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Important 
Brochure Design Information For DISTRIBUTED
Brochures



                                   D e c e m b e r   2 0 1 2

 

Greetings!

 

Happy holidays from everyone at PP&D. I hope you are enjoying this festive season and that all your wishes come true. And I hope you are wishing for lots of SNOW! 

 

I am donating this whole newsletter to brochure design! I have seen too many bad brochures recently. They can be fixed very easily and your pick up rate will be improved dramatically!

 

It is important your designer (and you) understands that your brochure or rack card will be placed in a large brochure display. This is very different than a mailed piece or something framed to be placed on the wall.

 

Please review my top ten suggestions, the International Association suggestions. You can even watch a video and go online to rate your own brochure.

 

Please let me know if you would like  specific suggestions or a printing quote.

 

As always, I welcome any feedback, questions, comments or praise.

 

Bill Orleans

 

 

Sincerely,   

             

Bill Orleans, Owner 

PP&D Brochure Distribution 

802-862-4366          

 

PS - Stay tuned! Next month I'll be announcing lots of exciting new distribution options from PP&D!   


 
Please print your name or activity on the top 3" of the front & back of your brochure.
That is often all that people can see in the display!!!


Brochure Design
Tips Video
Brochure Design TipsClick The Arrow Above   
 

Award  Winner!

GMCR Award

Speaking of great designs, w
e are very excited to announce Green Mountain Coffee is the first place winner in the 2012 International Association of Professional Brochure Distributors annual competition. They beat out a field of over 19,000 brochures!  
 
It is the first time a Vermont brochure has achieved this high status! 

Melissa Gorham,
Operations Manager of GMCR Visitor Center and Cafe, said they all looked at the IAPBD Brochure Design Tips Video (see above) before producing this winning piece.




Ready To Calculate The  Quality of Your
Brochure?

Link Here

to rate the effectiveness of your brochure for winning you business.


Provided by the International  Association of Professional Brochure Distributors.
 



Looking to Save $$$$$ ?

printing press


Contact PP&D for a printing quote. Our gang runs are done by excellent printers for very reasonable prices!




Brochure                
D i s a s t e r s ...
    
Over the years, I've seen many mistakes that can be avoided. You spend lots of time and money on copy and design, so don't  waste that effort by printing on on cheap, light-weight paper. No one is satisfied with a piece that flops!  We end up tossing so many low quality brochures that you'll save money in the long run by printing on quality paper that represents your quality business!

I remember a large gardening company that sold supplies. Their first brochure had a beautiful sunflower on the top and their name was on the bottom. Their brochures just sat in our displays. It was a shame, because, because since they are a large national company, tourists would have recognized their name and certainly their pick up rate would have improved.

Spelling and grammar counts! If your run a sailboat or ropes course, a potental customors may think if you can't spell you you might not know your knots or be conserned with safty, and find a different trip. 
 



Ten Tips For An Effective Brochure

 

1. Big Bold Heading: There is no room for subtlety in brochure design. Your brochure will not be framed or hung on a wall. It has to compete with lots of brochures in a crowded rack. The larger the type the better! If you are well known, use your name, i.e. "Ben & Jerry's". Lesser-known Fred's Ice Cream should feature "Ice Cream" or "World's Best Ice Cream."

 

2. Heading on Top: It is very important that all of your vital information is in the top 2 1/2" of your brochure. Sometimes that's all you see in a rack. Also, place that info on the top of the back side, in case your brochure gets returned to the rack backwards.

 

3. Size: Sorry, there is not a lot of room for creativity here. All pieces should be folded to become 4"x9" for proper rack display. Some businesses are expanding their brochure to 10" in height, but that along with top folding increases your chances for the dreaded flopping factor.

 

4. Paper: Cheap paper makes your business look cheap. We recommend no less than 70 lb. coated stock for a 3-fold, full color brochure and no less than 80 lb. coated cover stock for a rack card. Grain direction should always run vertically.

 

5. Brochure Quantity: Regions of service desired, months of distribution, placement at Welcome Stations, Chambers and Travel Shows all go into deciding the quantity needed. Be aware your first delivery run will take a lot of brochures to initially stock the racks. There is a huge quantity difference in replacing your old brochures with a new one and using the same piece year after year.

 

6. For the Modern World: Be sure to list your full mailing address, with zip code, for the traveler equipped with a GPS system. Also, be sure to include your area code with your phone number, as cell phones require them even if you are calling from around the corner. Don't forget to include a QR Code or your website address and check to make sure they work! 

 

7. Design: Keep it simple and clean. Colored photos are great. Be sure to include a map, hours, phone number and e-mail address. Be wary of listing prices and hours if they may change. Large type (above 7 point) is a must. Be sure not to redo your whole brochure just because your staff or graphic artists are bored with it. We have new tourists every year. A good brochure can be timeless.

 

8. A Good Map: Be sure your map is large enough for those of us who hate to wear our glasses. Get in your car and see if your map/directions work.

 

9. For The Printer: Please band your brochures in bundles. Paper bands or rubber band are fine. Brochures in a bundle should face the same direction. The maximum weight of each box should not exceed 40 pounds. The side of the box should be marked with your name and the quantity of brochures inside.

 

10. Save Money: Combining runs with another company printing a brochure of similar size and quantity may save you money. Also try printing off-season. You can benefit tremendously from giving your printer your order very early and allowing them a long time to print your brochure.

 






Not a design tip, but I love this MAGIC HAT video so much, I thought I'd share it again...

The Advantages of PP&D Brochure Distribution