You might be reading this because you have decided to get a new presentation folder for your business. Obviously, you will have some doubts about designing and ultimately printing the folder. You might even be part of a marketing firm looking to help your client in getting more business using a personalized presentation folder.
From businesses to job seekers have realized what good a bespoke presentation folder can do for them. Apart from its influence in the marketing and advertising field, a good presentation folder makes your day in the office easier. By using a bespoke presentation folder, you can store all the information regarding the company in one place. The ordered arrangement of information makes it easier for you and your colleagues to get important data fast and easily.
Presentation folder printing is a process that needs to be carried out with great care. A minor error can render the folder useless. There are many choices for you, so you might be responsible for taking those important decisions. If you are a business owner, you could get help from the marketing section to help you decide on factors like folder size and other design elements. An artist can help you with artwork if you want that in your folder. And for all the doubts about printing, folder printing services can help you with that too.
Folder Shape and Layout
The first thing to choose is obviously the size and shape you want the folder to be. The common parameter that determines the folder size is the size of the paper to be stored inside it. Since the popular paper sizes are A4 and A5, the popular folders come in the same size. A5 presentation folders are smaller compared to the A4 variant but are easier to carry around.
Both of them can be used together as well. If you have new promotional offers or campaigns, you can use the A5 folders to store that information. You can even use an A4 folder for formal occasions like board meetings or interviews and use an A5 folder for interactions with customers. These come in both portrait and landscape layouts.
Most folders in use today are rectangular, credit to the paper size parameter. But if you want to be different, there are square bespoke presentation folders too. Whichever one you choose, make sure the edges and corners are strong enough to withstand damage.
Artistic businesses and shops can even experiment with unique shapes, like hexagons or even circles. You have all the design freedom to get your folder ready. Just be careful to check if it suits your use.
Folder Brochures
This is one of the latest trends in the presentation folder printing industry. By combining a brochure and a presentation folder, you get a folder brochure.
Marketing teams have found out that this will reduce the printing expenses by a big margin. When you do not have to print a separate brochure, you save a lot of money. The folder pages will have all the information printed in them with one or more pockets to keep other printed documents.
They can be printed both in portrait or landscape layout, with the latter being more suitable if you are planning to include pictures. These come in different shapes too.
Finishes and Laminations
It is a common practice to apply a finishing touch to the folder by adding an extra layer to it. That is where the folder finishes and laminations come in.
Initially, laminations were used to protect the folder from water damage. But then people started to realize they added a certain shine to the folder surface and finishes started getting popular.
The finishes commonly used are gloss, matte, satin, UV, etc. To give a shiny outlook for the folder, glossy is your go-to finish. But if you want to keep it subtle to the eye but need a premium feel matte is for you. Satin and UV vary in effect and usage, so choose wisely and do not overspend.
Apart from these methods, embossing can be seen in most modern personalized A4 folders. These can be used on the whole folder or in certain areas that need to be highlighted. Folder printing services can help you use multiple finishes on the same folder too. Why not use foiling on your name and logo and apply a matte finish along with it?
Add-ons and Accessories
Apart from the usual contents i.e printed materials, you can insert other media into your folder. For adding these you need to have custom pockets included at the time of printing the folders. These days digital media like CDs are used inside folders. These will include promotional videos and other corporate videos which can carry greater amounts of information than papers. This way you can add information that cannot be printed on paper and thus saves paper as well.
Another add-on that can be included is an index tab. Depending on your design the Index tab can either be horizontal or vertical. This will be very useful for the reader to find the information they are looking for. It also improves the ordering of information depending on its relevance.
For mailing your personalized folder a portfolio envelope will come in handy. This acts as a protective layer when the folders are in transit. You can also customize these envelopes with your company logo and name. There is also the provision of adding merchandise in these like a pen and notepad.
Precautions
As you already know, there are many folder printing services available in the market. Most of them have the same offer as their USP – Cheap or affordable printing. Even though you can get your A4 presentation folders printed at an affordable rate, you must not take a risk with just any printing service.
Always research about the experience of the service you have chosen. Check out reviews about their A4 and A5 presentation folders online. It would be great to contact them on call or know more about the services and products they offer. This is very crucial in determining whether your bespoke presentation folder is a success or otherwise.
Always ask for samples from the folder printing unit before giving them a big order. This avoids financial losses and also gives you an idea of how your decisions have changed the folder. Once you have a sample of your personalized A4 folder, it will be easy to evaluate it and find the shortcomings.
Most good printing services will have samples for each of the techniques they use or have used in the past. They can guide you from the start to the finish of the folder development process.
