Anyone ever make a brochure? I want to make a business brochure and not sure where to begin. I suppose I need a computer program to design it and then get them printed up.

 

I'm in sales and I use brochures to help introduce the companies I represent. I can't really tell you how to make a brochure but if you a manufacturer be sure to include a lot of pictures of your products or what it is you do. You wouldn't believe how many purchasing agents don't have a clue what they are buying or how things are made!

 

Just happens to be what I do for a living.

While you can use MS Publisher to produce a brochure for business use, it's not the best program, but, it is the most accessible.

I use a program called Quark XPress. This is one fine layout and design program. (Probably the 'Premier' program for layout/design.) A lot of magazines and newspapers use this program.

In setting up a brochure, you need to decide what format or size you will be ending up with. 8-1/2 x 11 trifold, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, etc., etc., and go from there.
Keep in mind what you want to convey, and end up with sort of like a business card on steroids.

If you have MS Publisher, give it a try. This program is not that difficult, and has a so-called 'wizard' to help.

Believe it or not, most brochures are re-hashed information. Go pick up a brochure (or two) from other companies or businesses and see what theirs looks like, and while I don't advise 'copying' their design, it will give you ideas.

EDIT: Don't forget to add lots of photos. Visual aids are great at showing what you are trying to sell, trade, or produce in your business.
Example. . . don't just show a shock absorber - - - show the shock on the vehicle, from under the vehicle.
There are lots of 'public domain' pieces of artwork that you can use. Take advantage of it.

Keith

 

Quark is a great program, no question, but I think its a bit tricky to get used to. Once you do, its tough to go back to anything else, though.

Having no idea what you're making a brochure of or for, I'd say make sure you show it to a number of different people, with different levels of knowledge about the subject. Sometimes, when you are writing about something you know a lot about, you omit information that the "average" person doesn't know. And, looking at lots of other brochures is a good tip, too. See what you like and don't like, and adapt it to your uses.

 

Well I have a remodeling company specializing in upperend personaly made cabinetry in kitchens and baths. I wanted to put together some pamphlets and information packets that I can hand out when meeting people. It's all in how you sell yourself and most people will just hand a business card. I thought about setting up a web page because I could provide hundreds of kitchen pictures but I don't want to have my site used as a phamplet for other contractors to use as a idea site. Also I want to go for the general feel of a brochure, not just make an awesom layout and have it printed on some folded aper. How do I transfer my design to a.....phamplet materal. Also is quark to complicated for general use? Publisher kinda sucks, but I suppose it works.

 

Quark XPress was really easy for me to learn!

Granted, I had some typesetting skills from running a linotype machine years ago.

My supervisor brought in a box with the program in it, and said, "We are going to start using this program, tomorrow. Get acquainted with it."

I came home, called up PC Connection and $400 later, I had the program delivered to my door. (That was 10 years ago.)

Quark is all about layers and layering.
Not to use up bandwidth, but, start out with your paper size, say letter sized paper, landscape. (11" from left to right.)
Find the center. Work 'out' from there. You will need margins on each side, with a 'gutter' (inside margins) in the middle.
Proceed from there. It is truly an easy program to learn. 1/10th the time of other programs like Pagemaker or InDesign. (I've used them both.)
Popular Mechanics is just one mag that uses Quark. It is THAT good.

I wish that there was a way that I could send you a basic layout. I could do one for you in a matter of minutes.

Go to quark.com and see what the program is about. They did have a student 'discount' program. (As long as you have a "valid" student ID, there was a substantial discount on the program!!!) Welllllllllll worth the discount!!!
Hundreds off!

EDIT: If you are going to produce this at home, one really good paper is Hammermill 'Color Copy' paper. It is 28lb, matte finish. Photos look really good on this, and printed copy is fantastic. The last I purchased, letter sized stock was a little more than $8 per ream (500 shts.). (Cheaper if you buy it by the case.) I buy it 40,000+ sheets at a time. Also in 11 x 17" size.
After you 'create' your design, you could take a disc/CD to Kinko's or Staples, or some other place that does color copies. Call around and compare prices. This 'digital' printing is all the rage, in today's world.
Producing your brochure on a desktop printer could wind up being really expensive, considering the cost of ink cartridges and/or toner cartridges.

Keith

 

I'll see if they have a demo, if so I think I'll try it. It looks $$ about 1k but I got ordained as a minister over the internet just for software kickbacks so it might be cheaper. Thanks for the tips and check back to the thread, I'll have questions if I get the program. How does this program save files to print at Kinko's. I've done this before but that was a while ago.

 

Ive used quark, pagemill, photoshop, publisher, and in a bind word.
Brochures are easy, I was required to do one in 4th grade, (before i had a comp 1989) so anything since that hand written one has been cake

 

About 10 yrs ago, ver 3.3 was less than $400. Now, version 6.5 goes for nearly $1G. However, a few months back, they had a student discount program going, so, considering the fact that my wife is back in college, she was able to get ver 6.5 for $200!!!!!

I do think that Quark has a demo version, but, anything that you print will have 'Demo' as a 'watermark' diagonally across the sheet.

As for taking something to Kinko's or Staples, (depending on the file size) either save to a Zip Disk or to CD. (Don't forget to 'Collect for Output' - which puts a copy of the artwork and fonts and all specifics into a designated folder.)
OR, you could convert the Quark file to Adobe (.pdf) and the file will be really small (in comparison) and then save to disk or CD. This would probably be the best bet. (Personally, I haven't used Kinko's or Staples, so, you might want to contact the one you will use, for their requirements.)

Quark XPress is really not that difficult to learn. I 'tutored' one of my daughter's roommates, and she was able to learn it, in an afternoon. This young lady went on to 'real' classes, and is now a graphics designer/layout specialist. It's a decent living.

I hope this helped.

Keith

 

gOT A trial version of quark. I can import pics and clip them but how do I add text. I make a text box but my text is all just dots, no letters?????


Also when I import a group of pictures over a background picture and have it clip non white areas it does a good job but will leave some white around the new pictures, how do I touch up this white to match the master picture behind it?

If I had if able I could make it a picture and use mspaint but it must have a way. Also any place I can get samples of work to see how the boxes are laid out? THanks

 

As for the text being dots, that's a new one on me. What type size are you using? If you magnify the image, you should be able to see the type, unless it's because of the settings of the demo. (???)
(Look at the lower left corner of the screen. You can either click and drag through that percentage (100%) for example, and type in 500%. It will immediately show the image/project at 500%. Or, you can use the magnifying glass on the tools display and enlarge where you want, up to 800%.

First, de-select 'Automatic Text Box' when you start a new document or project.
Next, when you open Quark and create a new document or project, click 'View' - Show Tools.
Next, click 'View' - Show Measurements.
(I move the tools to the extreme right hand side of the screen, and put the measurements at the top of the screen. That's where I leave them.)

Don't clip 'non white' areas. When you insert a picture box, click 'Item' -'Modify' - 'Runaround' - Find 'Type', then select 'None' - 'OK'.
Doing this, you can put the photo wherever you want, and you don't have to worry about 'white areas' or text or photos 'knocking out' anything else. (Depending on your artwork/photos.)
I have only had to 'clip non-white area' about 5 times, total, in about 10+ years.

As for samples, peruse the internet for brochures, or go to local shops and pick up one of their brochures.

EDIT: Select 'No Runaround' for your Text Boxes, too. In this way, your type will 'float' over your background.

Instead of using up bandwidth, PM me if you have any other problems or questons.

I hope this helped.

Keith

 

Ben,

probably a dum question but you do have a photo portfoliio of your work to show people don't you?

 

Not really, all my previous work was work of mouth and usually new clients saw old clients work that way. Because of this I never really got good at selling my services to people who don't know me or my work. Work is slowing a bit and I wanted to put together some good visual samples. I have pictures of old jobs and was going to incorporate these into a brochure.

 

See if you coudl go back into houses you have done work in and see if they'd let you photograph the cabinets and decorationand such to use in your brochure. I'd be willing to bet some would be delighted to do so.

 

O ya I have all thoes pictures they just are not in a portfolio.