Free templates for brochures that are available on the Web enable the small business owner to complete a professional-looking desktop publishing project with whatever personal and creative style you want to inject in it. You will want to have your company information, company logo, and photos pertaining to your business available on your computer to insert into the template once you’ve downloaded it. A ready-made template makes this job so much easier and less time-consuming. The design and basic outline is already taken care of on each available template. Trying to reinvent the wheel and design your own brochure from scratch would take a lot of time unless you are well versed in desktop publishing and graphic design.
Upload your company photos onto the templates first and then format the text around it. Photos are the fastest way to convey to your potential customers whatever products or services you are offering. Sell your business with the text. Get creative and make sure all the information pertaining to how you can be contacted is prominently displayed.
Preview the templates available to get an idea on the one that seems to suit your needs best. You will need to decide on the size: 5.5" x 8.5", 8.5" x 11", 8.5" x 14", 11" x 17", or 11" x 25.375". Also, there are the options of tri-fold, half-fold, or Z-fold to consider.
I found some of the best free brochure templates on a user-friendly website at http://www.stocklayouts.com/Products/SampleLayout/SampleChoice.aspx. Once there, you can browse for the right template and also glean salient information about the process of customizing your brochure. This site also gives you links with insights into the best paper to use for printing. Moreover, they have a link for WinZip which is an application needed to open compressed files. Another good source is http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101043031033.aspx.
More free templates were available at http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/templates.html. This is a comprehensive jumping off point for many desktop publishing projects with helpful hints on designing and inserting graphics and pictures on to your brochure.
Using these free tools to make your brochures is a great way to promote your business without expense. Similarly, refer to my article at http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/publishing/articles/2231.aspx on free newsletter templates for another great way to drum up business.
