The Basics of Booklet Printing
One of the many reasons businesses reach for booklet printing is because so much information can be crammed into a small package at a low cost. Training manuals, mini-catalogs, educational information – all of these are candidates for booklet printing.
Booklet Printing Page Ideas
Booklet printing and design can be tricky because of the amount of written words and information often involved. Most companies cannot avoid booklets, though, because they are needed in almost any industry. Your company may need instruction manuals, company reports, catalogs, or magazines, all of which are types of booklets. The tone, images, and layout are all determined by the purpose. For instance, it may include graphs or charts if a manual or report, while a catalog will contain photographs of products.
You may already have some page ideas for your booklet printing, or maybe you don’t even know where to start. Both problems have a solution. You might want try first perusing similar booklet designs for some ideas, but if you still run into a block, maybe the list of booklet pages below will help.
1. Introduction, Preface, or Foreward - Each of these terms refer to a different type of introductory page. An “introduction” includes company background, goals, or objectives. The “preface” would contain a summary of the booklet itself along with the main highlights. The “foreward” is any written piece by an expert in the field, often with references to the booklet.
2. Dedication - When you need to thank those who have contributed or inspired your booklet, put these on the dedication page. You can also include a “Dedicated to” list.
3. Table of Contents - Sometimes booklet printing needs to include a table of contents in the front so that readers can easily flip to the information they need. This page is especially important when your booklet contains chapters or long sections.
4. Appendix, Glossary, or Index - All of these pages are included at the back of the booklet. The “appendix” is any extra reference information needed, for instance a list of stores that donated the information or products. A “glossary” is a list of terms and definitions contained within the booklet. An “index” often replaces the table of contents because it contains a list of terms and the page numbers on which they can be found.
5. Interesting, Fun, or Educational Information - You may want to include a page filled with tips, hints, facts, or anything else that would interest the reader. Customer reviews or testimonials are an excellent selling tool as buyers trust the satisfaction of other consumers. This page should be advertised either on the cover or in the beginning pages to encourage readers to flip through the booklet.
If you are still stumped on page designs, incorporate the help of a professional. Often, you can find more cost-effective designers provided by your booklet printing company, so check with them before searching for an actual graphic designer or design company.
6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Freelance Copywriter
If you’ve never worked with a freelance copywriter, you might not have a clue as to where to start looking for one. Your marketing materials can make or break your profit margin this year, so it’s vital that you pick a competent copywriter that can get your message across effectively. So how do you choose?
First, Google “freelance copywriter.” You’ll get about 500,000 results on any given day from that phrase. You’ll see Web sites and ads for advertising copywriters, B2B copywriters, catalog copywriters and many other variations on the word “copywriter.” So now what?
Here are a few questions to ask to help you wade through the different types of copywriters to choose the right one for you:
1. Identify what kind of copywriter you need.
List the projects you want the copywriter to complete for you. Brochures? Web site copy? Will you be doing any catalog or booklet printing? (Yes, all those catalog descriptions are generally written by a copywriter.)
2. List your short-term and long-term objectives.
What is it you are hoping your copywriter can help you achieve? Do you want to start a monthly newsletter or just build a start-up Web site? Or do you just need a few tweaks to your Web site? Knowing whether you need work done for a one-time occurrence or as an on-going thing will help you pick the right copywriter.
3. Do you need an expert?
Many copywriters have found a niche for themselves. Some specialize in direct mail copywriting or catalog copywriting. That’s all they do and they do it well. There are other copywriters who can write everything from posters to television commercials to magazine ads. Do you need someone who can do it all for you?
Also consider whether you need a copywriter who is an expert in your field. This type of copywriter might be more difficult to find, depending on your industry. Someone who has worked in the fashion industry for years will be best for writing your fashion-related marketing copy. This goes back to #2. Knowing your objectives will help you decide on a copywriter.
4. Do you want to work with an agency or with a single freelancer?
Some people are more comfortable working with an established agency and having other resources you can call on if your copywriter isn’t top notch. Others would rather work with just one person. Do you want to build a long-term relationship with someone who will know your business almost as well as you do?
5. What is your copywriting budget?
Can you afford to work with an experienced freelancer or a copywriter at an agency? Fees will vary depending on your region and on the freelancer’s experience. You could end up paying $25 per hour for a copywriter with little-to-no experience, or up to $200 or $300 an hour for a copywriter with 20 years of experience. Many copywriters will set a budget for each project: for instance, a brochure will cost $600 no matter how many hours are spent writing it. A press release could cost between $200 and $500. A set price for the project could be the way to go if you’d like to know your costs upfront.
6. Pick a few candidates and review their work.
Copywriters should have samples of their work to show you. If they don’t, you should probably move on. Even copywriters straight out of college should have at least one sample to show you. You can get a taste of each copywriter’s writing style from the samples and choose the one that best suits you.
The Method That Binds Your Booklets
Finally, you’re marketing ad such as your advertising booklets are about to be completed. But there’s one thing you have to decide on – what kind of binding method should you apply? For your booklets, your numerous pages may be a bit too much for ordinary paper clips and staple wires. When they do, you might want to consider professional binding for your advertising tool.
There are several methods you can choose from. For starters, there’s the saddle stitch binding that is actually very common for booklet binding, especially small ones. What it does is to bind together your pages after the sheets are folded with staple wires. The folded portion provides the spine to make your booklet sturdier.
Then there’s the ring binding method, where you use metal or plastic rings to put together your document. What makes this method helpful is that you can update your pages every time you need to. All you have to do is to add your pages to your document by removing the rings from your booklet, not to mention that you can lay it flat on a surface.
Perfect binding on the other hand, attaches all your pages in your document with the use of a flexible adhesive. This is so durable and less expensive that most advertisers use this to cut on costs. However, it may only be applied on documents that are not too thick such as your paperback.
