First of all, any business needs something to advertise or market its products and services being offered. A brochure is one of the most popular and useful tools to effectively present your information about your products. A cover letter is simply not enough to achieve this particular purpose.
With all those business mail and letters received by many potential clients, your letter might get the attention in less time than it takes for your letter to sail through the garbage bin.
A brochure will be able to get you a face-to-face meeting, a possible interest to know more about your business from the client, and an introduction.
Brochures can be packed and packaged to hold a lot of significant information about you, your business, and expertise, in a format that can be mailed easily, handed out during meetings, or even passed on to another client as possible referrals.
They may come as a simple two-fold design with one sheet of 8 inch by 11-inch paper, or they may be as elaborate as a 9×12 inch pocket folder with more than 8 pages stitched in with even insert sheets.
Whatever its layout and design, a good brochure involves many factors in order for you to make a great impression. Aside from a great design, you must have an adept understanding of your target market, the level of sophistication needed, as well as identification of your niche in your field. All in all, a great brochure is something that provides the client with the information he needs and leaving him or her with the belief that he or she should hold on to it.
So how do you get started?
First, start a collection on the different brochures that you think represents a wide range of quality for your intended brochure. Include even that of your competitors. They can be simple such as one with single or two-color on textured stock; or the more elaborate such as a four-color glossy brochure.
Identify the ones you think would best suit your requirements and convey the message you want to send your target, and base your brochure to your choice.
Second, create a basic brochure copy regarding your business. Put your thoughts and facts on paper. It will help you provide more concrete information on what your brochure would say about you. Consider issues such as your company being an industry leader; your market niche; your specialty and uniqueness, your rates, prices, and features; and if you have anything to promote.
The following questions would also make your copy more concrete and specific:
Who is your target audience?
What kind of message will get the attention of clients?
What kinds of brochures do your target clients get?
Do you need photographs and illustrations for your products and services?
Will the brochure be a self-mailer?
Third, consider the following information for your brochure:
Mailing address;
Phone number;
Fax number;
Email address;
Web site address.
Just remember to not include any information that you know will change on a regular basis. Same with people. It is wise to not include a contact person unless that person is going to be in the company for a very long time. Photographs of people should also be those that are not going to leave the next year.
Rates of brochures vary from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. So always remember that you’re going to spend money on your brochure. It is a wise man that knows how to make his investment serve him for many years to come.
Lastly, consider that your brochure would reflect your company’s identity. So just make sure that what your brochure conveys will help potential clients to know and get to be interested in your products.
