The purpose of a tri-fold brochure is to convey information about a product, company, service, organization, event, design…well, almost anything, and to do so in a certain format which is easy to use. If there is such a thing as a “typical” user of a tri-fold brochure, it could probably be described as someone who:
 

• wants to provide essential information in a concise manner
•  wants to use text and illustrations efficiently in get a reader to want to know more
• wants to provide this information in a form which is highly versatile in the way it can be used

Of all the various brochure designs available – and Conquest Graphics uses them all – the tri-fold is the most commonly used one.  
 
The tri-fold design is also known as the letter fold. Tri-fold brochure is slightly misleading, as there are actually only two folds, resulting in three panels.
 
These are some of the reasons that make the tri-fold so useful:
 

• A tri-fold brochure can be slipped right into a standard Number Ten envelope. 
• Tri-fold brochures can be put inside a large presentation folder.    
• Tri-fold brochures can be put into boxes and shipped along with other items, such as booklets, letters or products.
• A tri-fold brochure, if designed correctly, can be used in holders on counters, in waiting rooms or in other displays. The key is to make sure that the front graphic is strong and that the header is high enough to peek out above the holder (typically extending up a couple of inches from the bottom).
• A tri-fold brochure can be slipped into a pocket or a purse – fits perfectly there as well.
• A tri-fold brochure can be read panel by panel, or it can be expanded so that the viewer can get a view of an illustration or graph which extends across several panels.
• A tri-fold brochure can be seen as a very inexpensive “platform” which launches the reader into other media sites. By showing your various website addresses and by the use of the increasingly popular QR codes, a reader of the brochure can be sent off in several other directions in search of more detailed information about your product, service, organization, etc.

Clearly this is a very versatile marketing option, but as with all marketing pieces, it is important to know what the use of the tri-fold brochure is, where it is going to be used and the audience to which it is targeted. A well designed brochure is key to being read.

Whether your need for brochures is for a very small project, or the largest of the large, Conquest has the capabilities, the equipment, the software programs, and the experienced staff to handle your job. Contact us today.

Online printers are just that; printing companies where you can order your printing right online. With online printers you choose your product, paper, quantity and even time frame to get the job done. Then you upload your artwork, pay and add your shipping information and you are good to go! In a few days your printed materials will arrive and you will be ready to distribute your newly printer materials. And your savings will be significant!

Sounds simple. But there are some things to think about.

Artwork: Do you have artwork that is compatable with the online printers needs? Typically it needs to be in the following formats:   

•     Adobe Acrobat PDF
•     Adobe InDesign
•     Adobe Illustrator
•     Adobe Photoshop
•     QuarkXpress 
•     JPEG
•     TIFF
•     EPS

Most online printers do no accept Microsoft Publisher, Word or Excel files, unless they have been converted to a PDF. But even then the quality may not be what you need to really produce an excellent product. If you are going to be creating brochures or flyers, it is often best to get a product like Adobe Photoshop. They are relatively inexpensive, allow for a variety of formats, have pre-designed backgrounds and can export to the correct format.

Quality: Online printers offer excellent quality. In fact it is as good or better than a local shop. Online printeres are often very large operations that have the ability to keep up with advances in technology and equipment. In addition they are able to take advantage of economy of scale of their large volumes to save you money.

Turnaround Time: Turnaround time at online printers vary, in fact that is one of the great things about online printers. You can choose when you want to get your materials. Often times there is even a DECREASE in price if you can wait. Of course they offer rush jobs as well, but you are going to pay a premium for the printing AND the shipping.

Shipping:How long do you have to wait for the shipping and what is the cost. One of the big reasons to use an online printer is to save money. If you eat up your savings with shipping, it doesn't make sense. Planning is important and will save you time and money.

Guarantee: How long has the company been around? Does the online printer have a guarantee? Reputable online printers are going to get it right almost every time, and if they have good quality control, then it is almost 100%, but you still want to know you have recourse. At Conquest Graphics we have a great guarantee and 90 years of experience to get the job right in the first place.

Reputation: What do reviews say? Does the company have a Better Business Bureau A+ Rating? (this is not easy to get). Conquest Graphics has an A+ rating.

So once you know what you are looking for, it doesn't have to be scary to use an online printer. In fact, the benefits are many, and the risks are low when you deal with a reputable online printer. If you want to take the step to use  an online printer, try a low cost item that you have no timeline on and print that. It is no risk to you and will show you that there your job quality will be high and your turnaound time will be good. Try ordering a brochure or flyer in a small quantity and give it a try!

Green printing is on the rise, but there are still biases against using recycled papers. A study recent study in Britain found that over 1/3rd of business owners preferred not to use recycled paper due to outdated reasoning.  Here are the top 5 myths that were cited:  

Myth 1: Recycled paper just doesn’t look as good.  It is not as professional and it is not as smooth and white as non-recycled paper.
Fact: Over the years, there have been huge improvements in the quality of recycled paper and many people could not tell the difference between virgin and recycled paper without a notation that states the paper is recycled.  There are different grades of paper available depending on your print needs but if you want an ultra-white, smooth paper, then you can get that with recycled products today.

Myth 2: The print quality isn’t as clear on recycled paper.  The ink tends to bleed and the color isn’t as vibrant.
Fact: There is no difference in print quality on recycled vs. non-recycled paper.  The ink coverage and color concentration will be the same depending on the grade of paper used (recycled or not).

Myth 3: Recycled paper costs more than regular paper.  
Fact: The difference in paper costs is narrower than in the past and the most commonly used grades of recycled paper are only slightly higher than virgin paper. Buying in bulk and with adequate lead time can help minimize the small cost difference.

Myth 4: All paper is recycled these days so you do not need to make a special request for it.
Fact: Actually 90% of the paper used today is made from virgin fiber even though recycled paper is more available today than years past.  Because many customers assume that paper is recycled, they do not ask before placing a print order.  Look for a green printer, such as Conquest Graphics, that are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified or be sure to ask that your print job be printed on recycled paper.  

Myth 5: Recycling paper does not help the environment because the recycling process uses so much more energy.   
Fact: Recycling paper saves trees, energy and water and it produces less pollution.  The recycling process uses more benign chemicals and less bleach than needed to produce virgin paper.  Plus, reusing the paper helps by not adding to the landfill problem.  

If you are concerned about the environment, then do your research before selecting a printer for your next project.  Recycling has many benefits and there are more green print companies available than ever.   Conquest Graphics is an FSC certified printer and allof our paper has some recycled materials.  We also use soy-based inks and print in an environmentally friendly printing plant.  

Green Printing is a term that is tossed about quite a bit but green printing comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and commitments. At Conquest Graphics our commitment to the environment is good for the environment, good for our customers and good for business.  

Conquest Graphics is certified “Green” by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody (CoC) Standards.

At every turn Conquest Graphics Online Printing Company strives to recycle, reuse or reduce the materials that are necessary to produce a printed document so as not to add pollutants to the earth. 

In fact, Conquest Graphics saves over 6500 trees a year by using recycled materials  (as measured by the Shred-it Corp from April 2010 to April 2011). 

Some key elements of our commitment to green printing include:

• ALL of our standard papers are recycled papers that are elemental chlorine-free and contain a minimum of 10% post-consumer waste.
• We offer 100% recycled paper for our business card printing.
• The inks we used are soy-based ink which is non-toxic to the environment and is easier to remove from paper prior to the recycling process
• We use clean manufacturing methods in our printing facility which means that we use alcohol-free dampening solutions and water-based, low ammonia emission aqueous coatings.
• Our pre-press area is completely digital so we no longer use any photo chemicals (many of which are highly poisonous)
• We also recycle all of our used aluminum printing plates
• Plus 100% of our waste paper is recycled

But our commitment to the environment goes far beyond green printing. We re-vamped our communication process and set a goal of implementing a totally paperless internal communication system. By the end of 2010, Conquest Graphics eliminated 90% of office paper usage which translates to saving approximately 30 additional trees.  Of course, any paper used in the office is sent away for recycling.  

Finally, even our physical production facility is “green”. Only recyclable materials were used in the construction and many factors were considered when it came to lowering energy usage.

And if you are worried about price, at Conquest Graphics, we are as committed to saving you money as we are to saving the environment. At Conquest Graphics, when you go green, you save green!

If you are designing a brochure and want to make your life easier, then consider using a template.  But be aware that there are two different types of templates available – a creative template and a print template. 

A creative template is a pre-designed layout that usually shows you where to place the photos and text. This type may also give you colors and designs to choose from but may handicap you by limiting the amount of text you can include or lock you into a specific type of font. 

A print template’s main purpose is to provide you with the actual size of the piece and layout the margins, folds, gutters and trim lines.  This gives you more leeway for creativity while giving you the borders in which to work.  On-line print companies, such as Conquest Graphics, print millions of brochures each year so can supply you with many different styles of templates for use on your project.   Just look for the library of available templates before you begin designing your piece.  Here are some tips to consider when working with a print template:

1)  Think about the size of the brochure you want to create before looking for a template.  Take a look at our last blog on choosing the right template for your project. 

2)  Look at the template to see which will be the front panel (or cover), inside pages, and back cover before starting your layout.  Again, it helps to take a copy of your template and actually fold it into the finished size so you can more easily visualize which panel is the cover and how the inside pages look after folding. 

3)  Place the photos, graphics and text within the margin area.  Keep everything you want your potential customer to see within these lines or you will risk getting some important information cut off in the final piece. 

4)  Watch the margin lines near the folds (this is also called the gutter).  If you want to have any photos or copy bridge over the gutter area, be aware that cracking may appear during the folding process.  This happens more often on heavier weight paper stock.   Also, look at tip #1 again to be sure you don’t have a photo that starts on the cover and folds onto the back page.

5)  Consider using a “bleed” when you design your brochure.  A bleed is when the ink extends past the margin area as opposed to a white border that runs outside the margin area.  A bleed can be solid colors or the non-important part of a photo that is trimmed off in the final product.  Look at the trim lines on the template as an estimate of where the brochure will be cut.   Do not put any copy or pictures into the bleed area that you want a customer to notice.

If you have any questions, it is always best to ask the experts.  On-line printers such as Conquest Graphics have a lot of experience printing different styles of brochures.  They can help you decide on the right template may work best for your particular project and answer any questions you may have about printing the brochure. 

To view some print templates, go to http://www.conquestgraphics.com/Help-Center/Brochure-Templates to get an idea of the wide variety available.  

If you are designing a brochure then consider using a print template. A template is a pre-designed layout that allows you to more easily upload the photos and text into a standardized layout that a printer will use to turn it into the finished product. Unless you are an experienced graphics designer that wants to create an unusual piece, a pre-

formatted template can save you time, money and frustration. In fact, even experienced designers often work from templates for common layouts.

An on-line print company, such as Conquest Graphics, will usually maintain a collection of several different templates for various sized brochures with several types of folds. The key is to choose the right layout for your project before you get started on the details.    

So how do you pick the best template for your project? Here are 5 questions to help you decide on the layout:

1. Do you own a restaurant or need to list many products and prices? A take-out menu layout is pretty standard and lists the information in columns like this:

                                   Kung Pao Chicken      $7.95

                                   Hunan Beef                $9.95

                                   Seafood Delight         $8.59

If you need to give your customers two key pieces of info (Item and Price), then this template would be best for you. The usual size is 8.5 x 14” which folds down to 4 to 8 panels for easy distribution. If you have lots of items that you need to list, then this is a good template to use.

2. Do you plan to mail your brochure and want it to fit into a standard (#10) envelope? If so, the tri-fold is good for that purpose. A tri-fold brochure is the most common format used by a wide variety of companies. This is usually a 8.5 x 11” piece of paper that is then folded twice to form 6 panels. This design fits easily into a standard envelope. There are other options to this piece which involve a gatefold layout (a gatefold is as it sounds – two panels open up to reveal the center spread of the brochure). A gatefold uses a larger piece of paper (8.5 x 14”) and gives you more room to communicate your message. There are many different layouts available for this size brochure so you want to look for one that best fits your needs (i.e. more pictures, less text or room for charts and graphs, etc)

3. Are you marketing new homes, a large product or need room to show charts and graphs? If that’s the case, consider a vertical tri-fold template from Conquest Graphics. These sorts of wide-angle designs and configurations work best with a brochure that allows the reader to see panoramic views or to see data spread out over months or years – in either case with captions underneath – all in a highly readable layout.

4. Do you want your brochure to be more elegant, impactful or unusual? A gatefold design can offer a more elegant look than a traditional tri-fold. A Z-fold is a bit different than found on most brochures so it can help you make a bigger impact because it is less common. For any of these type of designs, you can contact your printer (or Conquest Graphics) to learn more about these types of layouts and how you can use them in your next print piece.

5. Do you have your design file in a standard program such as AdobeInDesign, Quark Xpress, Photoshop or Microsoft Publisher? You’re in luck. Conquest Graphic templates are standardized to work with the major software programs. You upload your file into our secure website, and we can take it from there.

It’s easy to see that with decades of experience and with millions of brochures ‘under our belt’, we at Conquest can put together a design that meets any design, size and budget need. Call or contact us today and let’s get started putting a brochure together that will help you.

To view some print templates, go to http://www.conquestgraphics.com/Help-Center/Brochure-Templates to get an idea of the wide variety available.