If you’re writing or revamping a business booklet, you have the chance to create something fresh and appealing. Your business booklet should be eye-catching and interesting to read. How do you do it? Follow these tips for business booklet design.
1. Start with a Working Title
The first step in planning your business booklet design is to choose a working title. Think about the aim of your booklet. Choose a title that helps you focus on your theme. It’s easy to get sidetracked by extraneous information you think your booklet needs.
Instead of letting yourself get derailed, pick a title that tells everyone what this booklet is about and what it is doing.
2. What Is the Booklet’s Purpose?
A business booklet needs to be straightforward and factual. Use this booklet to deliver specific information the reader needs. Leave out any promotional language. This is an information booklet, not a business brochure. Think of your booklet as a way of sharing your knowledge by providing helpful information to your client.
The information will be related to your product or service, but it will provide stand-alone guidance that helps the customer solve a problem. For instance:
- How to keep a leather sofa clean (the booklet could include spot cleaning, deep cleaning methods, and when to call a professional).
- Best ways to prevent malware from infecting your computer (the booklet could start with simple tips anyone can do and move on to higher-level security measures).
- Recognize the signs of roof damage (the booklet could go through all the signs and offer ways to mitigate the damage).
Make the booklet as informative as possible. This has several outcomes that support your business. First, it establishes your business as an authority on the subject. Second, it gives the customer confidence that you are there to help. Third, it reinforces the customer’s positive association with your company.
3. Write Clearly
When you sit down at the keyboard, forget all the sales pitches and branding you normally use when you write or talk about your company. This booklet is straightforward, and your writing tone should match that. Use clear, simple language. Don’t be flowery, and don’t talk down to the customer. Your style should be relaxed but easy to read.
4. Create a Compelling Cover
Do your other booklets have the company logo or a picture of the company building? You might find it exciting, but does anyone else? Before you print up yet another standard booklet with the standard images, stop and think.
Maybe it’s time to try something new. Why not choose a dynamic new image? You can make your logo part of the overall design or just place it discreetly in a corner.
The cover gives a reader the first impression of your booklet. What impression do you want that to be? If you’re stuck for design ideas, ask your printer about professional design services. A graphic artist can create a cover that is eye-catching and inspiring.
While you’re at it, choose full color instead of black and white. Add a gloss finish to give it a high-quality look. Give yourself a fresh start with a cover makeover.
5. Keep Your Focus
This booklet is not the place to write about how wonderful your company is. If your logo is on it and your contact information is on the back cover, the customer knows it came from you.
If you include much more than that, your handy informational booklet will read like a sales pitch. Stick to the main topic. Leave out any information that isn’t directly related to it.
6. Use AIDA for Business Booklet Design
What is AIDA? In marketing terminology, it is an acronym that stands for attention, interest, desire, and action. To make an impact, your booklet has to hit all four elements. Here’s how to know if it does.
- Attention: Do you have a bright, attractive cover offering help for the customer’s problem?
- Interest: Is this subject useful or interesting to your reader?
- Desire: The booklet should help the customer realize they want the solution your company provides.
- Action: The customer sees you as someone who can help solve a problem, and they are more likely to call you. Make it easy for them by including your contact information on the front and insides of the booklet. You can also turn the back cover into a mail-in form that customers send in to set up a consultation.
7. Aim at Your Readers
Although good design is important, it’s also important to keep your readers in mind. What colors and pictures do they like to see? If you don’t know, think about successful past marketing campaigns.
Were there particular brochures or direct mail pieces that seemed to spark more sales? There’s nothing wrong with sticking with what worked. However, it may work even better if you take some time to upgrade and improve it.
8. Break Up the Content
Nobody wants to see pages and pages of dense, dark text. To present information, break up the text with plenty of white spaces and a few select images that drive the message home.
Use bullets, highlighting, and other methods to break up the flow of text into manageable sizes. Use headers to separate the information and offer some relief from a wall of text.
Are you writing about something complicated or hard to follow? Use pictures to explain complex topics. Infographics, charts, and numbered lists let the reader flow through the page quickly.
9. Keep It Uncluttered
Good business booklet design is simple and elegant. Don’t use too many font styles or image types in one booklet. Avoid a confusing mix of page layouts, and keep the same design on every page.
To keep it looking good, try one serif font for the main text body and one sans serif font for all the headers. Be consistent with margins, header sizes, and color palettes. This creates a cohesive, balanced look that is easy to read and very attractive.
10. Give It Some Polish
A business booklet should never look amateurish. To avoid that, go through your text with a careful eye. Typos are not acceptable. If you list facts and statistics, double-check your references to be sure what you’re writing is accurate.
Proofread it several times, and don’t forget the final proofing before you send it off for printing. Choose a professional for your business booklet printing to reinforce its professional appearance.
11. Pick Your Fold or Binding Style
Business booklet printing offers several options for binding. You can choose any of these.
Most booklets use stitch binding, which is simple, fast, and affordable. It will work on small and medium booklets, but larger booklets may need perfect binding. Both are excellent options because they look neat and streamlined.
Talk to your printing representative about the best paper choices and binding for your project.
12. Business Booklet Printing Tips
Once you’ve chosen your cover, paper type, and binding, you can begin to prepare your business booklets for printing. Setting up a print file will help you prepare a printer-ready document. When you design your booklet online, remember to specify the following.
- Size: Choose your size and portrait or landscape layout.
- Trim line: This is where your design will be cut during the printing process. The trim line should match the lines of your chosen design.
- Bleed area: The bleed area must be .125 inches outside your trim lines on each side. Your design must extend over the bleed area. If it doesn’t, you could end up with a faint white line on the edge of your pages.
- Color profile: Always use a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color profile when you prepare your booklet for printing.
Get Your Business Booklet Printed
A new business booklet is a chance to make a fantastic first impression. Dazzle Printing can help with speedy, precise printing and personalized customer service. When you need it printed, call us or check our online pricing calculators.
