Tri Fold Leaflet printing is a very effective and affordable way of promoting your business or service, when it comes to choosing the type you require there are a few choices to make. Firstly there is the size, there are a range of standard sizes available like DL, A6,  A5,  A4 then you need to decide do you need to print 1 side or 2 sides, and are they to be trimmed to size or folded? Then comes the material/paper that they are printed on! Do you require a Gloss, Matt or Uncoated finish? Are you looking for a light weight paper or a more substantial board?

One of the most effective types of printed literature for promoting your business or service are Tri Fold Leaflets, one of the key reasons that these are so  effective is that it is like producing a mini brochure, giving you 6 panels to use, you can layout your information clearly and effectively.

Tri Fold Standard Size

The standard Tri Fold size is A4 (297x210mm) when flat and D.L (297x99mm) when finished, traditionally crease or folded in 2 positions to give a total of 6 useable panels.

Tri Fold Material

The weight of  material can usually be anything from 80gsm which is lightweight similar to photocopier paper through to 350gsm which is more like standard business card board, whilst the choice of material is very much the choice of the end user there are a few key factors to be considered. Firstly is the cost, as a general guide the heavier the material the higher the cost, this is especially noticeable when you go above 170gsm, the reason for this is that there is another process involved called creasing. Secondly is the look and feel, the heavier the material the more prestigious your leaflets will look, for instance a chinese take away menu will be most likely to be printed on 130gsm gloss art paper, whilst a jewellers will be more likely to use a heavier 350gsm silk board.

Buying Your Tri Fold Leaflets

When it comes to the cost it is advisable to do your homework, the internet has really made marketing in this way affordable with many reputable online companies like print-it-247 offering great value, quality and excellent service, you can expect to pay around £360.00 for 5,000 Full Colour Tri Folded Leaflets, printed on a 150gsm gloss art paper and this price will include delivery to your door!

If you are looking for something a little more up market then you can expect to around £295.00 for 500 Full Colour Tri Folded Leaflets, printed on a 350gsm silk board, this price will include both creasing and delivery to your door!

A good tip is to look at the online price grids like this one from Print-it-247 as you will often see that for a few pounds more you can increase the quantity that you order without it breaking the bank!

Samples

Another good tip is to request samples, many of the reputable online companies will be happy to supply printed samples or sample packs, this is a good way to ensure that what you order is what you are expecting to receive, it is also a good way to get a first impression of the company before you place your order.

Designing Your Leaflets

When you are promoting your business or service often budgets are tight, whilst we are all budding designers at heart it is often the design of your product that will make the promotion a success or failure. Bear this in mind and if you can afford a designer it can be money well spent.

If you have no budget for design then talk to your printer, I had a design that I had created myself and whilst I couldn’t afford a professional designer to do the job for me, I sent the design over to the printer and for a small fee they spruced up my design and the results were just fantastic.

Artwork Tips

There are some really useful tips to bear in mind when you are creating your own artwork, firstly and most importantly check with the company that you intend to use which file formats are acceptable and which are not. Remember PDF’s are acceptable just about everywhere, file setup is also important, embed your fonts and ensure that you have at least 3mm bleed where your images or content come to the very edge of your design. Ensure that your files are set up as CMYK and not RGB, bear in mind most non industry applications will default to RGB. Zip or stuff all your files including images and fonts. Ask your supplier can you send me a proof for approval, again you need to be aware of the processes that your file goes through before it reaches the presses themselves.

Once again look to build a relationship with your supplier so that they can assist and help you with all of these issues, this really ensure that when your print arrives it looks exactly how you expected it too.

Bespoke Products

A key factor to remember is that which ever company you choose for your next campaign, you will often find that there is a commercial division behind the online face of their website, if you are looking for a high quality printed brochure or a direct mail solution then speak with your supplier, you can often be surprised about the full range of services that they offer and the value that you can benefit from by working together. This will also help to ensure the print quality and consistency across all your printed media.