I see many brochures. I see them when they are handed to me by a business owner or a sales person. I see brochures when I pick them up in lobbies of offices. I see brochures in design magazines. I see them all the time. Also, I see them when I design one for a client. It's fair to say that over the years, I've developed a keen eye for what separates the good brochures from the… uh… not-so-good. Why does this matter to businesses? Why do you need a brochure in a time when everyone is going online? A brochure is often an instrumental part of the marketing and sales process. Sometimes, all that is available to communicate your services is a brochure. A brochure can easily fit into a pocket or be read in a lobby. They can be handed out at trade shows and last far longer than the average 30 seconds that a prospect is on your landing page. When a prospect navigates away from your web site, guess what, it's gone. It no longer exists. However, a brochure, once closed, still exists. It's still there. It will stay there until your prospect has decided to file it away or recycle it. Often times, it is more likely to be placed on a desk, waiting for the next time it will be opened, acting as a constant, analog reminder of your business and your services.
The key here in making sure that the brochure does not end up in the recycle bin. You do that by creating a well designed, informative piece. Over the years, I have developed a few rules for creating great brochures.
In no particular order, here are some of my steadfast rules for creating great brochures that attract business for my clients.
9 Rules for Creating Great Brochures
Stand Out
The fist rule in creating a great brochure is to stand out. A brochure that does not stand out is a brochure that does not get attention. We all see hundreds of marketing messages every day. How many do you remember? Not many of them. The only ones you do remember are the ones that took some risk and stood out.
The Hook
It's important to draw attention to your message in a rapid way. Often times this could be done with a photograph or clever body copy. Remember you are competing with the countless amounts of advertising and marketing that we are all confronted with on a daily basis.
Intrigue your audience
After you have hooked your prospect, you need to peak their curiosity by not telling them the whole story. When you don't tell the entire story right away, you give the reader a reason to open up the brochure. A good way to do this is to ask a question or to start an intriguing story. Sometimes this is done using graphic design techniques that are unlike what the reader is used to seeing.
Avoid the conventional
Most brochures are 8.5 x 11, with two folds for one reason. Because all other brochures are the same way. What does this do for "stand-out" factor? Not much. While there are some benefits to this format such as fitting in conventional brochure holders and fitting into conventional envelopes, what you end up with is a conventional brochure. Conventional brochures do not stand out, and what we mentioned before is if you don't want to waste your marketing dollars, you need to stand out. Some ways to ensure your brochure is unconventional is to use a custom die cut (shape) or to use special inks and printing processes such as foil stamping or embossing.
Choose a paper stock that reflects your brand
Almost all brochures are printed with no consideration for the paper stock. Most business owners actually have no idea that they have options when choosing paper. Most business owners think paper is paper, what's the difference? Well, the difference is gargantuan, huge, enormous! A paper stock alone can say more than any words or photos could ever say. A paper stock can immediately tell the reader what price category you are in. A paper stock can speak of the quality of your products and services. A paper stock alone can tell your customers that you care about the environment. There is so much that a paper stock can do that builds your brand in the minds of your prospects. Don't overlook this important aspect.
Choose a professional graphic designer
A professional graphic designer is the only one that should be designing your brochure. If you don't, your prospects will be able to tell. Avoid using all in one printing shops and big box office stores as well. Printing shops and big box office stores sell printing and office supplies, not graphic design. Often what you are paying for is the bulk printing and being offered template design solutions that do not meet your needs. A professional graphic designer should be well versed on designing a brochure that is attractive, meets your needs and is able to educate you on the best solutions. Ask for samples of previous work and make sure you get along with the designer.
White space is your friend
Don't think you need to fill every inch of your brochure with content. Create breathers and pauses by ensuring your brochure has adequate white space. This lets the reader relax and focus on your key message without feeling they are being sold to.
Stick to one message
If you try to say too much and mention every service your business offers, you will lose everyone. Try to focus your brochure on one main product or service and then if you need to, use a bulleted list to mention the other services. Better Yet, you may want to consider multiple brochures for different product or service offerings.
It doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg
Clover Road does not accept arms or legs as payment. They have no cash value and not redeemable for currency at any banking institutions. The beauty of working with a professional graphic designer is that we are very familiar with designing and printing techniques that save money. There are ways that a brochure could be created that when printed, makes effective use of the paper, inks and labour costs that bring the price of the brochure down. Let your designer know your budget so they can work within that and offer you a solution within that budget.
Example of a great brochure
To see a sample of a brochure I've designed, click here to take a look at this project profile for Advanced Tent Rentals. It features a brochure which implements many of the above rules, which resulted in a highly effective brochure
Ciao,
Robert Scozzari RGD
