes to make a professional brochure without denting your company’s money pot. Saddle-stitched brochures are a sleek way to present your corporate brochure to your audience, because they’re generally finished with a gloss or silk lamination, although the Scodix finish is also effective at making a publication stand out and isn’t too expensive. Casebound book printing is costlier than many others, but is popular for delivering stunning quality. Then again, PUR is a more affordable, high-end binding option that is perfect for pitch documents and coffee table brochures.
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Accuracy
If you’re trying to stick to a strict budget, the last thing you want is to have to reprint because of a mistake. So, make sure all the images, copy and overall design have been checked and rechecked for errors.
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Don’t cram with info
The beauty of brochures is that they present all the essential details in an eye-catching fashion. If you pack every section with text, you lose professionalism and could possibly put your audience off reading it in the first place. Keep your copy simple and to the point, but don’t forget to include your company logo, contact details, and a key marketing message. Rambling sentences and stuffing the pages with unnecessary details only confuses readers – only include the need-to-know information and make the layout clear. This is good for budgeting too, as you can save money on fewer pages. For an informal brochure, you can even arrange your text in a fun way to make your design pop and entice readers.
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Overall look
Basically, your brochures need to look good and this is sometimes tricky. Size and amount of information can influence the chances of potential customers reading it, as well the final price. While it’s tempting to cram as many details on a small brochure to save money, you don’t want to make it look untidy. So, think of what you really want to say and select the right size.
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How many should you order?
Working out how many brochures you need is the next step. Requesting more copies means you pay less per brochure, but you don’t want to pay for copies that you don’t need. It’s worth checking price guides before you place an order to decide on a short, medium or long run. Generally, longer runs are better for brochures that you plan on handing out at trade shows or similar events, since they’re more cost-effective, but the final decision is with you.
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Make it digital
Making your brochure digital is a shrewd move for many new and small companies. Putting your brochure online allows your audience to download it as a PDF for no additional cost to you or them. This way, you can have both printed brochures and e-brochures without spending more money.
Put these tips to the test and see if you can boost your next marketing campaign.
