A brochure design can be made in any custom size.

Most Common Sizes:

• 4.25″ x 5.5″
• 4.25″ x 11″
• 5.5″ x 8.5″
• 8″ x 9″
• 8.5″ x 11″
• 8.5″ x 14″
• 9″ x 12″
• 11″ x 17″
• 11″ x 25.5″

A brochure design can also be made for the most common screen size ratio, website or email if it will be digitally distributed via email or on a website.  A brochure design can also be made for print then repurposed for digital distribution.

Most Common Brochure Paper

• 70 lb. Paper Uncoated
• 80 lb. Paper Gloss
• 100 lb. Paper Gloss
• 100 lb. Paper Matte

If you’re unsure of the type of paper or cardstock you should use, contact freelance graphic designer, Linda Sturling. She has numerous samples of brochure designs, papers and cardstocks she can show you, if you’re in Los Angeles, California.

Most Common Cardstock

Cardstock is a very thick paper, as thick as the most common business cards.

• 10 pt. Cardstock Gloss
• 10 pt. Cardstock Matte
• 14 pt. Cardstock Gloss
• 14 pt. Cardstock Uncoated

The different weights, sizes and types of papers and cardstocks do give a different feel. Graphic designer Sturling discusses with you the brochure design and printing before the designing even starts so you get the best bang for your buck in the reach that you want.

For a more thorough list of the sizes and options available for brochures or booklets, call Linda Sturling Graphic Design at 818-964-0967.

Binding is necessary for brochure booklets wherein there is more than one piece of paper that will be grouped together in the total piece.

• Saddle-Stitched brochure is cost effective but there is a limit to the number of pages that can be stapled together along the fold.
• Perfect Bound booklet involves gluing the pages together at the seam and is most common among books and luxury brochures.
• Spiral Bound brochure has a metal or plastic coil and is very durable. It also allows the pages to lay flat.
• Comb Bound booklet has a plastic comb and also allows the pages to lay almost flat.
• Burst Binding, also known as Burst Perfect Binding, combines Perfect Binding with notching the spine to allow the pages to lie flat.
• Sewn Binding is very durable and expensive and common in hardcover books. It involves sewing the pages together.
• Tape Bound Booklet involves applying a ‘tape’ to the pages and cover and is similar to Perfect Bound.

CMYK Printing

The CMYK color model is the 4 color processing printing available at all printers for all types of brochures.

Pantone Ink Printing

The Pantone color model involves ink mixing using the Pantone Matching System (PMS) and ensures the perfect accuracy of color each time you print and across all your printed communications, such as brochures.

Color Printing with CMYK or Pantone On:

• Both sides of the paper or cardstock.
• One side of the paper or cardstock.

Freelancer Linda Sturling has the most up to date Pantone swatch color systems she can show you, in person. When selecting Pantone colors, if you don’t have them yet selected for your brand, it is a process you must do in person because Pantone inks are for printing only. Thus you must see the printed Pantone color swatches.

Generally speaking,  Pantone inks are ideal for 1 & 2 color brochure designs. If you want a full-color brochure design then CMYK would be the printing color model used.

What is the purpose of a brochure?

A brochure can be informative, such as introducing a company, products or services to new customers or inform current customers of new offerings. The main purpose is to extend the reader’s knowledge and as a communications tool and present your business, organization, or product in the best light. A brochure is also very convenient and fast for customers without them having to do extra work to access information. A beautiful brochure design can capture a person’s attention immediately. Designer Linda Sturling has written most of her clients’ brochures and to their great success. She is an excellent writer and editor and also has a knack for writing great taglines.

How can I make my brochure stand out from others?

A great, well thought out and creative brochure design makes it stand out from others. Graphic designer Linda Sturling can help make your brochure unique, informative and intriguing. Aside from the design, Sturling knows how to write or edit the text and taglines for your brochure to create a loyalty and a bond with your readers. In fact, she writes or edits text for most of her clients and many have expressed how successful their marketing is, thanks to her. Freelance graphic designer Sturling loves to help her clients in every way possible.

Can I use Images and graphics in my brochure?

Absolutely yes! In fact, it is highly recommends it. Freelancer Sturling has access to literally billions of professional, high-resolution photography, professional photographers and can even create realistic 3D images for your brochure design. If you are located in Los Angeles, California, photography sessions can easily be setup around your hours of availability. Sturling’s commitment to her clients speaks for itself; she has even taken professional photographs at 6am for a business who only had that time of availability. Linda Sturling has a professional camera and equipment and is a true maestro with Photo-editing software. However, when the project calls for a specialized photographer she has relationships with the best (such as in furniture, real estate, or models). With Sturling’s creativity and technical expertise you can get a captivating brochure design that wows!

How can I distribute the brochures effectively?

Freelancer Linda Sturling can discuss that with you when discussing the brochure design. If you haven’t made a decision on that yet, let her know and she will ask the right questions and give her recommendations. For instance, she will ask whether you are a business-to-business (B2B)  or business-to-consumer (B2C) if it’s not apparent. If you need help with this aspect, you definitely should bring that up when discussing the brochure design. Sturling is extremely knowledgeable on digital and print distribution channels from working a lot with marketing and advertising agencies in Los Angeles and creating brochures and graphic designs for campaigns.

What size should the brochure be?

The size of the brochure is something you can discuss with graphic designer Linda Sturling if you’re unsure. Sturling can go over the cost differences between the different sizes, papers and quantities for printing so you can be certain  the brochure design and printing is within your budget. She is also very knowledgeable in bulk mail costs. Freelancer Sturling can also get you the best (insider) price on a very targeted mailing list for printed brochures which can include addresses, phone numbers, or emails or all of the above.

What is the difference between a brochure and a flyer and are they designed differently?

A flyer is designed differently than a brochure because it’s generally one flat page, though sometimes it can have the same purpose as a brochure. A flyer, like a brochure, can also be designed for various sizes, such as a buck slip. A buck slip is like a miniature flyer or brochure and can also be called a buck insert, when inserted into another brochure.

Whether you choose to go with a brochure or flyer design sometimes depends on your distribution channel. For instance, if you have a a package of  a set of 8.5″ x 11″ papers, catalogue and/or brochures that will be mailed in a 9.5″ x 12.5″ envelope, then you might opt for an unfolded 8.5″ x 11″ flyer or multi-page brochure. Freelancer Sturling can discuss your particular circumstances and industry and help you in choosing the best brochure design format.

Should I print in black and white or full color?

This will depend on your budget, branding, and frequency of new brochure designs and distribution. For instance, Sturling designed a monthly tri-folded newsletter for a Hawaiian company called Pacific Ocean Producers. They printed them in-house on colored paper and mailed them monthly to customers. So I designed a black and white tri-fold brochure with their bulk mail indicia and space for address labels in a newsletter format. I also created this file as an editable PDF. I made pre-built sections according to their preferences. This mailing was for their sport fishing customers. For their commercial fishery clients they chose to go with a full color brochure design that was professionally printed.

What are common concerns on brochure design?

The most common concern is an unprofessional look or a design that does not encapsulate the messaging well. Another concern is readability and lack of focus. A brochure design wherein the graphics, images and text don’t flow well and/or don’t work well together is also a big problem. Poor quality images or using the wrong images that don’t fit with the brand or messaging is another big no no. Inconsistent branding is probably the most common mistake which is why developing a type of business relationship with a graphic designer can be beneficial, not just for brochure designs. It’s efficient for both parties on having a graphic designer who has already done a brochure design before, for instance, in updating the brochure, or work on a new project using the knowledge about your business and brand already gained. Thus it can result in lower costs for new projects.

Who does brochure design?

Brochure design is done by graphic designers experienced in this type of communications. It’s vital to view the portfolio of a graphic design to see if they have experience in brochures. If the graphic designer, like Los Angeles’ Linda Sturling, is an expert writer with lots of skill and expertise you have found a gem! Sturling has expertise in all the different aspects of brochure design such as the writing, organization, design, branding and printing. She knows all the different varieties of brochures, how they’re used, and the printing requirements of each. If this is your first professionally designed brochure, you are in luck because she can best guide you in what is best for your business and something that fits within your budget. A professional brochure designer like Linda Sturling can best communicate your brand’s message and appeal to your target audience.

What does a brochure design usually include?

As a freelancer in Los Angeles, I can tell you that brochures generally include a cover, an introduction, some content, contact information, graphics, images, and a design and layout that is consistent with your brand and appealing to your target audience.  This is a very basic description of what a brochure design may contain, but it may also contain other aspects or types of information depending on the industry and purpose and audience. If you’re in Los Angeles, Linda Sturling can meet you and go over all the aspects of brochure design and the related aspects of it.

Can you offer advice on distribution of Los Angeles Brochures?

Yes!  She can also offer industry insider advice on distribution for Los Angeles brochures. If you’re outside of Los Angeles, Sturling can provide high quality mailing lists based on your targeted region, target businesses, targeted occupations or interests, which can even be narrowed down to zip code and many other key features of your audience, such as income range, age and about  hundred other variables. Sturling can help assist you in making certain your brochures are successful in reaching your target audience.