Multipurpose Marketing: Do It All with an Accordion Fold Brochure

With its stepped format, the Wrapped Stepped Accordion is ideal for organizing and separating sections of information. Endlessly customizable, this type of tabbed brochure was the obvious choice for Jennifer Alvarez, founder of Haute Plank.

“I wanted a brochure that would stand out, complement our brand and bring attention to the level of detail I’ve put into the development of Haute Plank and the marketing materials that advertise it,” said Alvarez.

Alvarez designed hers for online printing with our uncoated smooth white paper stock and “couldn’t be more pleased with the final product. I knew what I wanted from the design, and Smartpress checked every box,” she said. “We get compliments on the brochure all the time and it really couldn’t match the brand better.”

Hint: Want to add some polish to your brochure folds? We’re the online printer that offers super shiny ultra gloss and subtly sophisticated flat matte UV coatings for a superior finish on every panel.

Part of our exclusive Designer Folds collection, the Wrapped Stepped Accordion takes custom brochures to new heights. The memorable, leaves-an-impression kind of heights. How exactly? In the hands of Portsmouth Christian Academy Creative Director Nathan Paul, this accordion fold brochure turned into a gala invitation that recipients simply couldn’t ignore.

“We were looking to go outside the box [and] wanted something that could help us tell a story from the minute our donors opened their invitation,” said Paul. “In addition to the extra real estate you get with the accordion style, you get to determine the order of the message you’re trying to convey.”

Folded together with a just-right 80# cover weight, Paul’s design mission was a total success. “People may say print is dead, but there’s definitely a feeling of excitement you can generate with a well-thought-out and well-designed invitation. Not only did the product turn out great, but the entire transaction was smooth and gave me confidence we had picked the right vendor.”

Hint: Designer Folds break you out of your print marketing routine and energize your campaigns. Get all you need to know about the custom printing services we offer with them: Designer Folds FAQ.

After you do all the work to create an impressive marketing brochure, often the most challenging part is getting potential clients and partners to interact with it. With the Wrapped Stepped Accordion, that’s all but guaranteed – and a huge selling point for Mary Kendall Benton, director of marketing and communications at Arise Africa.

“The peek-a-boos of the pages behind it invite you to open it up, and the unfamiliar format holds someone’s attention longer,” Benton said. “We’re a brand with a lot of personality, so even the folds are personable and fun – it could almost read like a book.”

A brochure with tabs was the ideal choice for Benton’s donor event. “The goal was to introduce new donors to Arise Africa and have a night to thank our existing [ones],” she said, with the brochure acting as a conversation prompt. “We had a raffle ticket tucked in there as well. It’s honestly one of my favorite pieces we’ve ever made.”

Hint: Ready to design your Wrapped Stepped Accordion? As part of our extensive online printing services, we offer a convenient brochure template to guide you. Find it under the Layout Guides section on the product page.

Though it seems an accordion fold brochure with tabbed sections would only keep information separate, the Wrapped Stepped Accordion brings it all together when you have the right design. For her client’s service and product brochure, graphic designer Valeria Diaz created a literal trail map, leading reader’s from one panel to the next.

“This unique concept guides the audience through the client’s process and values,” said Diaz. “Each panel of the accordion serves as a distinct section that contributes to the overall narrative. Despite the diverse content, the accordion format ensures that every detail is connected, creating a unified and visually appealing experience.”

And while accolades weren’t part of Diaz’s design concept, it doesn’t hurt that they came anyway. “Our trail map brochure earned the prestigious Gold Marcom Award,” she said. “The final result delivered exceptional quality and a seamless flow of information, impressing us with its meticulous design.”

Hint: To mail your Wrapped Stepped Accordion, let us do your variable addressing, then slip it into an A7 envelope. To mail it without an envelope, it must be secured with three wafer seals.