presentation folders

presentation folders

The Importance of Presentation Folders

1. Introduction

A presentation folder is an easy and professional way to organize and protect important papers. These have a variety of applications in various different situations. At an office, a custom presentation folder, kept plain and simple, would serve as a minimalist way to organize and manage documents and important papers. A presentation folder could be used to submit a resume for a job application. A custom resume folder often includes an extra pocket inside and a slot for a business card. This represents you as professional, well-organized, and shows attention to detail. It’s the perfect way to make a lasting first impression. A resume folder is also great for interviews, the applicant can read over the extra copy of the resume on the way to the interview to refresh his or her memory. A presentation folder can be used to promote public awareness of a charity or local event. With a full-color picture and pertinent information, a pocket folder is great to hand out at an informational meeting or going door-to-door. A well-made folder says a lot, so it’s important to get it done right.

The office environment is a fundamental platform to create an impression about the company and its employees. In this competitive environment, the first impression is the last impression. A neat and organized workplace could make a huge difference in creating a lasting impression on the client. An office consists of various different types of documents and papers. It is very essential to manage and arrange these documents in a proper order because many times, these documents would be required at a later stage and a disorganized document would put the person in a very tight spot.

2. Benefits of Using Presentation Folders

2. Benefits of Using Presentation Folders: A presentation folder may seem like just another standard piece of office supply, but think to the last time you saw a folder used to its fullest capabilities. Whether at a seminar, sales presentation, a trade show or a customer meeting, it is more than just a folder. Presentation folders not only package your marketing and sales tools, they also present a professional image of your company, to both current and potential clients. Appearance is everything, and a professional image goes a long way in the business world. In the past, companies have had problems with demonstrating a consistent image to their clients. Often times marketing and sales materials are created on an as-needed basis. More often than not, they are created using a printer or photocopier. In other cases, companies may order promotional literature from the supplier, who prints their company name on a generic template piece of literature. The look and feel of the materials go a long way in demonstrating a professional image. By packaging these materials in a pocketed presentation folder, you can ensure that all of your company’s marketing materials will stay together and won’t appear as a bunch of different sheets of paper. Most every printer has the capability of printing company logos on pocket folders, and often times supplier promotions come with blank templates. With this, you can ensure the creation of a consistent company image on all marketing and sales materials.

A presentation folder may seem like just another standard piece of office supply, but think to the last time you saw a folder used to its fullest capabilities. Whether at a seminar, sales presentation, a trade show or a customer meeting, it is more than just a folder. Presentation folders not only package your marketing and sales tools, they also present a professional image of your company, to both current and potential clients. Appearance is everything, and a professional image goes a long way in the business world. In the past, companies have had problems with demonstrating a consistent image to their clients. Often times marketing and sales materials are created on an as-needed basis. More often than not, they are created using a printer or photocopier. In other cases, companies may order promotional literature from the supplier, who prints their company name on a generic template piece of literature. The look and feel of the materials go a long way in demonstrating a professional image. By packaging these materials in a pocketed presentation folder, you can ensure that all of your company’s marketing materials will stay together and won’t appear as a bunch of different sheets of paper. Most every printer has the capability of printing company logos on pocket folders, and often times supplier promotions come with blank templates. With this, you can ensure the creation of a consistent company image on all marketing and sales materials. Presentation folders can also be used as an effective communication tool within your company. More than a few times, sales and marketing materials are disorganized or distributed to the wrong people, clients, or departments. By using a pocket folder with a business card slot, you can ensure that the right materials get to the right place. This also proves that when a company is given materials from a supplier or another company, there is no arguing over where the materials should be stored.

3. Designing an Effective Presentation Folder

Size: The typical pocket folder size is 9 x 12, but folders may come in a variety of sizes. Small businesses may opt for an 8.5 x 11 folder to fit standard letter-size sales materials. A4 is a standard international size that may be used by global businesses. Die manufacturers have templates for a large variety of folder sizes that can be cost effective, since special order dies are more expensive. Specialty industries may have unique needs; for example, a photography portfolio may best be presented in a square format folder. Size will also determine the amount of content that will go into the folder and any special features such as foldout panels.

There are several design elements unique to presentation folder design.

You can purchase an inexpensive stock folder from an office supply store, but it won’t make a very good impression on your clients. If you decide to make a presentation folder part of your corporate identity package, the folder should harmonize with the rest of the materials. The look and feel of the folder should reflect the image you want to convey. If you are a graphic designer, the folder itself may be your potential client’s first impression of your design skills. In that case, a custom designed folder with a snazzy look may be in order. A high-end print broker courting luxury brand clients will want a folder that conveys elegance and expense. In other cases, a small business offering various services may simply want some clean, professionally crafted pocket folders to keep their sales materials organized. An appropriate look will take into account the clients’ preferences, coupled with the company’s industry, its brand image, and available funds.

4. Tips for Organizing Content in Presentation Folders

The second step is to start off with a basic outline for the entire presentation. Create a storyboard by organizing all the visual aids and transparencies in a sequence that logically flows. This will help you create a smooth transition between all the slides during the actual presentation. Oftentimes, people jump straight into making the slides and end up with a disjointed, unorganized presentation. Sketch a rough draft of the slides on a sheet of paper and make notes on what to include in the slide. This will serve as a tool to help you later create the slides using software. Now that you have a clear plan of how the visual aids, start with an outline for the actual presentation. Create headers for each main point and include information under each header. With a clear outline, you can avoid confusion later when deciding on where to place the information inside the presentation folder.

The first step is to gather all the material you intend to use in the presentation. The task at hand can be quite daunting because it requires you to sort through the clutter in order to compile a comprehensive ensemble of materials. Be sure to have all the necessary information on hand, including notes, computer printouts, articles, transparencies, visual aids, etc. Once you have all the material on hand, you can then begin to categorize and prioritize the information.

5. Conclusion

However, what you can’t ignore is the fact that the presentation folder can play a very important role in making it easy to get your customers and clients closer to your business or products. It is a key to gain quick recognition and quality responses from the people related to your business. While larger corporations have annual reports and other methods of keeping records of the past year, the data is essential and a great way to keep track of the progress. Finally, the presentation folder is promotional. It can serve as an example of work put into a project, a reminder of a meeting to a client for a particular sales rep, or even displayed in a shop or divided up and mailed to bring in new business from other companies. Each time someone sees the contents of the folder, it is hoped that it will jog memories of past encounters, building lasting relationships.