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3-3-3
BROCHURES
A
brochure is a leaflet that describes the services you can provide
and how the services apply to a particular person or company. It
should be designed with careful thought - first impressions are
important and you shouldn't rush one out simply because everybody
has one. With all of the time you will spend designing your brochure,
it is difficult to accept that most recipients will not read it
from beginning to end. The majority of prospects will simply glance
at it; so, in less than five seconds the brochure must:
- Create
an image (Professional, Expert, Efficient, Artistic, Business
of Substance).
- Describe
a service
- Suggest
an action.
- Strategy:
Always tell the recipients what you would like them to do with
your literature ("call to action"):
- -Telephone
you
- -
Return a reply card
- -
Keep it for future reference
Brochure
design is an art in itself but some of the design rules that have
worked in the past are:
- Clarity
- the message must be obvious to the casual reader (the 5 second
rule)
- Single
purpose - Do not go with one brochure. If you are offering two
different services then they probably warrant a brochure each.
- Pay
attention to details - Design, graphics and photographs.
Avoid price information - this is much better left to later negotiation
based upon the volume and frequency of work.
- Remember
the Call to Action - what should the reader do next? If you want
them to call you, make it easy by using a toll-free number if
possible.
- Write
for the prospect.
- Write
it well.
- Check
the finished product, then check it again.
Think
twice before you generate promotional material yourself, it may
be worth the investment to get these produced professionally, or
at the very least, printed professionally. As well as brochures,
you will need some preprinted stationery including letterheads and
business cards. If your stationery and brochure have a similar style,
it will help the client remember who you are.
Response
to your Brochure: Only an average of 1.5% of recipients reply to
direct mail. So, unless you are planning to ignore the other 98.5%,
you will need to call them to obtain their business.
BACK
TO "PROMOTING THE BUSINESS" - ADVERTISING
- TELEPHONE CALLS PERSONAL
LETTERS - INTERNET
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