Brochures in Blue ... a Great Way to Build Business
Written: Apr 11 '04 (Updated Apr 21 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: easily feeds through my printer – opaque, no see-through – a paper with substance
Cons: need a knife to score the fold line, otherwise paper will fur along fold edge
The Bottom Line: An inexpensive way to promote business. Quality paper helps present a solid business image.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Cover Stock 8-1/2 x 1... |
Promotion .... promotion ... promotion. It’s recommended that business people spend at least ten minutes a day promoting their business. Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Blue Card Stock helps me reach potential clients.
First Start with an Idea
I am a website designer who had an upcoming opportunity to promote business. I was attending a conference where existed the possibility of meeting future clients. Even though I always carry business cards, I thought it a good idea to have something more substantial on hand to promote my work ... to excite people into either contacting me or viewing my website for more information.
That’s when I thought of creating a tri-fold brochure. I knew I wouldn’t need a lot of brochures, just a handful for that “just-in-case” opportunity of presenting myself in a favorable light. Translating ideas onto a computer screen is always fun for me. So I opened Microsoft Publisher and designed a brochure.
Paper ... Color ... Choices!
With the brochure designed, now came even more decisions. At first I thought to print the brochure on white paper so that my logo on the front would stand out in color ink. But white is not a color that grabs attention, and I didn’t want my brochure to blend in with all the other “white” papers at the conference.
I thought it might be possible to purchase pre-scored tri-fold paper. However, the papers I saw were white with a glossy finish. I didn’t want white, and I didn’t want a glossy finish. Plus, the pre-scored white glossy paper cost $24.99 for 100 sheets.
Since I had used Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Card Stock for other projects, I went to my local OfficeMax store to check their color selection. OfficeMax sells Wausau Exact Vellum in six colors (white, ivory, gray, blue, green, yellow). Each 250-sheet package of solid color paper (8 1/2" x 11" sheets) costs $9.59 each. Lucky me ran into a sale, and I paid $7.99 a package. I chose the blue color, which picked up the blue in the logo on my business cards.
This 67-pound card stock is very lightly textured and offers a smooth printing surface. I also wanted paper that would easily feed through my laser printer. Plus, this tri-fold brochure had two fold lines, so the paper couldn’t be too thick. Another consideration is that I needed a paper that, when combined with black ink and grayscale images, would present a professional image.
Printing
I loaded the paper into my HP LaserJet 2200dse printer. Even though the printer has a duplex feature for double-sided printing, the Microsoft Publisher program refuses to print using the duplex option. So the printing of this brochure would be a two-step process.
Selecting “Side One” in Microsoft Publisher, I instructed the program to print the current page. The printer slurped up the Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Card Stock. The paper fed through the printer without problem, and the text and images looked sharp as if printed at a print shop. I retrieved the “Side One” sheets and placed them in the tray for a second run through the printer ... this time to print “Side Two”. The printer pulled the paper easily into the machine, and the new printing looked just as impressive as the first side.
Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol has a nice opacity to it. Even though this is a two-sided brochure, the printing does not bleed through the paper. When I read a leaf of this brochure, I’m only seeing what is on that page.
Folding the Brochure
Now that I had the brochures printed, I needed to fold them. My first attempt had me worried. When I carefully folded and finger-pressed the first leaf of the brochure, the folded edge of the paper started to fur. I didn’t want a rough edge on the brochure. But I had a solution to the difficulty.
Using a sharp little knife, I very lightly scored the inside of the brochure on the two fold lines. The brochure easily folded with nice sharp edges. I finger-pressed the folds, and the paper flattened. These brochures look professional and offer an excellent way to share more information about my business.
In case you are wondering, the tri-fold brochure does not completely lay flat on a table. It bows a bit. However, I have seen other brochures prepared at print shops do exactly the same thing, so this doesn’t bother me.
Other Uses for this Paper
Here are some manufacturer suggested uses for this paper:
* report covers
* mailers
* postcards
* signage
* menus
* bulletins
* greeting cards
* color coding projects
Summary
As you can tell, I’m pleased with the performance of Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Card Stock. I will definitely use this paper for more brochures as well as other projects. Using a colored paper for the brochures worked well, too. I didn’t have to spend a fortune to present a quality brochure to reflect a professional image.
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Information
* For laser and inkjet printers, copiers and offset printing applications
* Meets 7 pt. postal requirements
www.wausaupapers.com
Please read my other reviews
Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Cover Stock -- in Green (created Bookmarks with it)
Wausau Exact Vellum Bristol Cover Stock -- in Yellow (created Signs & Report Covers with it)
Avery Blank Business Cards
Avery File Folder Labels for both inkjet and laser printers
Avery Mailing Labels #5160
Avery Shipping Labels #5164
Stanley Heavy-Duty Stapler for up to 120 sheets
Fellowes Magnetic Copyholder
Sharpie Twin-Tip Marker
Rubbermaid 3-Drawer File Tower
Stanley Quick Point Knife
HP LaserJet 2200dse Printer
Copyright 2004 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
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