Business Glossary

method of folding brochures or forms like a fan; also called accordion. continuous forms are also fanfolded. A fanfolded brochure fits inside a standard-size envelope, yet unfolds easily to an oversize piece. It is not as easy for the reader to refold and presumably ignore. Fanfold brochures are especially useful for product promotions using large colorful pictures that have great dramatic impact.

zigzag type of fold in which a sheet of paper has two or more parallel folds that open in the manner of an accordion, permitting the paper to be extended to its full breadth with a single pull. Travel folders, for example, are often arranged in an accordion fold. Frequently used in the preparation of direct-mail literature, the accordion fold allows the imprinted matter to be divided into more than four contiguous pages. It also saves on both the expense of binding and the bulk of stapling (making a difference in the weight and therefore the cost of mailing). The decision to use an accordion fold for a piece of advertising literature depends in large part upon the advertiser's budget and upon whether the copy lends itself to this format.