I need to make a brochure for emailing

[davidwes]

Hello,
The company I work for wanted to move our printed brochure into a emailable format. I was assigned to work on it and started using word (we are using a windows computer) and then printing them to pdf format.
Then my boss told me to switch to http://www.desktopauthor.com/
I started reading about it and i found that it was incompatiable with macs. I confronted him about this and he backed down saying we could look for a new program. I asked him why he wanted to use desktop author and he said "because the pages of the book turn when you click on them"

So, I atleast got him to consider using something else. what could we use that can be made on a windows computer and be compatable with the mac os?

 

[Doctor Q]

If it's only a page or two, like a spec sheet, you could use HTML. I've recently done a project to switch a company from plain text e-mail to customers to rich formatted e-mail. I did this by creating an HTML template for their e-mail. Now they use a web-page editor and then e-mail the results in web-page format, rather than pdfing results or sending Word or other documents.

If it's bigger, like an annual report, attaching a pdf file to an e-mail that explains it, or simply e-mailing them the URL of a pdf file they can download, seems easier than building content in a less-common format.

If you are grabbed by the book metaphor, with page-turning effects, another choice is to leave the content on a web page, using Flash or web page scripting for effects, rather than e-mailing it to them.

I don't understand the context you have in mind. Is this for sending routinely to customers, as part of "this week's news" or is it to send to a customer who specifically requests this document?

 

[Stampyhead]

Zinio Reader (http://www.zinio.com) has that page turning feature. I used to get the digital version of MacWorld through them. I'm not sure how you get your newsletter into their format, but maybe their website can shed some light on it.

 

[davidwes]

Hi

Thank you guys for the response. The brochure we send out is to potential clients explaining our services. Its atleast 15 pages long.

I am pushing for the pdf format, but its my bosses that wanted to have the "page turning effect". I love pdf, for my home I use it all the time!

 

[Le Big Mac]

easier than building content in a less-common format.

Personally, I'd stay away from any format that requires the recipient to download a reader just to read it. First off, that will raise virus alarm bells; second, a lot of people don't have admin. privileges, so won't be able to download; third, it's a hassle; fourth, it's not platform independent.

I would try to persuade them that going with a proprietary format is not the most sensibile. Tell them if they want the "page turning effect" that they should send the customer a hardcopy as well. Frankly, while the page turning looks cool for the first couple of pages, it quickly becomes annoying.