An expected inclusion in every trade show bag, account folder and office wall, brochures are an ever-present reality of business. Convincing your customer that the folded piece of paper they’re holding has value means that you need to overcome this ho-hum perception of the venue and keep your content out of the trash. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind while you’re creating a brochure for your company.
Let Me Fix That For You
Brochure copywriting is a necessary step in the creation of a good brochure, of course, and a skilled writer can turn it into far more than the sum of its parts. In the short space of a tri-fold face, a writer can spin a compelling story, packed with facts, that encourages your readers to keep going instead of discarding the glossy media they’re holding. Words have the power to strike a chord with your buyer, reminding them of how frustrating their problem is, and how wonderful it would be if you solved it for them. The right words can evoke the emotion of a situation, rather than the strict facts—and emotion is what causes a buyer on the fence to reach for their wallet and close the deal.
A “Doggie Bag” For the Elevator Pitch
As Vistaprint’s Melissa Croweis pointed out in an article for Entrepreneur.com, a “firm brochure is like a firm handshake.” More than a piece of supplemental marketing, a well-done brochure gives you the power to send your audience away with a perfectly-crafted elevator pitch that can be read and digested at their own pace. A comfortable media venue that straddles the line between the brevity of a business card and the lengthy bulk of a catalog, good brochures are light enough to be easily digested, but still centered around hard, takeaway facts that will directly impact a buying decision. When creating a brochure, it should be approached much like an in-person pitch. If it leaves people yawning if it’s read aloud, it needs to head back to the drawing board.
Compelling, Relatable Images
In addition to your written content, the images and backgrounds you select for your brochure should incorporate your chosen theme without distracting from the sales pitch. At the most basic level, your background should not clash or obscure your chosen font and text hue, as a brochure that looks blurry or hard to read is a one way ticket into the nearest trash can. Whenever possible, swap out generic clip art or stock images for pictures of your product or employees performing your services. This adds an extra element of real life motivation that will compel the reader to reach out and connect.
In an era where digital files are easily clicked into oblivion and web-based marketing is deflected by filters, brochures remain a durable herald of the convenience and quality you represent to the market. Take a glossy page—or several—out of this classic advertising method and create your own brochures today!
Delany M is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
