One of the most common and successful marketing tools are brochures, one reason being that brochure printing comes with so many options. Any business can customize a brochure to meet company standards for style. The only drawback is that the many choices can be confusing. Deciding between a small size or large size may seem unimportant, but each decision is vital to producing results. Therefore, market your company well by knowing the differences between each option.

Brochures are printed in a variety of sizes, which enables you to choose the perfect fit for your purpose. Design an 11 x 8.5 brochure for a mailout that contains more information than a postcard or flyer but does not need to be enclosed in an envelope. A 4 x 5 is a mini brochure that can double as a postcard or can be folded for a unique size. Or choose a 25 or 33 x 11 to double as a poster for events. Many more sizes are available from most printing companies allowing you to customize for any purpose.

Paper types for brochures range from light to heavy and uncoated or coated. Print on an uncoated paper type to allow clients to use brochures for notes. Or for poster quality, cover with a glossy coating on both sides. For folded brochures, choose a text stock, which tends to be light enough for folding yet sturdy enough to withstand handling. Cover stock is much more stiff and durable than text stock but cannot be easily folded and therefore works better for flat brochures.

The folding options for brochures can be overwhelming and confusing, especially since most printing companies do not explain the differences. Knowing the folding techniques will help you to choose one that enhances the style and purpose of your brochure. The most common type, a tri-fold, divides the brochure into three equal parts, with the left side of the paper folded on top and the right folded behind. The gate fold involves folding the two side flaps on top of the larger middle section, which gives the impression of opening shutters or a French door. An accordian fold is similar to the tri-fold in that the paper is divided into equal parts and sections are folded in opposite directions. The difference is that an accordian fold is used for larger sizes of paper and contains more than three sections. A french fold is for one-sided printing; it involves folding the paper in half twice to create a card. Double parallel folding also involves folding in half twice, except that the folds are parallel to one another to make one section fit inside of the second section.

If you know the options available before creating the brochure, then your design process will flow smoothly because of clear purpose. Therefore, decide on the options available from your printer before designing the layout and create a perfect marketing tool for promoting your company.