Do you think pamphlets are obsolete?
You might be focusing too much on digital advertising and forgetting about traditional marketing. But we have to tell you, the latter still offers some advantages.
If you want to learn how effective these are and how to design one, this article will show you how.
Don’t have design experience? With the Venngage Pamphlet Maker, you can access free pamphlet templates and design tips that make it easy to create a pamphlet.
Click to jump ahead:
- What is a pamphlet?
- How do you make pamphlet designs?
- How do you write copy for pamphlets?
- What are the common pamphlet design mistakes?
- Where do you use professional pamphlets?
- What is the importance of pamphlets?
- How do you create a pamphlet with Venngage?
What is a pamphlet?
A pamphlet is a non-periodical publication without a cover. They can also be printed and digital materials distributed in-person or online.
It may consist of multiple sheets of paper that are saddle-stapled together. Normally, a pamphlet has at least five but not more than 48 pages.
Some people use pamphlets and brochures interchangeably. However, these two have different uses.
A pamphlet is used to provide information about a single subject, while brochures are made to directly sell a product or service.
Note how the pamphlet example below shares information about disease prevention.
Medical information can be boring for some, but we all know that it’s important to stay healthy. If you are creating a pamphlet about health or medicine, you might want to take this approach.
Using fun icons is effective especially for serious matters. They make the design attractive and more relatable to the general audience. You can also use this pamphlet template with a more formal design.
Related: Marketing Brochure Design: The Definitive Guide & How to Make a Pamphlet in 4 Steps [+ Examples, Tips & Templates]
Pamphlet examples for students
Pamphlets might seem old-school, but they can be a surprisingly effective tool for college students. They’re affordable, easy to distribute, and a great way to spread information or promote something you care about on campus.
Here are a few ideas to get you started on how to leverage pamphlets as a student:
Raising awareness for issues and causes
As a college student, there are probably things you care deeply about – social justice, saving the planet, you name it. And one issue that is even more relevant would be financial insecurity.
Many students graduate with student loan debt. That’s why having resources like this pamphlet can make a big difference. By providing financial tips and raising awareness about financial security, we can empower classmates to feel more in control of their money.
Promoting events for clubs and organizations
So you’re part of a college club and there’s an upcoming event that you want to spread the word about. Pamphlets it is!
Student groups can create these informative brochures to showcase their activities, missions, and recruitment events. Like this Thanksgiving charity food drive for example:
When designing your event pamphlets, include some interesting pictures and a clear invitation like “Join Us Today!” This can be a great way to attract students who might be interested.
Exploring professional growth
Seminars on career development, job search strategies or industry trends can be invaluable for students planning their future careers.
When it comes to promoting an upcoming seminar on campus, pamphlets can work well alongside online announcements and social media promotion to reach a wider audience.
If you’re organizing one, here’s a pamphlet example that you could use to help spread the word:
Bonus Tip: Consider offering a small incentive for registering through the pamphlet, such as a complimentary coffee coupon or entry into a drawing for a prize. This can be a way to encourage early registration. You could also list your coupons and discounts on websites like Bountii, which makes it easy for potential customers to find and use them.
If student pamphlets aren’t what you’re looking for, that’s okay. I’ve included examples throughout this post to help you craft impactful pamphlets. So go on and keep scrolling to discover creative examples of how pamphlets can be used for various purposes.
How do you make pamphlet designs?
If you want to create your pamphlet from scratch, feel free to do so. However, you need to remember the most critical parts to make your design effective.
Otherwise, you might be wasting time on a marketing tool that will be thrown away. Make sure you prepare the following:
- Headline
- Main copy
- Graphics, icons or images
- Contact details
- Call to action
Here’s an example of the above design aspects in action.
These are the elements for your pamphlet. But the work doesn’t stop here.
If you plan to design your pamphlet manually in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you need to think about the layout, color scheme, font style, and size, to name a few.
For a nondesigner, these can be overwhelming.
The fastest and most practical solution is to use Venngage, a solution offering pamphlet templates that can be customized according to your needs.
Add photos from Venngage’s stock photo library, and choose from over 40,000+ icons.
You don’t need to understand codes, technical specs, or even have design experience in complex tools such as Adobe Indesign and Adobe Illustrator.
Venngage offers free pamphlet templates that you can edit in the intuitive drag-and-drop editor in a matter of minutes.
Numerous businesses already use Venngage to reach their target audience and you can join them.
And if you’re working in a university or targeting students, this pamphlet can work for you.
With Venngage’s simple tools and guides, you can save a lot of time making a pamphlet or customing marketing brochure templates to focus on your core tasks.
How do you write copy for pamphlets?
We’ve been talking about the overall design for your pamphlet, but let’s not forget the text. You should never underestimate the power of words.
Yes, the colors and images can pique everyone’s interest, but the only way that a person will read your content is if you write an equally appealing copy.
Let’s start with your headline. Check out one of the free templates below and how they incorporate headlines.
Take a look at how they used the customer’s pain point as their headline. Many people are concerned about car safety, and this headline could make them pause for a while to learn more.
This is a good strategy that you can use for your own design. Here’s another pamphlet template for you.
As for the main copy, avoid writing lengthy text. People have shorter attention spans today than decades ago. It would be best to break your content into multiple paragraphs.
In some cases, you can use bullet points. You might want to look at the pamphlet template below for inspiration.
Don’t forget, use a language that your audience will understand. We know that some companies would like to sound professional — that’s not bad.
However, see to it that your content does not contain jargon or technical terms. Again, a pamphlet is meant to inform and educate. Simplify your language as much as you can. You can always try to paraphrase or rephrase your copy into shorter, and more concise text.
Related: 50+ Captivating Flyer Examples, Templates and Design Tips
What are the common pamphlet design mistakes?
With the tips above, it would be easy to spot a few mistakes when designing a pamphlet. Here are a few more that you have to consider.
Don’t use low-quality images
It’s not enough that you have photos. What you need are excellent shots that will look good even after you print these.
When you have added your pamphlet design elements, make sure to do a test print before you print it in bulk. That way, you can check if there are photos that didn’t come out well.
Also, remember to keep plenty of white space around your design elements.
Don’t include unnecessary information
While pamphlets are used to inform your audience, this doesn’t mean you have to bombard them with useless details.
Take a look at this pamphlet template. You can see how succinctly the information is presented in the pamphlet.
Think about what information you need to include in your pamphlet. If you think your target audience will need more details, you can always direct them to your website’s FAQ page.
Check your spelling
Before you distribute your pamphlet, you need to revise it twice or even more. In fact, we recommend having someone else check it for you.
Let’s admit it; we can get a bit biased when checking our own work. It is possible that you might miss spelling errors. Ask a colleague to do it for you so your pamphlet looks as professional as your business.
Where do you use professional pamphlets?
There are many uses for a professional pamphlet. But in most cases, you will see a pamphlet during political campaigns and events.
For most companies, a pamphlet template can be used to disseminate information to employees and potential clients. Here’s a Venngage pamphlet template for offices.
Remember to include your branding when designing your pamphlet. For example, you can use your own color scheme throughout your layout.
You should also add your logo when you make a pamphlet or customize brochure templates. This is necessary for brand recall.
Instead of dominating your design with pure text, you can use icons and images to highlight your message.
Easily add your branding, including logos, colors, and fonts with a Venngage business account. The My Brand Kit feature automatically imports branding information into the editor to be applied to all your designs.
Related: 20+ Professional Trifold Brochure Templates, Tips & Examples
What is the importance of pamphlets?
In this digital age, you might think that pamphlets are a thing of the past. But that’s not exactly correct. Pamphlets remain relevant and here are some reasons why.
A pamphlet is a cost-effective compared to other forms of traditional advertising
A pamphlet is still an effective marketing tool and even large companies use these for their campaigns. For one, these printed and digital materials are cost-effective compared to ad placements in a magazine or a billboard.
With the right distribution strategy, your pamphlet can directly reach your target market. As they go down the sales funnel, you can turn these leads into actual customers.
Pamphlets leave a good impression
Did you know that more people tend to recall information when they see it on printed materials than on digital screens?
Remember that most online users tend to ignore digital advertisements. In fact, most would rather scroll away immediately.
The case is different with pamphlets. If you have the right design with a captivating headline and content, your recipient will read everything.
That will make them more interested to learn more. And that’s why you have to include your website where they can find further details, like in this example.
A pamphlet usually leaves the reader hungry for more information. Good thing this pamphlet sample included the website and even the social media pages of the organization.
You can see how a pamphlet is a lead magnet. Once your readers see your contact details, they will be encouraged to ‘like’ your page or reach out to you.
How do you create a pamphlet with Venngage?
Venngage is the ideal pamphlet designing solution for businesses without design experience.
We have everything you need to create a professionally designed pamphlet, with a variety of free pamphlet templates and an easy-to-use editor.
Sign-up is simple. Once you create your pamphlet design, you can share it online for free, or upgrade to a business account to download your pamphlet as PNG, PNG HD, Interactive PDF, and Microsoft Powerpoint.
Now you have all the necessary tools to create an effective pamphlet that will reach your target audience.
