Why Copy Editing is an Important Step in Brochure Design

Every business needs promotional materials and one of the easiest to produce and most common products is the brochure. Used for highlighting products, services offered and just about anything else you can think of, brochure design is an art and one not to be taken lightly. If you want to attract customers, and what business doesn’t, then take the time to develop a professional and effective product that does not skip the copy-editing phrase.

Design Phrase

Many factors come into play as you stare at a blank canvas that will become a company brochure. Determine the target audience, decide what size the final product will be, how many pages will it have, pick photographs and illustrations, lay it out, write the copy and ruthlessly edit the entire thing.

Proofreading

Failing to proofread is a step not to be left out in brochure design. In this era of digital products—from concept to cradle– the product is often viewed solely on the computer screen before the final print is produced. Costly mistakes can be avoided by taking the time to proofread every word when the document is still in draft.

Perfection

Spelling errors are easier to avoid today thanks to built-in spell checkers on just about everything from word processing programs to smart phone text messages. But the software can’t distinguish between whether you mean “here” or “hear” and their meanings are not even close. Don’t jeopardize your reputation by making an avoidable mistake during the brochure design phase. Consumers are not very forgiving. Spelling errors, missing words and poor grammar all point at sloppiness.

Spelling errors are not the only thing to avoid during the copy editing stage. Errors in fact, missing words, wrong words or phrases and lengthy, confusing sentences are just as evil. Typically, a brochure is intended to sell a product or service, or provide information on a company. It is not a novel so do not expect consumers to savor each word and phrase. Be concise, get to the point and provide short phrases for them to remember. This is where copyediting plays an important role.

Current Information

Too often in brochure design, the wrong contact information is provided. People’s names, email addresses, phone numbers and websites change but those items often get missed when proofreading. This type of attention to detail is important when projecting an image. Potential clients have many businesses to choose from and any content that leads to a dead end will mean rejection for you. A way to avoid this it to not use names or individual contact information—use a generic email address and a company phone number. That way, your product will have a longer shelf life.

The 15-second rule

When the final product is delivered, the ultimate goal of brochure design is perfection. Nothing short of that will sell products, ideas or services today. When faced with numerous choices, customers will dismiss an organization that failed to quickly and precisely tell them why they should cater to your business. You want them to pick you out from the crowd. To achieve results, good copy-editing is crucial.

– ArtworkAbode