Taking a strong design brief from our customers is hugely important in creating a great brochure design. By understanding the company, its aims and its intended target market we can make sure that the design and content of the brochure will work to is full advantage. While many clients may have a strong idea of what they require, our experience in creating brochures for all sizes of companies across a range of industries means that we can often add value and find ways to engage with the target audience which they may not have considered. Only by really understanding what they are designing and why, can our brochure designers create a product which will exceed our customers expectations.

Our brochure design service starts by taking a design brief. We ask clients to either complete a a design brief questionnaire which can be e-mailed for completion prior to starting a project, or alternatively we can take the design brief over the phone. In either case, this is what we ask about before starting on any major project with a new customer.

About the business – questions concerning the size, types and nature of the business, as well as the products and services it offers help us to put the company in the context of a wider market place. It also helps us understand some of the key selling points and points of differentiation which might be central to a successful promotional message.

Target market – there is no doubt that we can design a more effective brochure if we know as much as possible about the target recipients. This may include details on their position within a company (b2b communcations), age, gender, socio-economic information, geographical location and anything else which helps us build a picture of who you want to engage. If there is a wide target market of several different groups then we can make sure that the brochure will have a broader appeal, without side lining any particular group of people.

Previous look – For many of the companies we work with, this will not be the first piece of promotional literature they have created. They may have created some smaller items in-house, or relied on different companies to create each element of their promotional material. In many cases, our clients have moved away from their current graphic designers in search of a fresh approach or keener price. So while most clients are looking for a new creative input, they do not necessarily want a complete departure from their current branding or current material. By supplying any previous promotional material you like, we can make sure the new brochure design keeps context with the current presentation of the company.

Colour schemes – Although they may not have a design in mind, many clients will have an idea on colour scheme. This may relate to their personal preferences, the industry that they are in or the existing colours used in the branding for the business. It is also useful if we know any colours to specifically avoid, such as those which are synonymous with a competitor or ones which the company has previously tried and rejected.

Competition – Knowing the names and web addresses of your competitors is important for two reasons. Firstly, it ensures that the design we create does not repeat or look similar to the promotional material of a competitor. One of the key elements of successful branding is being distinctly recognisable, so instant differentiation is often important in the design. Secondly, it allows our designer to ensure that your own design will stand above that of the competition, without looking out of context for the industry.

Want to know more about our brochure design service? Click here to view our brochure design packages, look through our other brochure design blog articles or call one of our account handlers to discuss your project.

Add Design are a graphic design agency based in Suffolk providing a wide range of fixed price graphic design services to clients throughout the UK and internationally.