Your brochure is sometimes the lasting impression that a customer has about your company. It can create a positive image or poor image, dependent upon how well it's put together.
Recently a salesperson came by representing a company that wanted to do business with our company. The salesperson, at the end of the presentation, sheepishly pulled a color copy of their brochure from his briefcase and explained that the company was in the process of printing new brochures.
Not only was this embarrassing for the sales person, it also gave the impression that the company is not well organized and may lack resources to support our business. Whether this is the case, or is not the case, it's the impression that makes the difference.
Don't be caught without a professional brochure for your sales people to share with potential customers. To help you get started, here are 5 tips that can help when creating that brochure:
1. Color and style consistent with branding. Be conscious that your brochure should match the look and feel of the rest of your marketing program. The color of the logo, the style of the layout and design, should reflect the character of your advertising and marketing collateral. If you took all of the pieces of your campaign, and put them all in a row on a table, would they appear to be the work of one company, or would they be disjoined?
2. Feature your selling message on the front. The front of your brochure should entice your prospects in to reading the rest of the brochure. If you don't feature your key selling message, you may have created a brochure that's destined for the circular file.
3. Use clear pictures that are easy to see. Don't use small pictures that are clustered and difficult to figure out what they represent. Larger pictures will work better and are more eyecatching. Pictures that evoke interaction or a question in the mind of the viewer may lead to better readership.
4. Check for typos and grammar. There's nothing worse than having a customer point out the grammar and spelling issues in a printed piece. It's unprofessional at best and can cause you to lose the sale at worst. If you aren't a great writer, have someone proof the content before printing.
5. Assure the paper stock and printing represent quality. Work with the printer to pick the paper stock and the size and style of brochure that work with your budget and also meet your quantity requirements. Sometimes printing the cheapest way is not the best solution. Be true to your company's goals and pick a brochure format that matches your company's positioning. There are so many choices including coated stock, uncoated stock, recycled papers and others, that it's important to enlist your printer for input.
When creating a brochure for your company, you don't have to work in a vacuum. Getting insights on what may work best for your company is a great way to be sure that you are taking advantage of new trends and products, while offering information that positions your company to best advantage with prospects.
