Effective marketing requires the use of multiple platforms working in conjunction with one another. Numerous points of contact are necessary to gain the trust of prospective clients so you need to go beyond the company website. A business brochure is a marketing investment, a part of your branding strategy. Because your brochure may be a customer’s first exposure to your organization, it is important to keep in mind that first impressions always matter. Keep the brochure simple in both design and content and, remember, any marketing piece is only as effective as the content within.
Before you get to content, however, you should establish the purpose of the brochure. There should be a clear objective of the piece. Is it an event promotion or a document communicating the services or products your company offers? Understand your audience. Refer back to your company’s buyer personas, pinpoint their needs and wants, and how you can meet those. Also understand where and how the brochure will be used – is it a leave-behind? Mailer? Give-away? Create a distribution strategy and remember that the purpose can influence design.
Your business brochure should be readable with easy to see fonts and large print size. Use bullet points, lists, white space, headings, and subheadings to make it scannable. Creativity is important but legibility is more important. Be purposeful in your choice of font and background color combinations so text doesn’t get lost or become faint. There should be a continuity of design between your website and brochure. Any and all branding guidelines for colors, font and typography should be followed. The front cover should visually grab a reader’s attention with an eye-catching picture or bold headline. A unique shape can also help your brochure stand out from the standard tri-fold on display.
In addition to visual design, be purposeful when choosing the physical properties of your brochure paper. Weight, texture and feel will be noticed. Use soft touch paper or incorporate die cuts or embossing to provide a tactile element to your marketing piece. High-quality paper with a glossy coating is another way to display a professional finish to your brochure.
Remember that the purpose of a brochure is to communicate benefits, not features, so take the opportunity to outline the benefits your products or services offer customers. Explain what problem you are going to solve for the consumer and then succinctly outline what your company has to offer as a solution. Avoid industry jargon and complex vocabulary and limit the information you include in the brochure. You can always encourage readers to visit your website for the “long” version of your organization’s story. As you write content, consider the flow of your brochure. In what order should the reader receive information? What combination of pictures and text will best communicate what you have to say?
The headline is about the brochure’s purpose, not your business. Make a bold statement regarding a perceived problem or interest of your target audience followed by a solution.
The body of your company brochure is not the place for an “about us” section. Keep the copy to key facts and save the back story for your website. Include value statements about your business – how you are different from your competitors and why your services or products are the best resolution for the consumer’s situation. Use quotes or short testimonials to add social proof of the quality your business offers. Keep the content conversational and don’t bury your main message in superfluous text. It is also a good idea to consider the shelf-life of your brochures and avoid content that would require regular updating – for example, say, “established in 1994,” instead of, “in business for 28 years.”
Images should provide a clear idea of what is being offered. Don’t waste space with pictures of your building or random “pretty” things. Do use captivating images that grab a reader’s attention and always use professional quality photographs and images. Avoid generic, stock images as much as possible. Show the customer how your business can meet their needs. Use pictures that sell your products or services and convince consumers to buy or use them.
Include a strong call to action on multiple pages. Clearly tell the reader his next step. Create a sense of urgency by including a time-sensitive discount or special promotion. Use active language like, “Act Now” or “Call today for a free consultation.”
There is also a fair amount of basic information that is appropriate to include on your business brochure. Your company logo should be prominently displayed as well as your tagline, if you have one established. Include your phone number, physical address, website address, and social media profile information. To increase convenience even further, include a QR code to provide a simple way for people to get to your product page or wherever else you want to direct them. You can also include your hours of operation or the hours of the event being promoted if that information is pertinent to the purpose of the marketing piece.
An effective brochure communicates what you do in general and what, specifically, you can do for consumers. It is a combination of impactful writing and creative design. If you are interested in crafting a powerful business brochure to add to your marketing materials, contact the experts at Strategy Driven Marketing today.