What do brochures reveal about universities?

Every school’s marketing brochure attempts to position the college as the best available. To judge anything significant from their literature, you need to know specifics to look for and how to read it with scrutiny. Here are a few considerations to take into account when looking at pamphlets and booklets from colleges and universities. Style of Learning There are many ways of both teaching and learning, and each college has its own fundamental approach. Check whether the school is focused on small classes and discussions or rather on learning via large lecture halls and tests. Does it encourage collaboration among students, or competition? Do they permit students to arrange their own paths of study, or do they provide rigid guidelines for course selection? Find the answers to these questions in the brochures and make selections based on your learning style preferences. Professors and Administrators Brochures usually contain a fair amount of information on the people running the school, instructors, and the students. Most full-time staff should have PhD’s and a wealth of experience in teaching. Occasionally, on campus professors are well-known authors and scholars. If a brochure cannot boast about the accomplishments and credentials of its staff, then it is probably of questionable quality. Types of Students Every school attracts a unique student body, so the brochure attempts to paint a picture that adequately portrays them. Some are comprised mostly of a single demographic, such as women or, in the case of historically black universities, African-Americans. Others are known for their liberal politics and are characterized by a more bohemian student population. Others still are focused around sports and boast a high percentage of athletes. Determining the general makeup of the students is essential to choosing a school where you can be happy and fit in. Policies and Expectations Those same brochures will explain unique policies the school adheres to, such as a dress code or required events.

These provide you an idea of daily life at the school and expectations of you as a student. Read it carefully to determine whether the college requires anything that you would have a strong desire to avoid. How to Apply The school’s brochure will instruct you how and where to obtain an application, and outlines standard requirements for your application. It will also include the information needed for your application to even be considered. Read these sections carefully to make a determination whether you should even apply at all. For instance, some schools require you to have a taken a foreign language in high school and to have reached a certain level of math competence. If you have not achieved those absolute requirements, there is no benefit in applying. Tuition Not all brochures communicate costs to attend their school, so search carefully for that information. If tuition and other basic expenses are not included, the pamphlet will normally provide a phone number where you can call for additional information. Keep in mind that you may be eligible for need-based and merit scholarships from the college or other educational funds. A brochure is only an initial source for learning about a school, but it can be helpful in weeding out considerations you don’t want or can’t attend. Use the brochure as a starting point in your investigation. It will provide details concerning what the school wants you to know, but you will have to do your own research to learn the rest.

Article by Peter Franklin

How to make top notch brochures on a shoestring budget

Brochures are a great way to market your business – and it’s easy to design and print them yourself on a small budget. There are several software programs that make brochure design simple and easy, such as Adobe, Illustrator, Quark, and Microsoft Publisher. These programs create professional-looking brochures without the professional budget. From the very beginning, make sure you have the right size setup for your brochure design – setting the wrong print size is a common mistake, and very difficult to correct after the fact. Brochure printing is exact – for example, if you submit brochures for printing on 8×10 paper, don’t use an 8.5×11 layout. If you have to shrink or stretch the brochure content, the final resolution may be negatively affected. Leave extra room for bleeding. With brochure printing on a large scale, it’s possible for some bleeding to occur due to slight fluctuations in the printing, so make sure you leave some added space on the edges – this results in a clean cut every time. Select the proper resolution. A higher resolution looks much more professional – the last thing you want is for your brochure to come out pixilated. Set the resolution to 300 dpi when you do the brochure design for the sharpest results.

If you need a good source for stock, high-resolution images, just search online for royalty-free pictures for decent prices. Some sites even offer these images for free so you can put together a brochure design on a budget. Next, you have to select the right kind of paper. Most brochure printing is done on 80lb or 100lb paper, with the choice of several gloss or matte finishes. It’s all a matter of personal preference, although 100lb paper offers a lot more substance than 80lb stock paper, and the price difference is not large. If you go with a heavier paper, it’s more likely to create a good impression on the customer. Varnish creates a beautiful glossy finish, but if you use a lot of ink on your brochure design, it will appear very shiny without a finish, so the brochure printing options you end up selecting depend on more than one factor. A brochure design with a lot of darker colors is better with a varnish because this will prevent fingerprints.

When putting a brochure together, it’s easier to use a brochure template. A brochure template gives you the basic outline for your design, and all you have to do is fill everything in with your information and graphics. Or, buy a brochure maker program to streamline the process. Brochure maker software allows even the least artistic of us to design a brochure that’s appealing and will stay in the memories of your customers. Also, make sure the brochure you create is original – don’t copy another design or rehash the same old ideas you’ve seen a million times before. Come up with something new and exciting, so that your business sticks out from the crowd. It’s important to attract customers so they can find out more about your company.

Article by Mr. Garry Neale

Best brochure printing advice

Brochure printing can often make up a large portion of any marketing campaign’s total expense. Finding affordable brochure printing and other printing is easier than most think. Brochure-Printing-Advisor.com was formed to educate and inform the public with timely articles, design tips and frequently asked questions.

“Having a quality brochure makes a positive impression on a potential customer. It gives the appearance that you’re serious about your business.” says Scott McKenzie spokesperson for Brochure-Printing-Advisor.com. “Brochures range from a simple two-fold design using one sheet of 8-1/2 inch x 11 inch paper to an elaborate 9 x 12 inch pocket folder with 8 pages stitched in and insert sheets. Good brochure design involves not simply producing a flashy design, but a careful analysis of your target market, what level of sophistication is needed and consideration of your market niche in order to make a great first impression. And, last but certainly not least, your brochure should leave a potential client with something he or she is hesitant to throw away”

Brochures are typically printed in more than one color. Research shows that people respond more positively and remember longer full color promotional brochures. Picking the right paper can also have a significant effect on the impact of the brochure. Most people choose a heavier weight, coated paper to achieve a more vibrant upscale look and feel. With the amount of brochure printing companies online, there is plenty of comparison to perform. Learn more http://brochure-printing-advisor.com

Brochure-Printing-Advisor.com also features an extensive collection of resources and articles for the print industry. Current articles cover such topics as money saving tips, paper selection tips and suggested brochure printers. Brochure-Printing-Advisor.com is a great resource for anyone involved with printing. The site presents a wealth of information all in one location so the public does not have to go searching around for isolated printing tips and solutions. “We are constantly adding printing related content to our site with the goal of offering people a valuable and increasingly important and comprehensive online resource,” says McKenzie.

For further advice and information on brochure printing visit http://brochure-printing-advisor.com
About the Author

Scott McKenzie is the creator of Brochure-Printing-Advisor.com a print industry information portal. He has been dubbed a genius by various periodicals.