Flyers

Start your flyer design by studying your audience Design your brochures and flyers with your target customer in mind. Have a downloadable brochure on your Web site so that customers can print it out.

I recommend:  Business printing services leader Hewlett-Packard has a guide to help you plan, design and make a flyer on your own. Find more business printers at Business.com.

Get a flyer design that gets some action Once you have your conception down, work with a designer or design your brochure yourself to include some component that will spur clients to buy now, like a tear-off coupon, announcement of a special event or the availability of an in-store discount.

I recommend:  There are plenty of flyer design services available on the Web and across the country. SmartDraw has flyer design software and offers a free download trial. All Graphic Design offers links to Web pages with various business flyer templates. Logoworks sells design services by professionals on a quick turnaround, all done online.

Make a flyer with paper that sends a message Paper is measured in weight; the higher the weight, the thicker the paper. Most printers use either 80 lb. or 100 lb. stock. Try printing business flyers on the heavier stock; it may give potential clients a stronger first impression of your business, and doesn’t cost much more.

I recommend:  Choosing the right paper is key. Get tips on picking paper to suit your company’s image and personality with “How to Choose the Right Paper” at Creativepro.com.

Decide on finish and fold Decisions don’t stop at paper weight. You must also determine whether you want to make a flyer that’s flat or glossy; whether to print with a varnish to protect smudging; and whether your flyer design calls for black and white, partial color or full color. Also consider how you want your brochure to be folded and/or bound. The more gloss and color, and the more complex the assembly, the more expensive the printing.

I recommend:  Get tips on finish and fold at About.com’s desktop publishing guide. Or consult directly with brochure printers.

Set print run and distribution Key information for your printer is how many copies of your brochures you want to print, and how you plan to distribute them — whether, for instance, you’re having one large shipment sent to your office for in-house distribution, or whether you’d like your printer to mail brochures directly to your customers. Consider buying in bulk because typically, the more brochures or flyers in an order, the lower the price per item.

I recommend:  Print run and mailing is where printing gets expensive; make a flyer run cost effectively with “Money Saving Tips for Your Next Brochure,” courtesy of brochure display company Certified Folder Display Service.

Collect quotes from printers Armed with your brochure and/or flyer printing needs, you’ll be able to solicit accurate quotes from a variety of potential printers.

I recommend:  Very specific projects may require the services of a specialty printer. But for most job, you can just solicit quotes directly from several general printing services providers. ProcureAPro will provide several quotes at once. Search for printers in your town at PrintAccess.com or try the national service VistaPrint that will work from your design or allow you to customize their templates.

Optimize your files for printing Not all files are created equal. Before submitting files to your printer, make sure your images are high-resolution — 300 dpi is the standard — and in the right color family — usually CMYK. Additionally, make sure you provide all necessary fonts for printing, and that your files are backed up at your office.

I recommend:  Before submitting your files, review PSPrint’s File Preparation Tips. When they’re ready, upload them to your printer’s ftp site via an ftp program, such as SmartFTP for Windows or Fetch for Mac.

Let the presses roll Make sure you see printed proofs prior to your final print run and, if you’re able to, that you can be on site to check for errors when your brochure begins printing.

I recommend:  Visit PhotoshopCafe for a comprehensive tutorial on “Preparing Your Files for Printing on a Commercial Printing Press.” It covers printing terminology, best practices and processes for both you and your printer, with a focus on understanding how your files go from the computer screen to the printing press.

Or … do it yourself If your budget is especially tight and your print run is particularly small, it may be worth printing your business flyers or brochures on your own color printer, or having a local copy store print them for you. The quality will suffer slightly, but at least your bottom line won’t.

I recommend:  Send your finished document from your PC directly to your local FedEx Kinko’s location, where it will be completed within 24 hours.