5 Easy Ways to Get Professional Brochures Without Overspending

Looking for low-cost printing deals for brochures? Want a few practical tips on how to save big when designing and printing your next full-color brochure?

If that sounds like you, keep reading. Below are five simple, proven ways you can reduce the cost of your next brochure order, without sacrificing quality or impact.

1. Stick With Standard Sizes

You might think that making your brochure larger or choosing an unusual size will help it stand out. In reality, what truly makes a full-color brochure unique is the content and design, not the size.

If saving money is the goal, your best bet is to stick with standard brochure sizes. The most common (and cost-effective) flat sizes are 8.5 x 11 (trifolds to 3.66 x 8.5, or bifolds to 8.5 x 5.5) and 8.5 x 14 (quadfolds to 3.5 x 8.5). There are two main reasons for this.

First, paper is manufactured in large sheets that come in standard sizes. When you choose an odd or oversized brochure, those sheets still have to be used and then cut down, resulting in wasted paper. Since you’re charged for the raw materials required to print your order, that waste gets passed on to you.

Second, offset and digital presses are designed to run at maximum efficiency using standard paper sizes. Non-standard sizes slow things down, require extra setup, and create inefficiencies that increase your overall cost.

2. Simple Folds Cost Less & Here’s Why

Folding is another area that can quietly drive up the cost of your brochure. It’s the final step in the production process, and while it might seem simple, it matters.

The most common folds are Letter Fold, Z-Fold, and Bi-Fold. These folds are popular for a reason—they’re fast, efficient, and in high demand. Folding machines are already configured for them.

Once you move beyond the standard options, costs go up. More complex or uncommon folds take additional setup time and labor. It’s basic supply and demand: the more common the fold, the lower the cost. If your message works with a standard fold, you’ll save money without losing effectiveness.

3. Understanding Color Options in Brochure Printing

When it comes to color, most brochures are printed using four-color process printing, which allows you to reproduce virtually any color by mixing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

Where costs increase is when you introduce specialty inks, such as specific PMS colors or metallic inks like gold or silver. Adding one of these turns a four-color job into a five-color (or more) job, which can dramatically raise the price.

For most brochures, four-color process printing is more than enough to create vibrant, professional results. Unless a specific specialty color is absolutely essential to your brand, sticking with standard process colors will keep your costs in check.

4. Picking the Best Paper for Your Brochure’s Purpose

Paper choice plays a big role in how your brochure feels and how much it costs. The key is choosing paper based on how the brochure will actually be used, not just how it looks.

Paper generally falls into two categories: text weight and cover weight. Text weight paper is lighter, while cover weight paper is thicker and commonly used for booklet covers, manuals, and heavier brochures.

The most common brochure paper is 100# Gloss Text, which is the heaviest of the text-weight papers and a great balance of quality and affordability.

Using cover weight paper often requires scoring before folding to prevent cracking. Scoring adds an extra step in production, which increases cost.

A good rule of thumb:

• If you’re mailing brochures or handing them out in volume, text weight paper usually makes the most sense.
• If you want a thicker feel for durability or to make a stronger first impression, cover weight paper may be worth the extra cost.

If you’re unsure, we can help you choose the best paper for your specific brochure and budget.

5. Buy in Bulk

Like most things, the more you buy, the lower the cost per piece. Before placing your order, think about how many brochures you’ll realistically distribute over the next six to twelve months.

At Wilson Print Marketing USA, we offer four-color brochure printing in quantities ranging from 500 to 100,000, making it easy to scale your order to fit your needs.

And remember, brochures only work if they’re actually used. A box of brochures sitting on a shelf doesn’t sell anything. Plan how you’ll get them into the hands of customers and prospects. The more printed promotional materials you have working for you, the more opportunities you create to grow your business.