Direct Marketing - How to Create a Tri-Fold Handout
Saturday, November 23, 2013
A tri-fold handout is a great way to present a cause, organization or new promotion offered by your business. It displays information in easy-to-read, manageable sections. Well-designed brochures make your organization stand out above your competitors. Even if you do not have design experience, using a publisher program can help you create a professional piece of marketing. Talk with your marketing team, co-workers and colleagues for opinions on how the handout should appear.
1
Divide a piece of paper into three sections along the long side of the paper, like a tri-fold brochure. Sketch what you would like your brochure to look like on a piece of paper. Identify where relevant information should go, images, logos, boxes with emphasized information, headers and text. Move the sections around until it looks balanced. The most important information should be on the interior sections. Readers open the brochure and take in all the information at once. The least important information should be on the back.
2
Open your publisher software, such as Microsoft Publisher. Using a program that has tri-fold templates makes designing and printing the handout easier. The program instructs you what is inside and outside of the printable area as well as where the fold lines are.
3
Select "Brochure" then select whichever design template you want. The templates provide places to put pictures and text. Select a template that has the design aspects you are looking for in your handout.
4
Choose your fonts and a color scheme. Use colors your organization has already picked. If you have creative control, experiment with the color schemes and fonts found on the publisher programs. Play around with the look and placement of text and pictures. On computers, mistakes are easy to undo by selecting the "Edit" tab from the top of the screen and then "Undo." Ctrl (or apple symbol on Macintosh computers) + Z is the keyboard shortcut.
5
Use images, logos and slogans often used by your organization or business on the front fold. The handout needs to be instantly recognizable as a piece of literature that belongs to your organization, both for people who know you and people that might be looking for resources. Do not clutter the front with too many images. Leave white space to draw the reader's attention to the title or other important information.
6
Identify the purpose of the handout on the front cover. For example, if you are making a handout for a recreational center's summer classes, the front should read, "Summer Classes at the Rec Center." If the front only has the Rec Center logo, the patrons might not know that it has information about summer classes inside.
7
Populate the inside with the relevant information. Use bullet points and key words to grab the reader's attention. Keep your sentences and phrases brief--handouts are made for skimming. The essential facts and contact information should be easy to find.
8
Print the brochure in black and white to make any edits. The arrangements and sizes often look different on the screen compared to on paper. Make necessary changes. Print the brochure in color. Fold into three sections with the left side being the front cover that opens first.
Tags:
Direct Marketing, Marketing
1
Divide a piece of paper into three sections along the long side of the paper, like a tri-fold brochure. Sketch what you would like your brochure to look like on a piece of paper. Identify where relevant information should go, images, logos, boxes with emphasized information, headers and text. Move the sections around until it looks balanced. The most important information should be on the interior sections. Readers open the brochure and take in all the information at once. The least important information should be on the back.
2
Open your publisher software, such as Microsoft Publisher. Using a program that has tri-fold templates makes designing and printing the handout easier. The program instructs you what is inside and outside of the printable area as well as where the fold lines are.
3
Select "Brochure" then select whichever design template you want. The templates provide places to put pictures and text. Select a template that has the design aspects you are looking for in your handout.
4
Choose your fonts and a color scheme. Use colors your organization has already picked. If you have creative control, experiment with the color schemes and fonts found on the publisher programs. Play around with the look and placement of text and pictures. On computers, mistakes are easy to undo by selecting the "Edit" tab from the top of the screen and then "Undo." Ctrl (or apple symbol on Macintosh computers) + Z is the keyboard shortcut.
5
Use images, logos and slogans often used by your organization or business on the front fold. The handout needs to be instantly recognizable as a piece of literature that belongs to your organization, both for people who know you and people that might be looking for resources. Do not clutter the front with too many images. Leave white space to draw the reader's attention to the title or other important information.
6
Identify the purpose of the handout on the front cover. For example, if you are making a handout for a recreational center's summer classes, the front should read, "Summer Classes at the Rec Center." If the front only has the Rec Center logo, the patrons might not know that it has information about summer classes inside.
7
Populate the inside with the relevant information. Use bullet points and key words to grab the reader's attention. Keep your sentences and phrases brief--handouts are made for skimming. The essential facts and contact information should be easy to find.
8
Print the brochure in black and white to make any edits. The arrangements and sizes often look different on the screen compared to on paper. Make necessary changes. Print the brochure in color. Fold into three sections with the left side being the front cover that opens first.
