As a small business owner you must consider the powerful benefits of a brochure. A brochure puts your business information literally in the hands of the customer.
Benefits of Brochures as a Business Promotion Tool
Most people find it easier to read a brochure than searching for information on a business website. A brochure can be read at convenience and stored for future reference ( pizza delivery brochures come immediately to mind). A brochure helps you communicate with customers who still prefer to make their purchase decision the old-fashioned way.
Brochures are versatile. They can be used for lead generation, for leaving-behind information with customers after an initial meeting, as well as sales support tools. A brochure can be folded in 15 different ways.
10 Tips on Writing Effective Brochures
That being said, too many business brochures fail to make an impact because they focus more on the business, rather than addressing a real need of the customer. Avoid this pitfall by adhering to following guidelines on effective brochure design:
Keep it simple
1. Convey a singular message, addressing a singular audience. One brochure cannot be all things to all people. Include only the most relevant business information for your target audience.
2. Use words that most people understand. Write headers that are easily understood. Avoid industry jargon and acronyms even if it’s a business brochure.
3. Use charts and graphs where possible. Add a table of contents if it is a lengthy brochure.
4. Use an emotional hook to draw in the reader. Address fears, desires, concerns, problems and needs of the target customer. For instance – ‘ Are you looking for the perfect childcare option for your family?’. ‘ Your search for reliable and professional tax services just ended’.
5. Follow up emotions with power packed benefits of how your business resolves that need. Include information on your overall services. Use subheadings, bullet points and images to get the point across.
6. Substantiate your benefits and information with client testimonials, statistics or case studies.
7. Make the brochure a keeper by adding valuable tips, lists and information. For example, if you run a cupcake business, add the recipe of your most popular cupcake.
Include basic information
8. Ensure consistency in branding in your brochure to aid customer recall. This includes the logo, business tag line, and even the colour theme.
9. Add business contact information – address, website, email and contact number.
Invite action
10. End with a call to action. You can ask the customer to call a certain number, visit your website or encourage him to ‘act now’ to avail a discount.
To sum it up –
Address specific customer needs + Convey Benefits + Describe Your Service + Substantiate Claims + Call to Action.
Here is a useful graphic from PrintFirm.com on designing successful brochures.
Work closely with the graphic designer to achieve the right balance of text, graphics and images. Seek feedback from people outside the creative process on the clarity of the brochure message.
If you are a content writer, here is a useful link on ‘ Create Tri fold brochure using only Microsoft Word’ by Stephen Jacobs at HubPages. I also recommend you read the Brochure Bible by Lorraine Thompson.
Photo credits: 1.Stuart Miles 2. Iosphere 3. Digitalart – freedigitalphotos.net