You don't always need expensive software to create captivating flyers.
You don't necessarily need to invest in expensive software to design flyers for your business or organization. If you don't regularly design brochures or flyers, you can probably get by using Microsoft Word to create your marketing materials. If you want a little more creative wiggle room with your layouts and you plan to make lots of different flyer designs for your business, you might want to consider dedicated page layout and design software.
Microsoft products
Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher both work for creating flyer layouts, although Publisher offers a number of convenient, time-saving features. You can embed pictures in Word documents fairly easily, but Publisher gives you the flexibility to zoom and crop pictures in your layout without using a separate application. Although Microsoft Word comes with a number of interesting fonts, Publisher allows you do add extra stylistic flair to type. Publisher also installs with premade templates, which save time and worry if you don't know approach flyer design on your own. Word is a good choice for creating flyers quickly, but Pusblisher is the better bet if your work needs to look highly professional and you don't have extensive design experience.
Adobe Suite
Adobe's software suite is for serious design professionals. InDesign is the manufacturer's professional layout design program. InDesign is packed with advanced design features and options for drawing shapes and lines. Newer features in Adobe's CS5 release allow you to create interactive online flyers, complete with sound and moving video. Graphic artists who want to create their own custom brochure layouts can do advanced digital art using Adobe Illustrator, and import their work into InDesign. Only consider Adobe if you're skilled in graphic design or you have plenty of time to learn. With InDesign and Illustrator retailing at around $600 to $700 each, these powerful applications are no small investment.
QuarkXPress
QuarkXPress is another high-end layout application, comparable to Adobe InDesign. QuarkXPress features tools that help you precisely control typography in your brochures. It also integrates well with Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, for serious designers who want to import outside graphics. QuarkXPress includes tools for producing Flash work without another outside application, which makes the program more expensive than InDesign-it retails at around $800. Quark is a good choice if you have a number of digital and paper design needs, but far too expensive to purchase for flyer design alone.
MyCreativeShop
MyCreativeShop is a smart selection for people who want professional-quality work, but don't enjoy design or have an aptitude for it. This online service allows you to supply your own images and logos, includes a robust image bank, and allows customers to choose from over 100 professionally-designed layouts. Just pick colors that fit your preferences and branding, and you're good to go. If a situation arises in which you need more customized work, MyCreativeShop has creative professionals to get the job done for you. Best of all, you can select a pricing plan that fits your needs. If you only need to create one brochure, for example, you pay less than someone who wants unlimited access to templates.
SmartDraw
SmartDraw is another cost-effective flyer design solution, available online. Stocked with basic templates, SmartDraw has the features you need to create simple yet smart-looking brochures and flyers. Download a free trial to make your first flyer, and if you like the software, pay about $200 for the full, licensed version.
