How do you make a brochure that sells? Ask Hamilton

Most brochures are a waste of money. A bright, colorful new brochure might make you feel great, but whether it accomplishes much else is the real question. I have been a small business marketing consultant for more than two decades. During that time I’ve seen more money wasted on brochures that are just plain wrong. Here are some things to remember when you consider doing your next brochure. . . Form needs to follow function. Decide how you’ll use the brochure and what you’ll be asking people to do BEFORE you start to consider what format (size, number of colors, etc.) it should take. Say everything twice. Once in the headlines, sub-headlines, bolded copy, bullets, etc., and once in the body copy. That’s how people interact with brochures. They scan the easily read parts first—the largest font size copy, bolded copy, etc.—and if they’re still interested, they’ll read the body copy. Don’t get cute. Clever questions or anything that is not a clear statement of what the brochure is about on the cover have no business being on the cover. Be clear, not clever. Talk about what’s important to your customers, not you. Ask them, they’ll tell you. Don’t expect people to buy from your brochure. Most brochures should present a call to action, therefore, that sells a step in the sales cycle (visit our website, call, request a whitepaper, etc.). Then give them an incentive to act.

Invest at least 30% of your space convincing the reader you understand the problems your product is designed to solve. Never send a brochure in an envelope without a letter. And make sure the letter is addressed to the person you’re sending to (no Dear Customer). Biggest mistakes I see with brochures: The overall look of the brochure is not consistent with what’s being sold. If you have a “Home Depot” product, don’t create a “Tiffany’s” brochure. And vise versa. If quality, precision and reliability are your key differentiators and you sell to process engineers, your brochure should look accordingly. If you sell discount pricing, your brochure should look like you DIDN’T spend a lot of money on it. Same ole, same ole stuff. After much time and effort you bang out the key reasons why your product is better and your brochure proudly displays them: quality; selection; price; service! The problem: that’s exactly what every competitors’ brochures tout; every last one of them. Everybody looks and sounds the same. What do you do better than everybody else? What one or two key reasons account for the majority of your sales (ask your customers!)? That’s what you should lead with. The brochure form isn’t consistent with how the company needs to use it. Too many companies end up with a 4-color, 12 page masterpiece that’s great as a leave-behind when they need a single-fold self-mailer they can send to 10,000 prospects. Make sure you’re creating the type of brochure you need, not just something you really like. What’s the definition of a great brochure? One that gets response. Period. If you want a great brochure, follow the things I’ve talked about here and you’ll have a good shot at doing just that.

Hamilton Wallace is a small business marketing consultant in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is an expert in direct response marketing, including sponsored search, SEO, direct mail, message and story. http://www.SmallBusinessMarketingConsultant.com

What do brochures reveal about universities?

Every school’s marketing brochure attempts to position the college as the best available. To judge anything significant from their literature, you need to know specifics to look for and how to read it with scrutiny. Here are a few considerations to take into account when looking at pamphlets and booklets from colleges and universities. Style of Learning There are many ways of both teaching and learning, and each college has its own fundamental approach. Check whether the school is focused on small classes and discussions or rather on learning via large lecture halls and tests. Does it encourage collaboration among students, or competition? Do they permit students to arrange their own paths of study, or do they provide rigid guidelines for course selection? Find the answers to these questions in the brochures and make selections based on your learning style preferences. Professors and Administrators Brochures usually contain a fair amount of information on the people running the school, instructors, and the students. Most full-time staff should have PhD’s and a wealth of experience in teaching. Occasionally, on campus professors are well-known authors and scholars. If a brochure cannot boast about the accomplishments and credentials of its staff, then it is probably of questionable quality. Types of Students Every school attracts a unique student body, so the brochure attempts to paint a picture that adequately portrays them. Some are comprised mostly of a single demographic, such as women or, in the case of historically black universities, African-Americans. Others are known for their liberal politics and are characterized by a more bohemian student population. Others still are focused around sports and boast a high percentage of athletes. Determining the general makeup of the students is essential to choosing a school where you can be happy and fit in. Policies and Expectations Those same brochures will explain unique policies the school adheres to, such as a dress code or required events.

These provide you an idea of daily life at the school and expectations of you as a student. Read it carefully to determine whether the college requires anything that you would have a strong desire to avoid. How to Apply The school’s brochure will instruct you how and where to obtain an application, and outlines standard requirements for your application. It will also include the information needed for your application to even be considered. Read these sections carefully to make a determination whether you should even apply at all. For instance, some schools require you to have a taken a foreign language in high school and to have reached a certain level of math competence. If you have not achieved those absolute requirements, there is no benefit in applying. Tuition Not all brochures communicate costs to attend their school, so search carefully for that information. If tuition and other basic expenses are not included, the pamphlet will normally provide a phone number where you can call for additional information. Keep in mind that you may be eligible for need-based and merit scholarships from the college or other educational funds. A brochure is only an initial source for learning about a school, but it can be helpful in weeding out considerations you don’t want or can’t attend. Use the brochure as a starting point in your investigation. It will provide details concerning what the school wants you to know, but you will have to do your own research to learn the rest.

Article by Peter Franklin