Designing a brochure can be both exciting and challenging for a graphic designer. A well-designed brochure makes sure that you leave a lasting impression on your readers. The powers of a high-quality brochure are manifold: it can educate the readers, convey credibility and authority of the company, increase the target audience, and persuade consumers to take action. To translate these ideas into design, you should be well versed with the process. Let’s take a look at what makes a good brochure stand out from the crowd!
Know Your Objective
To make your design effective, it’s important to understand the content you’re designing for. The purpose of the brochure is to point you to the right direction. Is it for a benefit concert? A contest? An advertising tool? An event? Get as much information about the objective of the brochure so that you can use that knowledge to inform your designing process.
Everything you put into a brochure communicates directly with your audience. The way a brochure is designed is part of the communication itself. This makes it all the more important that you think twice before designing the brochure to give it its identity.
Cater To Your Customers
Since a brochure is a direct communication tool, it’s important that you design it keeping your target audience in mind. Audiences always respond to content they can relate to so if you design a brochure keeping in mind their likes and dislikes, you’ll be able to capture their interest easily.
For instance, if you’re targeting foodies, then choose a design that has something to do with the art of cooking or gastronomical delights. Value a reader’s time and add quality content in the brochure so that the reader takes back something worth remembering. The more you address the needs and wants of your target audience in the brochure, the more engagement you will receive.
Develop Your Message Thoroughly
Now, if you’re unaware of the kind of information that will go into the brochure, take the time to understand the messaging from your salespeople or even your customers. Use their responses to map out the best design for what you’re offering and what the target audience needs.
Once again, we stress on the fact that it’s so, so important that you clearly define your message before the designing begins! You need to know what you’re going to say in your brochure and how you’re going to say it before you even think about design. This is because the message you convey is the most important part of the process. It all comes back to knowing your customer. If you don’t have a strong, clear message communicated in a language your customers understand and with images they can relate to, it doesn’t matter what design you come up with. Your brochure will fall flat.
Be Creative, Be Unique
Today more than ever, it is important that your creativity sets you apart from the competition. In this time and age when the level of creativity of designers is staggering, your uniqueness is of paramount importance.
Aim for a design that is original and unique. Make sure the uniqueness of your design is recognizable. Think of a design that can stand out even when it’s shuffled with other leaflets in a rack. Strengthening the brand’s identity through your unique creativity is highly recommended!
Practice Font Restraints
When you start designing for a project, it’s easy to fall in the trap of going overboard with the fonts you’d like to use. While it can be amusing to see a brochure in multiple fonts, it can also be discouraging for others, particularly for potential customers.
Show restraint when choosing which fonts to use. If your company already has a signature font, then choose to go with it. You can use that font for the entire brochure or you can add one or two more to jazz it up.
Go Straight To The Point
It’s a brochure, not a book.
Steer clear from the temptation of listing down all the achievements and successes of your company. You can also avoid putting in all the information about your product or service. An overload of information will just confuse the readers and dilute the main point of the brochure.
Instead, focus on what will catch the attention of your target audience. Talk about their interests in a crisp and clear manner so that the readers can easily grasp what you’re communicating.
Avoid Big Words
The more you use complex words, the lesser credibility you’ll receive. You don’t have to impress your audience with fuzzy words. In fact, the more you use them, the harder it is for you to convey your main point. For brochures, simple English is the best route to take.
Design For Your Readers, Not For Yourself
Prioritising their own taste in design over that of the target audience is an Achilles heel of many graphic designers.
You should know that as a graphic designer, it is your job to create designs that appeal to the target audience and not necessarily to you. Make a habit of putting yourself in their shoes. If the audience responds positively to the color red, even if you hate the shade, incorporate it in the design. Think of it this way: you’re serving at the pleasure of your readers.
Craft Headline Cleverly
The headline of the brochure should instantly tell the readers what the leaflet is all about. For instance, if it’s for advertising, the headline should convey the product or service being offered and what it can do for its user.
One of the most common blunders business owners make with regards to headlines is peppering them with their company’s information. While basic information about the business should be communicated in the brochure, they shouldn’t be highlighted in the headline of the brochure.
Go With The Right Colors
One of the biggest challenges of creating a great brochure is choosing the right colour. Choosing a colour that appeals to every member of your target audience is no easy feat. This is because people respond to colors differently. Some hate a particular color at first sight itself, while others will be instantly drawn to a brochure because of its color.
Just like with fonts, if the company has signature colors, incorporate them in your design, and then branch out to different shades and tones using those trademark colors.
Use High-Quality Paper
When it comes to marketing, flimsy brochure paper is the equivalent of a weak handshake. To make a good impression and promote confidence, wisely choose which paper to use. Choose high-quality paper to stand out. It may be pricier than regular ones but it will show you cared for your brand and made an effort worth remembering for your readers.
Choose Appropriate Images
A brochure without pictures is a boring leaflet. People are visual creatures who tend to get more attracted to something beautiful, intriguing, or fun. Plain text rarely offers this attraction, but images do.
To make your brochure design more reader-friendly, choose appropriate and relevant images associated with the main theme of the brochure. Also, avoid using generic images. If you need to invest in paid images, then go for it. Or if you have the budget for a photo shoot, then even better!
Add A Call-To-Action
However well-designed your brochure is, if it doesn’t include a call-to-action, it won’t serve its true purpose. Never assume that your audience will buy your product or go to your event just because they’re moved by your beautiful brochure. It doesn’t work that way.
Even if you have an eye-catching brochure, it’s still imperative that you motivate readers to get in touch with you or try what you’re offering with an appropriate call-to-action.
By : Aakash Kansara
Edited By : Dhruvy Rawal
