Convincing a consumer to change their preferences and buy a different product or to try a new business offering a desirable service is not an easy thing to do. People are creatures of habit and will naturally gravitate toward the familiar. Using advertisements is the traditional path to promotion but it can be considered unsolicited.
A more passive method to get your product, business or service noticed is the brochure. Many types of brochures exist but using the unique properties of the Z fold brochure gives a designer several options to work with and a good deal of real estate to provide an abundant amount of information.
What Is It?
This type of brochure is also called a fan fold or zig zag brochure by printers. It is made by folding standard sized paper—8.5” x 11”, 8.5” x 14”, 11” x 17” –in the shape of a letter Z. It looks like a fan. You can use larger paper but check with the printer you intend to use first to make sure they can accommodate and that the cost is not prohibitive.
Be Different
The Z fold brochure is a unique design and is not seen too often. The majority of brochures are either the simple trifold or the traditional magazine-type design. While those offer the same intent they are not as interesting. Being different means you stand out from the competition. This rare and intriguing design may lead to a successful marketing campaign.
Design It
Before beginning, gather all the content you intend to use—photos, graphics, text, charts—and organize it. Decide what you want to say, write any captions and edit the content before committing it to layout, saving time and cutting down on mistakes and errors later in the process.
Since the Z fold brochure does not use a standard layout—one page after another in sections or some sort of organized order. It can fold over itself, in other words, it is folded like a fan, and then the lower half is folded up over the top half so you have to open it twice to see all the content.
This opens all sorts of creative possibilities. You can use the “backside of the brochure” as a map, collage, spreadsheet or any other use of a graphic that shows a lot of information in an appealing format.
The other panels can each contain a specific piece of information, photo, contact, and anything you want. Another option is to use heavier stock paper for the front and back of the Z fold brochure. Some are the size of a deck of cards, with the heavier covers used to protect the lighter paper inside.
Marketing
You hope a consumer picks up a brochure because the message is intriguing. But using a different design for a standard way of providing information may be the path to more success. Consumers are overwhelmed with messages and pleas to buy me, try me, we’re better than the other guy. Finding the edge to put you out in front is not easy. Trying a unique promotional design may be just what you need.
– Artwork Abode
