 |
 |
 |
           |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Can I Write and Print My Own Business Brochures and Business Cards?
If you have a computer and a printer, preferably one that can print in color, then you can make your own brochures and business cards that are very professional-looking! Be sure to use good quality paper (that is available at any office supplies store like Office Depot or Staples) for anything that you are going to hand out or send to potential customers and clients. Writing Text for Your Brochure and Business Card The very best thing to do is to get a few examples of business brochures and business cards, preferably from the same type of business as the business you are starting. If you can't find any, then think about the type of customer or client you are trying to attract. If you are starting a professional service as your at-home business (such as accounting, bookkeeping, proofreading, etc.), then the text and graphics used in your brochure and business card should be minimal, crisp, easy to read, and contain only the most vital pieces of information. "Clutter" is not very professional. Pick paper colors that are monotone (one color) or that have a nice edging in a complementary color. State what services you have to offer, describe your business in professional-style precise terms, and make sure that your contact information (name, phone/fax/cell number, and email address) is easy to locate. If you are going to start up something like a children's birthday party service or another "fun" type of business, then you definitely want to think about bright colors and graphics that grab people's attention! Remember though, don't "clutter" your brochure or business card with too much information! Make sure your prospective customers can find your name, phone number, and email address easily---make them want to contact you right away! Creating Brochures Most brochures are either bi-fold (one fold, four printable sides or "areas") or tri-fold (two folds, with six printable areas). You need to decide on which format you want to use, and then shop for good-quality paper that comes pre-scored (or "creased") so that it folds with a sharp edge. Brochure paper is heavier than printer paper (called "stock" or "card stock"). Your computer probably has a few built-in templates for creating simple brochures. Many "print shop" type software programs offer a variety of templates that you can use to create more professional-looking brochures. Regardless of which you use, it should require very little effort to create your first business brochure! (I was able to use a template provided in my Hallmark Greetings! software to create a brochure that was professional-looking and had a little bit of "personality" to it!) Follow the instructions for the template you are going to use, and write the text for your brochure as described above. If you are going to insert pictures or graphics, make sure that you are not violating any copyrights (if you are taking graphics from another source). Using the guidelines given above, make your text simple and clear and be sure that your contact information is easy to locate on the brochure. Business Cards Just as for the brochures, your computer will either have a few easy templates to use, or you can use any print-shop-type software that has templates for business forms. Using the guidelines as given above, write the text for your business card. I do suggest that you buy business cards that are "laser-perforated" so that when you separate the business cards after you print them, you will get nice sharp edges. Flyers If you have the type of business that you can promote by tacking up flyers, then you need nothing more than your word processing software. Flyers are generally printer paper sized, and you can be as creative as you like! You might want to invest in card-stock-weight paper for your flyers. This paper is a little heavier and will be a little more durable than printer paper. Things to Remember When Printing Your Business Brochures and Business Cards
About The Author Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information about Jan's services; http://work-at-home.janktheproofer.com for work at home articles and free printables; and for work at home moms, visit Jan's sister site http://work-at-home.momsbreak.com for articles, free printables, and work at home T-shirts and other fun products. © Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.
MORE RESOURCES:
Advertising - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to SAVE Yourself from Spending too Much Money on Advertising! How much money have you spent in Advertising, Promotion & Marketing? If you're like most people you've probably spent over $1000 or more. Many individuals and companies have spent $2000 to $50,000 in Advetising within a course of 1 Year. Double Your Sales Potential With Double-sided Business Cards Swapping business cards is one of the most basic and common forms of networking in the business world. With something that is so common practice, people often hand out cards blindly while not really thinking about what the card does AFTER you hand it out. How To Get Big Sponsorship Money for Your Band, Tour, Event or Production Touring is a bands greatest opportunity for success. But, touring can be very expensive. Advertise Where Its Forbidden To The most common way to drive people to your business site is advertising. You cannot succeed without advertising, this is a fact. Custom LED Display Custom LED Display, as the name specifies, facilitate control anything with any message that you can think of, from hours of operation to daily specials. These are used by almost all industries like factory, banks, airports, universities, libraries, and many others. Media Savvy - Media Skills For Rural Women The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills for effective leaders. The capability of telling a story that inspires, motivates and informs is an essential part of this process. Three Keys to Crafting Successful Print Ads Want to create print ads that get results? Below are three keys to get you started.1. The First UK Man To Become a Human Billboard an Interview Advertising on humans using tattoos is rapidly kind of freak niche that is definitely growing. It all started about two years ago (to the best of my knowledge) when a guy ran an ad on eBay offer his forehead as a billboard. Advertising Costs Getting Too High? Everyone knows that advertising is essential to growing a business. One problem that small business owners have always faced is the high cost of marketing. Cinema Advertising is Big Business, So Mergers are a Natural Cinema advertising has always been an effective marketing tool for some advertisers, while for others they have yet to see the benefit of this unique form of media. When an advertiser hears the term "Cinema Advertising" automatically they think the slide that is shown on the big screen with the soothing music played in the background. A Lunchtime Lesson on Print Advertising I promise you'll be able to finish this article before you finish the first half of your PBJ. Are you sitting down? Good. When Advertising Wears Out One of the challenges facing marketers is determining the most effective level of advertising exposure for a brand, while maintaining a given budget. Conceptually, the media planner could choose continuous advertising (even exposures spread over a period of time) or follow a strategy of pulsing ("on" for some months and "off" for others). Yellow Pages Ads - Buying Secrets Yellow Pages Ads - Buying SecretsOK- let's agree that many businesses can benefit greatly from Yellow Pages advertising. Let's also agree that few businesses enjoy paying for this "necessary evil". How to Get People to Read Your Ads Like CRAZY! Rule One :- The HeadlineThe headline should summarize the whole offer. It should grab the eye, and make you want to read the subheading. Reach vs. Frequency: Touch 100 Once or 25 Four Times? Reach and frequency are terms generally used when planning advertising campaigns. However, the concept of reach and frequency applies to any promotional activity you undertake: direct mail, direct selling, and even networking. The Seven Second Race: How to Draw Attention Your Ad You've decided to launch your advertising campaign but you have no idea what would inspire others to buy from you. Or maybe you've already run some ads to no avail. 9 Tips for Better Billboards It is a given that billboard advertising "outdoor" is not a "quick fix". If sales are down, you can't quickly put up a few boards to boost the numbers. Getting the Most Out of Your Networking Group Here is my personal list of things to do at your networking group:(1) Bring your business cards. Sound simple? Well, I regularly meet people at networking groups who have forgotten their cards or their cards are at the printers. Why I Like The Ads I Hate! It's been said that the antidote to liking/loving is not hating, but indifference. So, when an ad makes you angry or disgusted or evokes any other strong emotion, it has done it's job. How To Make Your Yellow Page Ads Work I hear it often, "advertising in the Yellow Pages directory doesn't work!" I smile knowingly and wait for a pause in the conversation, and this is what I say in response to their claims?"It's not the medium - it's the message?and it's probable the market too!" Blank stares often accompany that opening statement. But they do work - and they work well? IF you know how to use them.
|
 |