A Guide to Brochure Printing

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"Why don't you add a metallic ink and use an interesting paper?" These are the type of questions I often find myself asking when planning a brochure printing with a client. Why are creative options so important to look at when planning a brochure printing? Creative options are what will differentiate your company from your competitors and increase your market share.

Imagine walking into your next company meeting and confidently saying, "I have a plan that will differentiate us and increase market share!" You think anyone would listen? You bet!

Differentiation is something anyone can do. It's only a matter of taking real ideas that can be implemented into any brochure printing and following through on those ideas. Why settle for a "good" brochure when "the best" is what our companies deserve?

What I'm getting at here is really something that touches the core of who we are and who we long to become. It attracts new clients and makes our competitors nervous. If being successful is a part of who you want to be, take note of this word: Excellence.

Let's examine now three ways we can achieve excellence in our brochure printing:

1. Paper Stock

Here are a few things to consider relating to paper stock:

A. Feel
Touch the paper. Feel the surface. Is this the kind of tactile sensation that makes you want to look further? Become aware of the types of papers out there. Matte paper is one of the most "toothy" sheets out there. When you touch this paper, you can feel the contrast between it and a gloss sheet, which is very smooth. There are also other types of sheets in between, such as those with a silk finish. This sheet feels quite nice, offering a balance between a matte and gloss sheet.

B. "Pop" considerations
Having the smoother of surfaces, a gloss sheet will really make a nice, high-res photo "pop." As you move toward a matte sheet, the colors become flatter, not as vibrant. If you need to see fine details and print in higher resolution, use a gloss or silk sheet.

C. Texture
Many uncoated sheets offer very interesting textures which can be very inviting to touch. In a multi page project, consider using these sheets along with coated sheets for a nice contrast. Also, remember the feel you want to convey. An uncoated sheet can work well for an outdoor related client who wants that uncoated "feel". There's truly an emotion that can be attained in using uncoated paper.

Can't find the texture to fit the job? No problem! Create your own. Texture can also be created by embossing the entire page, using your own custom artwork.

2. Ink

Most of the brochures out there are printed in four color process. And that's great for photography. However, when a great looking solid is needed, nothing works better than using an extra PMS color. When that special color must convey that special feeling, please, don't rely on 4 color process to match what you're after!

Keep up to date PMS swatch books. Some of the latest color guides include pastels and metallic inks. Metallic inks are shown to capture the attention of the looker. Be sure and ask for samples of metallic work. We'll be happy to send a few.

3. Coatings

The use of coatings can make quite an impact. With coatings you can make part of the sheet feel smooth and glossy and make the rest have a matte feel. The most common coatings are varnish or aqueous coatings. While these are acceptable, many have come to want a more dramatic gloss or matte look and feel. This is where a UV coating has proven to really shine. In fact, using a matte and gloss UV on the same project can really give you the best in contrast. Not every job is meant for UV. But this coating can really set your piece apart and provide excellent protection.

Hopefully this brief description of ideas to employ will encourage more creativity and excellence in your own creative endeavors. Be sure and contact us for paper samples, printed samples, or to go over any project you are planning for.