Hello all.
Could any of you tell me the best software to use to create flyers on my PC? Would it be sufficient to use word processing software only? Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Dave
Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0
Hands down. Easy to learn. AMAZINGLY powerful.
Oh - and only $50
I know it’s probably a no-brainer but here is a place to get lots of clip art and images free.
Got It. I just installed the software but it looks more like a photo edit application than a marketing material creation application. What is the best way to utilize this software? Once again, any comments/tips would be appreciated.
Wow!! You don’t mess around, man!
Let me see if I can post something meaningful to explain how to get started…
Kevin
If you have Microsoft office, Word is pretty good and a far easier learning curve than Adobe.
A lot of people do not realize Word can make full color ads. I never thought about it until recently. I was going to buy Photoshop and asked an advertising person I know advice on it.
Once he found out what I wanted it for, he said I did not need it, use Word. I said, Word? He said yes and emailed me a very snazzy ad in Word.
Now I am hooked on learning more about design in Word… I do not have the time or patience to learn anything else 
CFP is right. Word is an under-rated marketing tool. I used it for years because that’s all I had. But the longer I used it the more I learned what it was capable of. You can layer images over text, under text, over/under other images basically anything my other programs can do. The only thing I dont like are the “save as” options. You cant save as PDF But a good starter to advanced program.
Adobe Photoshop versions 5.0 and higher will produce the highest quality designs once you master the basic skills. Word, powerpoint and such will only produce more basic stuff.
If you havea very limtited budget, you can use this program called GIMP, its free software for the whole program, it is very much like Adobe Photoshop and is open software so its free. I use it on my linux machine. It is great at photo manipulation, and graphics, and its strengths lie in stuff for the web. Give it a try!
If you are into design use something geared for design. If you just want to put something together that is [B]effective[/B] and [B]easier[/B]… Word
That’s true now that I think back. You cant manipulate images in word. oh well, I don’t use it anymore anyway. But I’m interested in what are some of your favorite features from Adobe Element 5.0 as I used to use corel draw 8. I loved it, but my computer crashed and in the meanwhile my then 2 year old daughter went through many of my software CD’s and scratched them up with her teeth.
I use print shop now but have been interested in another program.
If your flyer is going to be mostly text based with the odd graphics here and there then you can use Word Or Excel.
If you are wanting to do advance graphic manipulation use a Photoshop like product. Illustrator is great too.
[LIST]
[]Making images pop!
[]softening image edges.
[]advance drop shadows/glow, etc.
[]proper resisizing of images and cropping.
[*]etc.
[/LIST]
you can try Scribus too, its open software too and is made especially for desktop publishing, its similar to Quark Express for the Mac, which is for desktop publishing, great for fliers.
Check it out here:http://www.scribus.net/
Photoshop is not too bad to learn.
I used to think like many here, and I used Word exclusively for [B]years[/B], believing that I couldn’t learn another program because I was too busy, and simply [I]“wasn’t good at that stuff”[/I]…looking back, I wished I learned it earlier.
Its totally up to your preference, though, yes.
This has been my experience:
Awesome copy + good simple ‘Word’ design = good response.
Same awesome copy + better graphic ‘Photoshop’ design = better response.
For $50, and a quick learning curve, its well worth it.
I never used Corel, so I can’t really offer you an intelligent answer to this, comparitively speaking.
To put it simply, the super-advanced and versatile text and image manipulation available in Photoshop is 10 times more powerful than Word. (I really think this should read “100 times more powerful”, but I’m trying to be reasonable here…)
I love the endless image effects, too.
For instance, when I prepare an estimate, I use a brilliant, full-color photo to impress the prospect (similar to Brennons recent post), Sometimes, however, they request a FAXED estimate, and my full-color photo suddenly becomes an annoying, gray photo blur on the fax. In these cases, I use Photoshop to redevelop the photo into a pen and ink drawing that looks amazing, and that works well as a black-and-white, high-contrast fax-friendly image.
I have 20 stories like that, using this program. Superior performance, all around.
From my experience working in offices, many people, especially the business owner hate receiving faxes with images because of the amount of ink used. I’m not saying it’s a definite problem but it could annoy the odd customer.
I hear you on that one.
I’ve personally only had the opposite response. I think that [I]unsolicited [/I]image-rich faxes are SUPER annoying, for sure. Maybe thats been the difference…
The 2 links I provided in earlier posts on this thread, are very good programs, and are 100% free and multi-platform (linux,mac,windows). They are free because its open source software. Give them both a try, especially if Photoshop or Quark or Illustrator are not in the budget. You might just be amazed!
I agree with Kevin too, people notice when something looks professionally deigned or if it looks like it was created on a home computer. It gives your business an image of sorts. Now link that with a killer message and you can’t lose.
The Best Program to use is the program that works best with your style of expression and the way your brain works. Everyone is different and our likes are different as well.
Quark Xpress for the Mac/or/Windows is just amazing.
Paint Shop Pro is great, and low priced as well.
OpenOffice.org for the OpenOffice office suite. Free, and easy to use with lots of templates and features. (compatible with MS Office and Works)
Just a hint though, we can all get guiled by the software, use the brainware first. Take a pencil or pen and sketch what you want on paper, refine a little now go to the computer and use whatever program you want to create what your mind has envisioned.
Bump.
I have Photoshop Elements 6.0 that I received as a gift. I am not very computer software literate and am having a tough time figuring anything out. Someone please help me get started.
