Managing your marketing budget is a huge part of new and small businesses — and one of the easiest aspects of the process you can miscalculate. What you want is something high in quality that attracts new customers and doesn’t make too much of a dent in your company finances.

If you’re just starting out in business, or are looking for cost-effective ways to drum up publicity for your company, why not create a brochure on a budget? Where The Trade Buys — a specialist company offering professional perfect bound brochure printing services — explains how you can get high-quality brochures at a low cost to create an effective marketing strategy.

How to design your brochure

It’s important that you work to keep the costs down from the very start. Read on to see how you can get a professional finish that was worth your investment.

• The professional look

There’s no point in paying money for a half-decent job, so it’s essential that your brochures look professional and high in quality. Factors such as the size of your brochure and the amount of information can influence the way potential customers receive it, as well the overall cost. While it’s tempting to cram as many details on there as possible to save money, you don’t want to make your brochure look untidy. So, think of the essential information and what you really want to get across, then cut the rest.   

• Paper quality

You need to decide on your paper stock preference early in the budget brochure process, as this has a big impact on cost. Ideally, every business would use the highest paper stock they can afford, but you should consider your audience and the purpose of the brochure before deciding. For an informal brochure, a thinner and less expensive paper stock is fine. But, if you’re targeting a high-end corporate conference, you might want to invest more money in a higher-quality paper stock to make the best impression.

• Be exact

Being accurate and exact is critical in making sure you get a good deal on your brochure printing.  You don’t want to waste money on unnecessary reprinting because a mistake has slipped through the net. Make sure all design and text have gone through thorough quality checks for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and just general mishaps. Proofing, editing and re-checking are key.

• What type of finish?

Your brochure’s finish also deserves consideration and there is a variety to choose from. The Scodix finish is available for companies who want to make their publication really stand out and generally has little effect on the cost, while Casebound is quite expensive but delivers stunning quality. Alternatively, Saddle-Stitched brochures are a sleek way to present your corporate brochure to your audience, as they are generally finished with a gloss or silk lamination. Overall, Casebound is a great choice if you have the budget. However, PUR is a more affordable, high-end binding option that is ideal for pitch documents and coffee table brochures.

• Important information only

Don’t think you need to design a large brochure packed with loads of information to sell your company and get your money’s worth. Keep your copy simple and succinct. Rambling sentences and stuffing the pages with unnecessary detail only confuses readers and looks unprofessional. So, keep it to the need-to-know information. This is good for budgeting too, as you can save money on fewer pages. Just remember to include your company logo, contact details and, of course, your key message – without these essentials, your marketing campaign is likely to flop!

For an informal brochure, why not arrange your text in a quirky way to make your design pop and entice readers? If it’s clear, easy to read and fits comfortably, you can get as creative as you like.

• How many brochures is just right?  

Once everything is designed and you have the text you want to appear, the next step in the budget brochure process is thinking about the number of brochures you need. The more pages you request, the less you pay per brochure, but you don’t want to pay for copies that are only going to sit around the office collecting dust.

So, it’s worth checking the price guides before you place an order to decide on a long run, medium run or short run. Generally, longer runs are best suited to handout brochures for events such as trade shows, since they’re more cost-effective. However, quick buy pricing guides allow you to make an informed decision without contacting the printing company directly – cutting out the middle man.

• Digitalising your brochure

Although most brochures are printed and for marketing purposes, you might want to consider making your brochure available digitally. Putting your brochure online allows your audience to download it as a PDF for no additional cost to you or them. This way, you can have both printed brochures and e-brochures without spending extra.

Keep these tips in mind when you start your next brochure marketing campaign!