Setting Up Your Brochure Template

When brochure printing, brochure templates are one of the most important tools to have. The brochure template you have allows you as a marketer to create a layout for your brochures easily and quickly. In addition, a brochure template also helps designers to create their layout according to the standards of brochure printing. It is very easy to design what is already predetermined; hence, your print brochures would very well be within the standards, which would make it easier for your printing company to reproduce your marketing tools fast.

But there are also certain ways of printing brochures with the use of brochure templates. You just don't get a ready-made template and ten fit all the elements you want to put in your brochure. There are certain tips to help you make your print brochures more effective.

Using a desktop publishing application, here are some easy steps to apply to your brochure printing so that your marketing strategy will get the results you want.

Step 1: Determine the dimensions.
This is the very first step. You have to determine and then set the dimensions you need for your brochure template. Depending on your particular business as well as the purpose you have for your print brochures, your length, width and shape will be determined by these factors. You would also be considering your folds as different lengths and widths define the kind of fold that is appropriate to your marketing brochure.

So if you're working on a trifold brochure, you have to set a new document using your desktop publishing software on an 8.5x11 inches measurement. This is considered as the standard size for letter documents. You will be able to set this particular dimension at the page layout controls in your software program.

Step 2: Determine your pages.
After setting up your dimensions, it is time for you to set up your pages. How many do you need to tell your story? Technically, you will need to have a front page as well as the back page. The inner panels will be found at the front page and they will be concealed when you put the fold in your brochure. On the other hand, the back page will hold your outer panels. You can see this when you have the trifold brochure. One suggestion: set your page format into "landscape" so you can see the layout even more clearly.

Step 3: Set the guidelines.
Again, with a trifold brochure, you have to divide your set pages into three (that's why the name, trifold). You will need to set up 2 guides to represent the 2 folds to create the 3 panels on each of your page.

Now then, set your guidelines, which can vary from one application to the next. Your software program will have a design wizard that will help you with this. Again, depending on what you need, you can deviate from the standard of guidelines to make one that is appropriate to your purpose.

Step 4: Increase your dimensions.
This would be appropriate for your printing bleeds. The bleeds are those spaces surrounding your brochure template and where your printing company usually cut your page. In order for your images and colors to stay intact, you need to provide bleeds to give allowances for cutting and folding your printed brochures.

Step 5: Finally, add your elements.
After setting up your dimensions, it is time for you to finally add the elements you would want to include to make your brochure template more exciting and your message more understandable.

Then you will have your brochure templates ready for submission to your printing company.