Are you one of the many business owners who pay good money to print brochures, but wonder whether they make any difference to your sales figures? Or do you feel as though your business should have a brochure, but you just don’t know how to create one that generates enquiries from real potential buyers? If either of those are you, read on for my 5 top tips for producing a brochure that will grab the attention of the right readers, and motivate them to ask you for more.
1. Who are you talking to?
Some businesses sell to only one type of buyer (or target audience) – and that makes crafting a brochure much more straight forward. Others have a number of different potential buyers – and products – which may require producing more than one version of your brochure. The more tightly you can tailor your brochure message to a very specific group of target readers, the more likely it is to be noticed, read – and responded to. Perhaps your desired reader is a mum at home with young children, or a worker in transition to retirement, or the owner of a hair dressing salon. If you can describe your reader with a high degree of clarity, you are more likely you are to craft an irresistible message
2. What is the problem? Why would they care?
This is the core of your brochure creation task. Identify clearly the problem you can solve for your readers. What are they worried about – enough to pay for it to be fixed? What is keeping them awake at night? Is it a shortage of leads, poor profits, back ache that’s making them exhausted, feeling overwhelmed at work or at home? You want to grab the attention of your reader with your headline because they think “That’s me!”. Then keep them reading with highly relevant copy.
3. What is your solution – and why is it the best?
The job of your brochure is to convince the reader that you have the best solution to a problem that’s really bothering them. Clearly describe how your product works and exactly what the outcome you offer, then prove it with case studies and/or testimonials from satisfied buyers. Social proof works!
4. What do you want them to do next?
Now that you have the attention of the right people, and you’ve convinced them you can solve a problem that is really bothering them… what do you want them to do next? So many brochures fail to include the most vital element – the next step you want the reader to take (or Call to Action in marketing jargon). Do you want them to call for an appointment, download a free gift, buy a ticket, purchase an entry level product? Tell them exactly what you want them to do, and make the instructions clear and easy to follow.
5. Does it look and sound appealing?
Once you’ve clarified your target reader, the problem you solve, convinced them you have a great solution, and told them how they can get access to it, you then need to roll all of this great information into an effective design. Your brochure should have a look and feel that’s consistent with your website and social media, and contain short, punchy blocks of content that are easy to digest and to the point. Don’t be tempted to overload the reader with too much information. Eye catching imagery will also boost the effectiveness of your design, and reinforce your message.
DIY design is usually best avoided unless you’re skilled in that area. The quality of your design and message are vital to success. Much better to get professional help, whether it’s an online freelancer or a local designer. Once you have a preliminary design, road test it with some people in your target readership. Their feedback will help smooth out any wrinkles in the appeal or clarity of your message.
Your brochure can boost your business credibility and sales – or be ignored. Which will you choose?
