A Look At The Many Uses Of Folders To Boost Your Business

Using folders in business is usually commonplace as they serve a variety of functions, however here we’ll take a look at some uses of folders that you may have not considered. Folders not only keep everything neat and tidy when it comes to your documents, but also adds an air of importance and the impression that you have everything organised properly – a sign that you conduct your business as a whole with the same degree of care. Add branding to that folder to take it to the next level!

Let’s look at the various uses of folders that can give your business a boost

1. Exhibitions, Talks and Industry Trade Shows

When you may have lots of people approaching you in a single day to learn more about what you offer, there’s no better way to give them the complete package of everything that you offer than with a folder full of your marketing materials. Not only does this look highly professional, but it’s something they can carry with them and browse as a pack when they have the time.

2. A Helpful Welcome Package for Hospitality

A great idea for hotels, bed and breakfasts as well as holiday parks, creating a welcome package for your guests is a sure way to win them over from the moment they step through the door. It shows that you care enough to have compiled it, and you’ve done it for the benefit of your customers. When someone is staying in a hotel in a new area, it’s the perfect way to give them an overview.

3. Training Manuals and Guides

Whatever job you work in, it’s handy to have everything that you need to know given to you in a complete pack. This allows the new trainee to have everything to hand when they need it, and can even take it home and refer to it when they get the chance. Depending on the size of the folder you buy, you can insert small books, manuals, company guidelines and other important information.

4. Create Your Own Branded Sales Materials

When you have a single brochure or have lots of leaflets printed, these are great for getting your message out there as it contains everything they’d need to know – however product lines and services are subject to change. This means that something which was true a few months ago may no longer be. A folder which contains multiple sales materials can be swapped out as needed.

5. Take Your Portfolio to the Next Level

If you are seeking to wow your potential clients with past work you’ve done for existing clients, then a portfolio of your accomplishments is a sure way to win them over. You can add and remove items to tailor your portfolio for each client depending on their needs, and it is an altogether more professional way to present your work.

Choose from the different types of folders:

A4 folders – a simple design which can hold multiple pages of A4 size paper

A5 folders – for larger, more detailed pages that display graphs and charts

DL folders – a professional look for training slides, can be branded to your style

Landscape folders – a unique and attractive way to present documents and photos

Folded Brochures – ideal for presenting information in just a few bespoke pages

Square Folders – keep the look clean, classic and professional with a square folder

6 Page Folders – the perfect way to present multiple pages at an exhibition or event

Interlocking Folders – prevent documents and pages from falling out with a locking mechanism

Selecting your finishing option:

Gloss Lamination – add a layer of shine to the printed folder for added protection and a fresher look

Matt Lamination – keep it smooth and simple with the classic matt look folder

Spot UV – create a stunning contrast on a certain area such as your logo on the folder

Foiling – make your folder stand out from competitors with specially created foiling

Embossing – bring texture and an added layer of dimension to your folder

Die-Cut – take your folder to the next level with die-cutting on certain areas for a creative touch

Top Tips When It Comes To Quality Printing For Your Business Folders

Folders serve lots of purposes in the business world, from carrying multiple documents easily to being a handy package that you can give to prospective clients, and making sure that your folders are attractive and fit for purpose is more important that you might think. you can follow the bellow folder design ideas for your business.

Top tips for making your folders the best in the business

1. Opt for PMS ink if you have a design with just a couple of colours. This pre-mixed type of ink is not only budget-friendly but it is also the most accurate if you’re looking to match the branding of your company identically. Other inks such as CMYK can often create different shades and unwanted variations when it comes to tones.
2. Choose CMYK if you plan on using a design which features a handful of different colours to bring your folder to life. This process features four colours and lets you have just about any colour you desire for your company branded folder printing, however sometimes oranges and shades of dark blue can often give mixed results.
3. Don’t assume that your black design has to be full black in its tone. You would think the best black is the purest, however on a folder this doesn’t work too well and can look strange next to other colours. In fact, deeper blacks can be created with a slight contrast in other colours using a formulation of CMYK such as: 100% black, 60% cyan and just 40% for both yellow and magenta.
4. For a richer colour of blue, you should consider using more cyan in the design than magenta, up to 30% if needed. Blue has always been a difficult colour to get right when using CMYK, and can often take on a purple hue, however when you set the cyan higher than what you have set for magenta it will come out a lot truer. If you have one part of magenta set at 30%, then cyan should be 60%.
5. Why not try to incorporate metallic colours or even brighter fluorescents in your folder design? Small and reflective particulates of metallic substances can be used with PMS ink, or you can even make certain areas of your folder pop with fluorescents. They add interest to the folder and allow you to create designs and colours you didn’t think possible.
6. Make your folder stand out with additional detail thanks to embossing the stock or debossing it. Why not make your logo or important aspects pop out of the page or have an indentation to show you’ve gone the extra mile to make your folder impressive. This works best on stocks with long fibres, as short fibres are not going to show the effect as well.
7. Steer clear of font types which are thin in places or illegible. If you plan on using foil stamping or embossing, then font with thin parts of letters are not going to give you the impression you’re looking to create. All text should be a minimum of 2pt in thickness. Try not to use any kind of serif font, and the size of the text on the folder should be at least 12-14pt.

Avoid These Common Design Mistakes For You Folders

As the saying goes to put your best foot forward, when it comes to presentations it is definitely a case of putting your best folder forward when dealing with business people you will come into contact with.

They’re a great idea to collect all of your important marketing paperwork in one place, ready to be presented in an orderly manner to those you meet. They are flexible and you can add or remove different marketing materials if needed to tailor the experience to your client.

Take a look at our top 8 mistakes when it comes to your folders

1. Using a plain and boring design of folder is sure to turn clients off from the moment they see it. Make it attractive and enticing with printed logo names and company details, even make it colourful to your company branding to hammer home the message you’re a well-put together organisation.
2. A shoddy layout has the same effect, showing that your business is not really on the ball when it comes to even the simple things like interlocking folders. Take the time and patience to ensure that everything is properly aligned, in the right place and not going to have a distracting wonky design. Think of the back and front covers as well as the interior layout.
3. Don’t bombard the folder with excessive text. Keep the exterior of the folder clean with just a few images and contact details can even be moved to the back. Remember that the information you want them to read should always be on the inside of the folder, and that the folder is just the pretty wrapping paper for the main gift on offer inside.
4. Busy designs can be highly distracting, less is more in this respect. Your logo and a minimal portion of text should be on the outside. You can add an image if you wish that covers the page, but what you shouldn’t have is multiple images that distract attention away from the most important part of the presentation folder – your marketing materials that lay inside.
5. Try not to turn people off before they’ve even looked inside your folder with a boring design. This is in contrast to the point made above about it being too busy. A plain folder with no text, images, graphics or logo is not going to inspire much confidence in your business. Mismatching colours or just plain white is going to leave a bad impression.
6. The quality of your paper counts. People can tell in a split second the value of paper, and a cheap and flimsy stock is going to give them the impression you don’t care. Inks can start to bleed on the wrong choice of stock, however if you’ve got a nice gloss or matt effect on your printed folder then the prospective client will feel this and it should leave a positive impression.
7. Choosing the wrong printer or printing company. Some printers may not be up to the job of delivering exactly what you want in a folder design. Printers cannot usually do high level tasks such as embossing and debossing, or adding metallic elements. Research your printer or printing company if you’re using one and request to see many samples in advance.
8. An incorrect template will cause you multiple problems. You are bound to want to customise your own folder design, however if you are not using the template correctly then you’ll waste time and money printing out the wrong designs, which will ultimately take its toll on your patience.
9. Ensure the printer has the correct information. Whether this is sending the correct files with your logo inside, or simply double and triple checking that the text you’ve given them is 100% accurate will help to avoid costly mistakes that cannot be rectified. Small details that are incorrect will be picked up by your clients and reflect badly on your company.

Top Folder Ideas For Your Specific Business

With so many folders to choose from, all serving different purposes, it can be difficult to decide which folder is right for the needs of your business.

Check out our guide to see which folder choices may be the best fit for your sector

A4 single sided folders:

These are ideal for the education sector when creating prospectus packages for parents to take home from an open day event at a school or college. A4 single sided folders can hold multiple sheets of paper and contain all the various important pieces of information you need them to know.

A4 double sided folders:

If you plan on attending an exhibition event or trade show because you are selling a product, then A4 double sided folders can be printed on all sides to provide basic information, and then have all of the pull-out information contained on the inner pages.

A5 landscape folder:

The larger size of these folders which can hold pages up to A5 size are the perfect choice if you need to display drawings, images or plans. A5 landscape folder can be used by architectural firms to showcase their portfolios, keeping the files inside safe until you need to display them.

A5 double sided folders:

Used most often to contain training packs and information packages to be given out to attendees at seminars and talks. You can use the exterior and interior pages to give basic instructions, backed up by more important outlining documents inside the A5 double sided folders.

Ticket folders:

If you want to make the best impression before an event starts, then someone receiving their tickets in one of these bespoke ticket folders is sure to view the event in a more positive light, and heighten its importance. A great idea to invite people to trade shows or events.

A5 landscape folder brochures:

Estate agents can make use of these large and spacious folders to provide clients with an impressive package of information surrounding a new housing development, presenting it in the best light possible. A5 landscape folder brochures are large enough to hold images, documents and floor plans.

A4 portrait folders:

When you have lots of information to present in a brochure form but also need additional space to store pages, then this is the best choice. Various business models such as manufacturers and resellers can benefit from these to showcase what they are capable of.

Square presentation folders:

If you are selling a range of products such as kitchens or bathrooms, then the square presentation folders is going to give you the handy size you need to give to prospective buyers, but also contain enough space to be able to cover every aspect of ordering the products inside.

6 page folders:

These folders would be a top choice for industrial and manufacturing sectors looking to create a stunning presentation folder. You can pack so much information in 6 page folder without it looking cluttered, giving your clients the ability to see everything you offer at a glance.

6 page folder with pocket:

Fill this folder with all the marketing materials you need to convey to prospective leads thanks to the multipage design. If you’re company is attending an expo or trade show, there’s no better way to compile all your offerings in a simple and sleek folder to hand out.

A5 landscaping interlocking folders:

If you have a unique business that focuses on just one or two products or services, for example in the food or catering industry, then A5 landscaping interlocking folders is the ideal choice. The design is simple enough to contain all the information you need, all kept safe with a card lock.

A4 interlocking folders:

The legal profession can benefit from these folders as they can hold a wide range of information inside, and the locking mechanism ensures that the client can keep the information safe without papers falling out as they leave your law firm.