{"id":2074,"date":"2013-08-13T09:18:28","date_gmt":"2013-08-13T13:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.companyfolders.com\/blog\/?p=2074"},"modified":"2025-09-02T15:35:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T19:35:25","slug":"are-these-18-presentation-folder-mistakes-costing-you-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.companyfolders.com\/blog\/are-these-18-presentation-folder-mistakes-costing-you-money","title":{"rendered":"Are These 18 Presentation Folder Mistakes Costing You Money?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ExpensiveWhen you make one mistake while designing and printing presentation folders, you’re likely actually making over 500 mistakes\u2014because the error will show up on every folder you print.<\/p>\n

To save yourself the cost of an entirely new print job, be sure to avoid these common design mistakes and printing pitfalls to produce the best folder designs<\/a> possible.<\/p>\n

Creating a Design<\/h2>\n
1. Using two PMS colors when one will do<\/h5>\n

If your PMS presentation folder<\/a> design uses different tones of the same color, you’ll save money by using a single PMS color to achieve the effect.<\/p>\n

For example, say you’re printing a monochromatic design consisting only of white, black, and shades of gray. The only color actually being used in this case is black; it’s just being used in different percentages to create different gray tones. Since PMS ink is translucent, it takes on the property of the white stock its printed on, so less ink means a lighter color and more ink means darker.<\/p>\n

\"Black

A design that uses different tones of the same color (including black) can usually be achieved by printing with just one PMS color.<\/p><\/div>\n

2. Using 4-color process for branding<\/h5>\n
\"4-Color

Photo Credit: Paweł Windys<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

4-color process can be used to print stunning color photography, but the colors aren’t as accurate as PMS ink. If you use CMYK to print branded elements, the color of the logo on your folder might be inconsistent with the color on your sign, website or other materials.<\/p>\n

If full color folders<\/a> are a must, remember that you can use CMYK for the majority of the design with only the branded elements printed in PMS. For more CMYK printing help, read our tips for designing and printing 4-color folders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Not giving the logo enough space<\/h5>\n

When a logo is too close to other design elements, it doesn’t create the same amount of impact on the eye; the other elements become a distraction. Elements in close proximity can also sometimes bleed together during the printing process and become distorted or fuzzy.<\/p>\n

Give your logo the attention it deserves by surrounding it with at least 1\/4″ of whitespace. Most of all, make sure your logo stays at least 1\/2″ away from the edge of your folder, or you run the risk of it getting cut off during printing. Read more about how to add your logo to a custom folder<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Vertical<\/a>

<\/a> Remember to give ample whitespace between your logo and the other elements in your folder design (SKU: 08-57).<\/p><\/div>\n

4. Neglecting to design the pocket<\/h5>\n

\"4x9<\/a>The price of printing on your folder’s pockets is actually included with the cost of printing on the front and back cover. Many people neglect to realize this and leave the pocket blank, thinking it will save money on folder printing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since these areas are effectively free to print on, you can create more impressive folder designs for your clients at no extra cost. The pockets are a great place for branded design elements, contact information, full-color photos and other important content you may have been unable to include on the cover.<\/p>\n

5. Problematic fonts<\/h5>\n

\"99If you use a font in your folder design without the proper reproduction rights, its owner could potentially issue a cease and desist or even take you to court. Fortunately, there are plenty of free fonts for print design<\/a> are available, while others require you to pay a licensing fee. Remember that your printer may not have the same fonts that you do, so package up the necessary font files along with your design files when placing your order.<\/p>\n

Not all fonts are created equally, and certain fonts won’t reproduce nicely with your imprint method of choice. Fancy, delicate fonts or serif fonts are often harder to use for embossing and foil stamping. You also have to make sure the letters aren’t too small or too close together, or you may end up with a bleeding effect between them. Be sure to check out our tips for printing fonts<\/a> to avoid further typography-related mistakes.<\/p>\n

6. Using images that aren’t print ready<\/h5>\n

\"ManSending your printer images that just aren’t ready to be printed can lead to unforeseen and costly mistakes. If your artwork is still in RGB mode when you’re printing in CMYK, for example, the printer will have to convert it themselves, leading to potential color discrepancies. Make sure you understand the difference between RGB vs. CMYK vs. PMS colors<\/a> before handing over your artwork.<\/p>\n

Another common mistake is sending low resolution images. The higher your image resolution, the better it will look when printed out. For more information on how to ensure that your images are print ready, refer to this guide to print ready graphics.<\/p>\n

7. Not accounting for hand placement<\/h5>\n

Be careful not to place important design elements in areas where the audience is likely to cover them with their hands. For most presentation folders, this is the leftmost third of the front cover.<\/p>\n

\"Reinforced<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Leaving a white edge on a printed background<\/h5>\n

A printed background allows your folder design to utilize a lot of color without the need for colored stock\u2014but the edges where the stock has been cut will still look white. This “thin white line” can be distracting if you have a design with mainly dark colors.<\/p>\n

One way to circumvent this is to use colored stock, but this may not be an option if you’re printing with ink (as opposed to embossing or foil stamping). Consider using one-sided printing, so the second side will be blank white, making the edges blend in a bit better. You can also cover the edge of the folder entirely by printing on a folder with reinforced edges.<\/p>\n

\"Heavy<\/a>

The printed side of this heavy duty folder is folded over the inside, further concealing the unprinted edge of the stock (SKU: 29-71-TOP).<\/p><\/div>\n

If you want to do two-sided printing, you might make the opposite side light-colored or fade the design so that the ink doesn’t print all the way to the edge.<\/p>\n

9. Omitting important contact information<\/h5>\n

You could have the most beautiful, expertly crafted folder imaginable… but if your recipient has no idea how to reach you, they can’t take much action. Including your phone number, e-mail, or website URL somewhere in your design is practically a no-brainer.<\/p>\n

Location-wise, the inside pockets are a great choice, as this allows your front cover to be more expressive and attractive. You might be tempted to omit this information if you include business card slits (since the card will feature this information anyway), but in the case that your audience removes and loses your business card, you’ll want to cover all of your bases.<\/p>\n

\"Contact
\n<\/p>\n

Selecting Products & Options<\/h2>\n

10. Selecting the standard design<\/h5>\n

A rectangle is the first shape people envision when they think of a folder, so something in an unexpected shape (like an oblong, zigzag or wave pattern) shows that your design is unique and stands out amongst the crowd. It shows that you have creative ideas-too big to be constrained to just an ordinary rectangular folder.<\/p>\n

\"Blue

Photo Credit: Jerry Lund<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

11. Passing up free slit options<\/h5>\n

\"BusinessWhy not take advantage of something offered to you for free? Pocket business card, brochure, and CD\/DVD slits allow you to easily store media inside your folder, creating a complete print marketing package.<\/p>\n

Remember that custom die-cutting can make a big impression; consider folders with business card slits<\/a> or custom shaped slits for uniquely designed media. These allow you to tailor your folder to the size, shape and design of your other materials.<\/p>\n

12. Choosing the wrong stock<\/h5>\n

Some design elements are completely incompatible with certain stocks, while others work particularly well together.<\/p>\n