5 Tips for Printing the Best Brochures

Brochures can be an effective way of marketing your business and expanding customer knowledge.  However, if you are not aware of the process that is involved during brochure printing, your brochures could look less than professional.  Here are some easy tips to make sure that you are printing the best brochures.

Know the size of your final product

One of the most common mistakes in brochure printing is creating a design that doesn’t fit the final product.  If your printing company has to stretch or shrink your design to make it fit on the brochure size you have selected, there is a high possibility that your print quality will be reduced.  Thus, if the brochure will be printed on 8x10 paper, make sure that your design is also completed with 8x10 dimensions in mind.

Use bleeds

To help your brochure printing enjoy the best results, it is important to allow for bleeds.  Print bleeds occur when the images and design of the brochure go over the edge by a small amount.  When the brochures are cut, this eliminates any small imperfections from becoming obviously noticed by the reader.

Use proper DPI for your images

If you want your brochure to look professional when it is printed, then it is important to use images that are of a high resolution.  Low resolution images will look blurry or pixilated when they are printed.  

Keep in mind that the images you see on your computer monitor are usually 72 DPI.  While these look great on your computer screen, you will need images that are at least 300 DPI for print.  If you are not taking your own pictures, look for stock image sites that offer free or low-cost, yet high resolution images.

Consider your paper choices

Many print shops will offer you a variety of paper choices for your brochure printing needs, as well as a variety of finishes.  While the products you choose to use are completely up to you, keep in mind that a heavier paper stock often gives you a more professional feel, even though it is not much more of an investment when it comes to price.  

Whether or not a glossy finish is a good idea will depend on the design of your brochure.  Using a lot of ink will cause your brochure to appear glossy; however, if you use a lot of dark colors during brochure printing, a gloss finish will prevent fingerprint smudges.

Get creative with your message

Beyond looks, the most important thing to consider during brochure printing is the information that you are trying to convey to the reader.  You will want to make sure that important information is included, such as all the necessary contact information for your company.  

However, you also need to present information in a way that stands out from the crowd.  Brochures are commonly displayed in racks, often with a wide variety of other brochures, so you want to make sure that yours shines against the competition.  Looking for fun fonts, eye-catching images, and headlines that will make people want to pick up your brochure.