The
best brochures are not so cramped with text that it isn't fun
and informative to read! White space is a good thing and one of
the most common mistakes in brochure design is not including enough
of it! Below are a few concepts to consider as you begin to plan
a brochure for any business or organization.
What
is your objective?
Whether
it be a website, a mailing or a brochure, your first step is to
think about what it is that you hope to achieve. Are you educating
new customers? Are you informing existing clients about new services?
Are you introducing a new product or service to a mass audience?
Are you promoting the advantages of utilizing processes available
on your website?
Who
is your target audience?
This is the most basic consideration of all design, both traditional
and online. In order to know what will be most effective and appeal
to YOUR audience you must carefully define who they are. This
question will dramatically impact every aspect of your brochure.
It is essential to communicate the benefits and advantages of
what you offer, specific to your audience. You will have no chance
of interesting them if you don't zero in on why they should care
about your message.
How
will your brochure be distributed?
Like any other media you must consider how and when the brochure
will be read. Will the piece be a selfmailer that only requires
a mailing label and a stamp before entering the postal flow? Or
will the brochure be stuffed in an envelope with other materials?
Will the brochure be used as part of a live presentation? Will
the brochure be handed out at a trade show or conference? Each
situation has special considerations and you can't plan for those
unless you know how the brochure will be used.
Winning
Content
Once your objective, audience and deployment method have been
determined you are ready to actually develop the content of your
brochure. Ideally most audiences will desire an easy-to-read,
visually stimulating piece that is well-organized. This often
means simplifying your message as much as possible, even if your
target audience is made up of professionals in your own industry
of expertise. Not only should your message be singular and succinct,
but also be certain that charts and graphs are appropriately labeled
and require little deciphering. Complexity should be left to the
presentation when in-person explanation is often far more effective.
Also consider multiple brochures as opposed to introducing too
many concepts in a small amount of space.
Brochures
are one of the least expensive, traditional methods of getting
your message across. Keeping just these few concepts in mind can
make all the difference in your results!
