Home
>
Advertising
>
Can I Write and Print My Own Business Brochures and Business Cards?

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

Keep the text simple!
Buy good quality paper!
Set your printer preferences for "Better" or "Best" print quality
Print a "test" page first, using just plain printer paper (fold as necessary for a brochure or cut to size for a business card and make sure it "looks" good)
Be sure to save your brochure and business card templates so that you can easily print more or change information as needed, as your business grows

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit for more information about Jan's services; for work at home articles and free printables; and for work at home moms, visit Jan's sister site for articles, free printables, and work at home T-shirts and other fun products.

In The News:

CBC.ca
GM says Super Bowl ads too expensive and bows out
Philadelphia Inquirer
The Detroit automaker said Friday that it won't be advertising on the Feb. 3 spectacle because of a steep price hike demanded by CBS, the network broadcasting the game. "We understand the reach the Super Bowl provides, but with the significant increase ...
GM Drops Another Advertising Bombshell -- On the Super BowlForbes
GM Says It Won't Advertise During Next Super Bowl GameBusinessWeek
Recommended: GM won't advertise on next Super Bowl, report saysmsnbc.com

all 305 news articles »

Christian Science Monitor
Advertisers and Facebook face an uphill battle. But it could be worth it.
Christian Science Monitor
General Motors' decision to invest significantly less advertising dollars in Facebook inspired some to suggest that the world's most popular social network needs to grow up. By Megan Riesz / May 18, 2012 Facebook increased the size of its initial ...
Is Advertising on Facebook Worth the Expense?TIME
Companies ask: Does advertising on Facebook pay?Seattle Post Intelligencer

all 13,665 news articles »

Dragas Mortgage Company Selects JASE Group LLC as Advertising Agency of Record
PR.com (press release)
JASE Group LLC (jasegroup.com) will serve as the Inbound Marketing & Creative Advertising agency of record for Dragas Mortgage Company (dragasmortgage.com) of Virginia Beach, VA. Virginia Beach, VA, May 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Dragas Mortgage Company ...

and more »

Oakfield marketing students dive into advertising
Fond du Lac Reporter
Marketing students at Oakfield High School delved into the world of "Mad Men" recently by creating an advertising campaign for a local business. Fondy Sports Park teamed up with the high school's marketing department to give students a realistic ...

USA TODAY
GM Says Facebook Ads Don't Pay Off
Wall Street Journal
By SHARON TERLEP, SUZANNE VRANICA and SHAYNDI RAICE General Motors plans to stop advertising on Facebook after the company's marketing executives determined their paid ads had little impact on consumers. Sharon Terlep has details on The News Hub.
Do Facebook ads work? IPO, GM spotlight issueUSA TODAY
Facebook's biggest problem is that it's a media companyWashington Post
Facebook sparks divide: GM, Ford advertising strategies divergeDetroit Free Press
Chicago Tribune -San Francisco Chronicle -Forbes
all 939 news articles »

CIO Today
Does Advertising on Facebook Pay?
CIO Today
By Peter Svensson And Tom Krisher GM's advertising spending is a tiny fraction of Facebook's total 2011 advertising revenue of $3.15 billion. But the automaker's decision to cease advertising on the social network could be symptomatic of Facebook's ...
Facebook Advertising Shows 'A Lot Of Potential But It's Not A Slam-Dunk'Huffington Post
Advertisers weigh in on the value of Facebook adsExaminer.com
Ahead of IPO, GM to Quit Advertising on FacebookNew York Times
Forbes -AdAge.com -San Francisco Chronicle
all 204 news articles »

Presidential TV advertising onslaught begins, but is Pennsylvania really a ...
The Republic
The advertising onslaught of the fall presidential election has begun in Pennsylvania and a handful of other states that may be up for grabs between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney. Republicans and Democrats both ...

and more »

AIADMK spent crores of public wealth on their advertising: Karunanidhi
Daily News & Analysis
Place: Chennai | Agency: PTI DMK President M Karunanidhi on Sunday flayed the Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu for its advertising campaign listing its "achievements" on completing one year in office, saying it had spent a "huge amount" of ...

and more »

TV networks woo advertisers as threats to viewership intensify
Los Angeles Times
(Evan Agostini, Associated Press / May 16, 2012) By Joe Flint, Los Angeles Times NEW YORK â€” Every May the broadcast networks take over midtown Manhattan to promote their new shows and ply advertisers with shrimp and champagne. It's a business expense.

and more »

Successful Merger Creates New Integrated Advertising Agency for Automotive Dealers
PR.com (press release)
New Jersey based automotive wholesaler, Vincent Grace, gained a substantial partner this week, RDI Inc, an automotive advertising & marketing firm. Teterboro, NJ, May 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Dealers nationwide will be presented a direct mail marketing ...

Google News