Pamphlet design people read in the queue.

Part one is what people need in their hand. Pamphlet design for an event starts with the questions visitors ask the volunteers at the door: where do I go, what time is it, where are the toilets, who do I ask. We list those questions and put the answers first. Information leaflets work the same way: what is this, does it apply to me, what do I do next and who do I contact.

Part two is plain words. We write or edit the text in short sentences and everyday words, with headings that are questions or instructions, and we keep the essentials to a few lines each. Times, places and numbers sit in their own clear block, not inside a sentence. If a leaflet must carry a lot of detail, it carries the essentials and a QR code points to the full version online.

Part three is the layout and the fold. Most leaflets are an A4 or US letter sheet folded to A5 or into three panels, or a single A5 sheet, sizes set by ISO 216 or your local standard. We map what goes on each panel in the order it’s read, place the schedule and map where they’re easy to find when the leaflet is folded in a pocket, and keep nothing important across a fold.

Part four is readability. Body text is set at a size that’s comfortable for older readers, with strong contrast that meets W3C’s contrast guidance (4.5:1 for normal text), because halls and corridors are often poorly lit. Maps get a “you are here”, a few landmarks and labels large enough to read. Colour is never the only way information is shown, so it still works printed in one colour.

Part five is versions and changes. We build the leaflet so the parts most likely to change, such as the schedule, speakers and rooms, sit in one place, and we deliver language versions from the same layout. If something changes after printing, we make a one-page update sheet in the same style. You also get a screen PDF to send before the event. We design; you print. We deliver print-ready files made to your printer’s specification (size, bleed, colour profile and file format), and you place the print order with the printer you choose, so you see the printer’s price and proof directly.

The files are print-ready PDFs, usually PDF/X-4 as ISO 15930-7 defines it, with bleed and your printer’s colour profile. For large runs we note the paper weight that folds well without cracking, so your printer can quote it. Leaflets that are handed out by the thousand are worth a printed proof before the full run.

Where AI helps: drafting shorter versions of long text for us to edit, first-pass translations that a fluent speaker then checks, and simple icons. Where it doesn’t: the facts. A person checks every time, room, phone number and instruction against your schedule before the file goes to print. Client work is shown anonymously: see real client results on our results page.

Distribution matters for pamphlet design. Leaflets handed out at a door are read standing up in a few seconds, so the schedule and map must be visible after one fold; leaflets left on seats or in a welcome pack are read sitting down, so they can carry a little more. We ask how each pamphlet will reach people and design for that moment, and for big events we suggest a simple leaflet over a long pamphlet nobody finishes.