Does Your Brochure Pass the Test – Or Is It Headed for the Trash?

Written by Brett Curry


The decision on whether or not someone will read your brochure is usually decided inrepparttar first 5 seconds they look at it. What kind of message are you communicating in that five seconds? Will you make a favorable impression with your prospect? Will you move your prospect closer torepparttar 119722 sale?

There are really only two key elements that will determine how well your brochure is received by prospects. These two elements will ultimately makerepparttar 119723 difference in your brochure being a tool that makes you money, or just something else that costs you money.

What are those two all-important elements: 1.repparttar 119724 Image or look 2.repparttar 119725 Message

This is part 1 in a two-part article. In part 1 we will discuss what you need to ask for from your printer to make sure that your brochure looks top notch.

Here are 5 things you should keep in mind when you are evaluating your layout and your printer.

1.Choose Offset Printing. Offset printing is a type of printing that causesrepparttar 119726 ink to become a part ofrepparttar 119727 paper. Offset printing creates a rich, vibrant look that digital printing can’t touch. Offset printing isn’t all that common because good Offset printing presses cost inrepparttar 119728 millions of dollars.

2.Choose Thick Paper – preferably 100# Glossy. If your brochure is too thin or too light-weight it might appear cheap. You don’t want that impression to be transferred to your business. The most common paper weights are 70# and 80#. 100# is a little less common which makes it stick out. Plus, 100# feels heavy and high-quality. Glossy paper takesrepparttar 119729 look of quality up a notch.

6 ‘Must-Have’ Elements of an Effective Brochure

Written by Brett Curry


Most brochures that businesses put out today end up doing little to impactrepparttar sales of that business. By applyingrepparttar 119721 6 must-have elements listed below you will transform you brochure from trash can lining into a powerful sales tool.

1.A Benefit-Filled Headline. Onrepparttar 119722 cover of most brochures you’ll usually find nothing more thanrepparttar 119723 company name, logo, and maybe a quick slogan like “committed to excellence”. This isn’t horrible, but there is a much better way to enhance your brochure. If you want to turn your brochure into a powerful sales tool you need to grab your prospects attention immediately. You do that through a benefit-loaded headline. A benefit-loaded headline is a headline that clearly and powerfully communicates a desirable benefit that your product or service offers your customers. For example a benefit-loaded headline for a heating and cooling company would be “Howrepparttar 119724 New XYZ System Can Shave $800 Off Your Utility Bill This Year”. This headline is clear, specific, and powerful. If a customer were inrepparttar 119725 market for a new heating or cooling system this headline would drawrepparttar 119726 prospect intorepparttar 119727 brochure.

2.Educational Content. Prospects read brochures because they want to makerepparttar 119728 best possible buying decision. Usually when someone reads a brochure, they are hungry for knowledge about your product or service. Make sure your brochure is written in such a way that your prospects will know more about your product or service after they readrepparttar 119729 brochure than they did before.

3.Unique Selling Proposition (USP). A USP is something that separates you from your competition. To be ultimately effective you want your brochure to cause prospects to lean toward your company instead of your competitors. Your USP is a statement that either your competitors can’t, or aren’t saying. A popular old USP that you’ll recognize is “Delivered in 30 Minutes or It’s FREE!” This USP was effective because nobody else was saying it.

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