Wednesday 2 April 2014

Designing the Perfect Brochure






Designing the Perfect Brochure

Nothing can capture the essence of your company more than a sophisticated brochure with pages of well-designed company image. Your brochure needs to serve two main purposes: to be inviting but also hold the power to influence. The more of your company image that you can leave with your customers, and potential customers, the greater the chance of gaining an order. But leaving your impressive brochure with your customer is not enough to ensure a sale – the literature you leave needs to encourage them to browse, digest and apply to your products to their business. Designing the perfect brochure is something that takes flair, design and a little marketing know-how

 Make the Headlines

Start with something unexpected. Make a headline that will cause your audience to look again, then want to investigate further. Don’t make the mistake of filling your front page with information they already know or can find out easily from another source. If you don’t have a well-designed and styled logo – get one. Ask a question that is relevant to your audience that invites them in and gets people involved. One of the most effective things you can do on the front of your brochures is – say less. Don’t clutter up the page with words however tempting it is, the last thing you want your audience to do is read the cover, then discard it. 

Back to Basics

The first page of your brochure should offer three reasons why your customer needs to continue reading. Choose the things that are the most important, or the most impressive. What is your edge? What will be their most concerning problem? Why do they need you?  What benefit do you give? What is alternative to not using you? Write down as many reasons as you can think of that convince the reader, your customer, why they need to look further then chose the three most important. Presenting these in three, simple, uncluttered short blocks of text on the first page is an appetizer for what lies within. 

Focus

Make all your text focus on the most important aspects of your company that are impressive. Avoid the temptation to put too much information in your brochure, instead inviting the reader to move to another media such as website or help line to keep the customer bonding to the brand and moving nearer to a sale. To simplify your brochure use images in place of text and do not be afraid to be creative. Anything that is ‘outside the box’ will be remembered and leave a definite impression. 

Ask the Question

It’s a simple premise that is often overlooked in the scramble to be clever - ask for a sale. Do not be afraid to include other calls to action, such as claiming a free gift, gaining an email address or subscription to a newsletter. Use plain language in your whole brochure, but consider power words when you ask the questions that demand an answer. You’ll be amazed how often the answer is ‘yes’.

Dress to Impress

Designing the most effective brochure must include a close look at the materials you use in the construction of the finished product. A brochure is like your handshake – it should promote confidence and competence so consider carefully the weight, texture and overall feel of the finished item as it needs to impress from the moment it is first seen. These are the things that are noticed and send a message to your customer that you care about your business, your company image and the quality of the products you produce – instantly.

Mixed Media Marketing

Consider your brochure as a part of your complete company image and branding. Make it professional but consider providing it in CD or USB stock format, provided on a custom designed and printed CD or USB stick. For an even more impressive mixed media package the CD’s can be inserted into the brochure and carry video advertisements, how to’s and testimonials that also inform, enlighten and entertain. 

Take the time to design your brochure in every detail, carefully considering what to include and what to leave out and you will create an impressive piece of marketing collateral that will impress, inform, entice but most of – galvanize your audience into action. Brochures have grown beyond the catalogues and magazines of your grandmas era, and now provide slick, sleek and sophisticated marketing. It’s the new revolution in marketing. Get yours carefully designed now, or get left behind.

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