Sales Brochures that Work

Your sales brochures should serve much of the same functions as a great sales call. Sales collateral can be an important tool in the sales process when several key elements are addressed.

It really helps to think about your sales brochure as a conversation with a prospective customer. Just like a good conversation, successful sales brochures talk to people in words they understand, about things they care about, in a tone they will respond positively to. So if you want a brochure that makes things happen for your product, service or organization, think about these four things:

• Audience
• Content and organization
• Size
• Call to action

Understand your audience
The first step in writing and designing a brochure is to picture your intended readers. Imagine one of them paging through your document. What is he or she looking for? Describe your prospect. What kind of person is she? What does he already know or believe? Define what your prospects care about most. Is it price? Quality? Service? Status? Stress reduction? Efficiency? Relationships? Determine the tone of the brochure your audience will respond to best. Is it serious? Humorous? Heartfelt? Fun? Ideally, the tone will also reflect your company's brand.

Organize your content
The conversation most customers want to have is the one that explains what you will do for them. By focusing on their needs and desires, you will draw them deeper into your brochure - and closer to making a purchase (or donation) decision. Here's how:

• Define the brochure's key message. This message will first register with the reader on the cover and be reinforced throughout your brochure.
• Draft an outline. Think of this outline as the path you want your conversation to take. Once you have the outline, start writing the copy.
• Use headlines that go to the heart. Provocative headlines draw readers deeper into your brochure. One method is to use a question they're certain to care about, such as "Want to shave points off your golf score?" Another method is to use a short, command headline, such as  Shift into the Fast Lane. 
• Grab them with your cover. Your cover is the print equivalent of making a good first impression. Create a cover that coveys your most compelling message - visually and in words.
• Don't say more than you need to. If a prospect opens your brochure and finds pages and pages filled with information, chances are he or she won't read it. Your brochure should make the reader want to learn more, not tell all.
• Talk about benefits, not features. Tell prospects how you can make their life better or their work easier - but don't get carried away with explaining your process or technology. They want to know what time it is, not how the watch works.
• Speak directly to your reader. Use words like "you" and "your." Remember, you're trying to start a conversation in print. You want the reader to be motivated to continue the conversation by phone, online or in person.
• Include contact information. Phone, fax, web site, email address. But don't include information that could easily change, such as people's names and email addresses.
• Stay focused on your main goal. As you're writing and rewriting, remember that every brochure should have a primary goal: selling a service, introducing a new product, branding your organization. Stay true to your brochure's primary goal. Don't wander.
• Be true to your brand. Branding is the common thread that ties together all your communications into a cohesive whole. Find out more about leveraging and enhancing your brand identity.

Size up your format
The size of your brochure will be a balancing act between many factors, including cost, content, means of distribution and your target audience's expectations. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Standard sizes. In general, using a standard size brochure makes distribution easier and is less expensive. An 8.5" x 11" brochure (A4 in Europe and Asia) can be inserted in a folder or put in a standard-size envelope for mailing. A tri-fold can be put in a #10 envelope with a letter, inserted in a folder, or tucked away in a jacket pocket. Remember, the cost of mailing the brochure will vary with size. ALWAYS check with the post office BEFORE printing.
• Non-standard sizes.Non-standard sizes can increase costs, but the cost increase may be worth the investment if it allows you to stand out from the crowd more effectively.
• Visuals. If charts, photographs or other visuals are necessary to tell your story, be sure to budget enough space to present these images so that they have sufficient impact (and enough money to have them created.)
• Self mailers. You can design your brochure so that the back panel contains your return address, logo, space for handwritten mailing address or label and postage (or printed permit number).
• Audience expectations. If you're selling luxury cars, your audience will expect you to spare no expense to sell them on your product. However, if you're a small non-profit, your donors will want to know that you're spending their donations wisely. Develop your print communications accordingly.

Ask for sale
The final step in your "brochure conversation" should be a call to action, in which you give the reader some choices about what to do next. It's most effective to include "hard offers", which will lead to a sales contact and "soft offers", which typically involve a request for more information. Here are some examples:

• Call or go online to order your product (hard offer)
• Schedule an in-person visit to find out more (hard offer)
• Visit your web site and register for valuable product or service information (soft offer)
• Request a sample (soft offer)

Only you know the best hard and soft offers for your product or service. Just remember to include at least one of each in your sales brochure.