When you hand a potential customer your business card, you’re handing him your name, your company’s name, an e-mail address and a contact numbers. If you hand that same client a brochure, you’re handing him a concept, a vision and an idea he can use. Whether you’re selling widgets or left-handed ice cube trays, a brochure cements your brand’s image squarely in the mind of your customers. Having a brochure isn’t good enough—you need a great brochure. Brochure printing works. That’s why the most successful local and national companies use them.
What Makes a Brochure Great?
A picture is surely worth a thousand words—maybe even more on a brochure. A detailed photo of your product, a lush snapshot of a beach or a collage of sporting events immediately tells your customer the main focus of your company. Not only does it reveal the field you’re in, it also lets potential clients know how you feel about yourself. A company who has a well-designed brochure will receive more sales calls than a company that has less-expensive, cheap-looking brochures.
First impressions are the only impressions that matter when you’re trying to impress a new customer. You need your brochure to make the best impression possible. The traditional tri-fold brochure uses an attractive graphic on the front to lure the buyer into the greater details listed inside the brochure. You don’t have to wait for your client to open the brochure to get your message across. That thousand-word photo on the front should give them a pretty good idea.
You don’t need too many words on the front of your brochure. The right catch-phrase or slogan will work fine. A line such as “Florida Again” will get your message across without cluttering the landscape. Avoid text like “Florida vacations are more popular now than they have ever been.” Save that for the inside of your brochure.
Back Up Your Claims.
If you plan on mentioning that you’re the best widget maker on Earth, add some details. Include trade magazine comments or customer reviews to support your claims. A simple reference to a recognized authority will alleviate any suspicions your customers might have regarding your product or service.
Your brochure needs to accomplish three things. First, it must strike a chord with your target audience. Those who see the brochure have to identify with your topic or they won’t be interested. Once the brochure is in their hands, it has to grab their interest. They should want to open the brochure and see what deals await them. When they read the inside text, they should be encouraged to act quickly for one of two reasons: either the promotion is for a limited time period or it’s such an attractive deal that they absolutely must pull the trigger and commit to the purchase. They cannot resist your offer.
How Much Text is Too Much?
Whatever you do, don’t do too much. This is only a brochure. It’s meant to attract new customers–not close the deal. That’s your job. An effective brochure will grab your target audience’s attention, keep them interested enough to read your message and encourage them to contact your directly to get greater details or to ask specific questions. Never try to cram too many words onto your brochure. Leave some room for your customer to think of questions that relate to them.
Your brochure should be classy and effective. Customers recognize good design, even if they don’t realize it. After they’ve looked over your brochure, your customers should understand who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish with your brochure.
Volume Printing Keeps Costs Low.
Brochure printing costs more than printing business cards because brochures accomplish far more. If you use an online printing company, you can order your brochures in volume to save money. If you use an “evergreen” design and message, you can use the same brochures for years.