Preparing your brochure for optimal print quality

A brochure is a particularly useful communications tool in many contexts. But as with any printed document, it is easy to overlook an important element or to worry that the final print will not match what you had in mind.

To help you see things more clearly and approach the process with greater confidence, we will today detail 10 important elements to check for a perfect brochure print.

1. Your file format

To ensure that your document does not shift or that your typeface is not altered when sending, always opt for a PDF file.
This format locks your document and prevents layout issues. However, bear in mind that you will not be able to edit your PDF. Make sure it meets your expectations before sending it to your printer.

If you send another format to your printer (.doc, .odt, etc.), elements within your file may move and the layout may simply be destroyed.

You can, however, opt for .jpg, .psd, or .ai. But the first may render your brochure in poor quality, and in the case of a specific typeface, the latter two may replace it with a universal font.
The .pdf is free from both of these issues. This naturally applies to a file being sent for printing only. If you want a professional graphic designer to edit your file, for example, a PDF version will prevent them from working on it properly. In such a case, a .psd or .ai file will be most appropriate.

2. Typefaces

Opt for widely used typefaces known for their legibility, unless you are looking for an original and distinctive font.
In addition, to avoid illegible text, we advise you to avoid a font size smaller than 6.
Also remember to keep the layout well-spaced and airy.

3. File size

Make sure you create your file at actual size. This will prevent distortion or pixelation of images or text in the final print — risks that are very real when printing a digital file that is smaller than its intended printed version.

4. Image resolution

The images you use must be at an appropriate resolution: namely, 300 dpi (pixels per inch). Below this, the quality of your printed images will be reduced, or even pixelated. Above 300 dpi, your images will be of high quality when printed, but the processing of your files will be slower without making them any better.

5. Colours

Make sure your file is in CMYK mode (Cyan – Magenta – Yellow – Key/Black). This mode can be verified under "Image > Mode" in most image editing software.

The default mode is often RGB (Red – Green – Blue). This mode is designed for optimal on-screen display of your images. It is, however, not a colour mode to use for print.

If you send an RGB file to print, it will be automatically converted to CMYK mode and you will notice colour differences between the digital version and the printed version of your documents.

6. The safety margin

When printing a brochure, the cutting point can vary by 0 to 2 millimetres.

To ensure that no image or text is cut off or caught in the spine of the brochure, no element should be placed closer than 3 millimetres from the outer edges, nor closer than 7 millimetres (for a perfect-bound brochure) or 10 millimetres (for a spiral-bound brochure) on the spine side.

7. Bleed

In the same vein, if your file includes a background colour or background image (or visual elements that need to reach the edges), it must extend 2 millimetres beyond the intended final size.

Since the cutting of the final document has a margin of error of 0 to 2 millimetres, if you do not extend your background colour, a white line may be visible on the affected pages. Whereas if you have extended your colour by 2 additional millimetres, a cut that is 1 millimetre off will go unnoticed.

8. Pagination

Check that the pagination of your brochure matches your expectations.
By default, the cover is included in the pagination. As a result, the first numbered page of your brochure will be page 3. However, it is possible to exclude the cover from the count if you wish to change this 3 to a 1.

Furthermore, you should not display pagination on blank pages, even though these are still counted in the total.

Finally, the total number of pages must be a multiple of 4.

9. Right-hand and left-hand pages

In DTP (desktop publishing) software, pages are presented in pairs, one below the other. As such, right-hand pages will always be odd-numbered and left-hand pages will always be even-numbered.

It is important to note that the first page of the document will by default be a right-hand page — and therefore an odd-numbered page.
The last page must be an even-numbered page.

10. Legal notices

Where applicable, do not forget to include legal notices on your brochure ("Do not litter", "Drink responsibly", etc.) as well as the dates and/or conditions of any offers.