Here’s a brief description of the most common types of brochures:

Bi-Fold brochures

Bi-fold brochures are one of the most common brochure types.

These brochures are economical to print since they are usually a letter size once folded in half. This folding creates 4 sides: a front-cover, a back-cover, and two internal panels. However, there are other configurations: 8-page, 12-page, 16-page etc.

The front panel works as the cover, and its main purpose is to introduce the piece and to cause the necessary intrigue or impact to make the viewer want to open it and read the contents. The inside panels are usually reserved for content, while the back-cover is used for contact information. They are more formal than tri-fold brochures, and are intended for product presentations, catalogues, institutional introductions, etc. Bi-fold brochures can also be modified into a folder in which you can place inserts. They are ideal for trade shows, sales/presentation purposes.

Tri-Fold/Rack Brochures

Tri-fold brochures are one of the most common brochures. These brochures are economical to print since they are basically standard-sized prints (usually LTR or LGL) on light stocks that are folded in three. They have 6 panels. Front cover, back cover, inside flap and the inside spread of 3 panels. However, this is not always true: the tri-fold morphology adapts to larger brochures. In these cases, they usually have triple or double-LTR pages, and the stock used is better quality. Viewers are tempted to open these kind of brochures, as they cause intrigue. So, they are suitable for designs of good impact. They are intended to be handed over to people: ideal to put in folders, or as a more elegant alternative to the flyer in trade shows.

Gate-Fold Brochure

Gate-fold brochures are not very common; this is why they produce great impact when they are appropriately used. These brochures are usually large and costly, so they are intended for high-impacting marketing.Z-Fold Brochure-This is the alternative to tri-fold brochures. They are very similar in terms of cost and in the impact they have.

Z-Fold Brochures

Z-fold brochures are used when the flow of the reading adapts better to this structure. They can adapt to small or large paper sizes. As tri-fold brochures, viewers are most likely to open this kind of brochure, as they cause intrigue when closed.

Folders

Your business material will look much better and reliable if it is organized, and folders are excellent tools of organization. The most usual folders are bi-folds, and they usually have one, two or more flaps to hold the pieces inside them. When these pieces are sheets of printed paper, they are called inserts.

Folders are great for practically any promotional use, but they also work as a protection for the pieces inside them. They keep your promotional material organized in the same place. Folders can be configured (by adding or removing inserts) to different clients according to their interests.

Inserts

Inserts allow the folders to be configured for each particular client, giving emphasis in a certain topic, service or product. Inserts are usually used as sales sheets, spec sheets, or just as informative or promotional pieces.

• Flyers
• Catalogs
• Pamphlets
• Leaflets
• Booklets