One great piece to have in your marketing arsenal is a good presentation folder. There are many different ways to utilize a custom pocket folder: media kit, new employee handout, sales brochure, plus others. At PrintSouth Printing we are experts when it comes to designing and printing pocket folders. Let's take a look at the uses of pocket folders, and different types of folders you can use.

Media Kit

Your media kit should include different printed pieces that promote your company, product or event. A presentation folder is perfect to hold everything together and present a professional look. Within your media kit, it's good to have contact information about your company (address, phone, fax, hours of operation, website, etc.), information about what your company does, features of the product you are promoting or details of the event you are putting on. You can also include testimonies from your clients, and past product releases or events. Using a pocket folder to hold your media kit together gives you the chance to present all of the pieces with a professional look. If you only have a few items for your media kit, a one pocket folder will work best. Use a spot varnish or overall gloss coating to make the pocket folder stand out. Don't forget to include business card slits on the pocket to hold your card.

New Employee Packet

When you hire a new employee, there are many different forms and manuals that they need to be familiar with. Gathering them in one place instead of searching around your Human Resources department makes it convenient for new hires. Your new employee packet should include an employee handbook describing what is expected of your employees, W2 forms, health and other insurance packets as well as any other important company forms. Apart from the necessary legal forms, you can also liven up your new employee packets by including stickers of your company logo, custom notepads or note cards, pens, jump drives and other neat gadgets your employee can use.

Marketing/Presentation Folders

Large insurance companies similar to BlueCross BlueShield here in Columbia, South Carolina, and colleges like the College of Charleston, located in Charleston, South Carolina, know the power of using presentation folders to showcase their products or services. Each of these companies, plus countless others, put together great folders that get the attention of potential clients/students. When creating presentation folders for marketing your company or product, consider using a custom sized presentation folder, or add embossing and die cutting to make your presentation folders stand out from the crowd. Get in touch with us today to hear some of our ideas and suggestions to help you get the maximum results from your marketing dollars.

Pocket folders come in many different sizes and shapes. The most common is a 9x12" folder with 2 4" pockets that have business card slits. Here is a look at a few options for your pocket folder layout.

Single Pocket Presentation Folders

Use a single pocket folder if you only have a few items to include in your presentation or media kit. Four or five single sheets will fit nicely into a one pocket folder but anything more and you will need to go to a two pocket folder. You can still add business card slits to a single pocket folder if you want to include your card.

Two Pocket Presentation Folders

Pocket folders with two pockets are the most common pocket folders available. Using the standard size of 9x12 with two 4 inch pockets allows you to almost any brochure or flyer in your kit. You also have an option of adding a second set of business card slits if you need them. With a two pocket folder you can also have one side be the normal 4" pocket with business card slits, and the other pocket have a smaller slit to hold a 4"x9" brochure.

Click here to download a PDF dieline of our standard 4" two pocket folder.

Pocket Folder with Gussets (Box Fold)

Some media kits require many different items to be placed inside of the folder and a standard pocket folder may not be enough. In that case, you can add a gusset fold to the pocket folder. A gusset fold adds to the thickness of the folder when it is folded. For example, if the thickness of the inserts of the pocket folder cause the pockets to bulge out and the folder does not shut properly, adding a .25" gusset allows the folder to easily close. To add a gusset fold to your folder, add the width you need to the spine, folds of the pocket(s) and tabs. Check with your print service provider for proper measurements or a custom dieline for this type of folder.

Presentation Folders with Stitched Pages

A nice added element for your pocket folder would be to add stitched pages to the inside of the folder. This option is good for colleges and hospitals as it allows you to include more information about the school or hospital and still have a pocket in the back to hold any extra flyers or forms that may be needed. When setting up your documents, treat the pocket folder like a standard folder (18x16 layout - see this blog post on setting up your files) and use another document for the stitched pages; setting the document up as a 9x12 saddle stitch layout (remember, saddle stitch layouts need to have the amount of pages divisible by four).

Custom Die Cut Pocket Folders

Although the standard size of a pocket folder is 9x12, you can make a pocket folder any size imaginable. Having custom pocket folders is another way to add a creative flair to your folders. Be sure that the size of the custom die cut pockets are large enough to hold the inserts you need. Another thing to watch for is any information you want to show when placed in the pockets does not get covered up by the pockets. Any custom die cut pocket folder you want to create, be sure to check with your printer to make sure of any crucial folds or cuts are taken care of in the design phase.

There are many options for you when creating a pocket folder for your media kit, sales brochure or new employee welcome kit. Take a look at what you want to include in the folder and go from there. As always, if you would like some guidance with your project, get in touch with one of our printing experts at PrintSouth and we will help you every step of the way.

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