A good brochure may capture someone’s attention and inform them about the services you provide at your business, but a great brochure does something more. A great, well-written, brochure persuades the person reading it. Unfortunately, most brochures never go from good to great. They never provide a true reason to the reader on why they should utilize a service.
Where Does Your Brochure Rate?
Pick-up your brochure right now and look at it closely. Then ask yourself these questions:
1. Who is the brochure written for and what should they do after looking at the brochure?
2. What incentives are they given to utilize your services?
3. How does the brochure differentiate you from your competitor’s brochures?
The Front of Your Brochure
After you’ve answered these questions, really examine your brochure. If it was lost in a sea of other papers, would it stand out? Is it attractive to your target audience? Does it visually tell the story of your business?
One of my favorite ways to test this is by taking it to a local hotel. Put it in the brochure kiosk there and then walk away and find a hotel guest. Ask them, “If you needed (INSERT YOUR SERVICE), which of the brochures in this kiosk would you turn to for guidance?” See how long it takes them to find your brochure.
Provide Captions for Photos
While a photo might well be worth a thousand words, a caption is one of the most read blocks of copy in brochures. If your brochure has photos, think about how you can write captions under them that provide persuasive information about why someone should use your business. Then rework your brochure to include captions.
Analyze Your Position
As you reread your brochure’s copy, does it sell you as the fastest, largest, friendliest, most affordable, most convenient (or whatever your unique sell position is) business is in town? At the same time, does it focus on the solution you offer to the problem you are solving for the person you hope is reading your brochure? Or is it vague and attempting to convey a lot of messages to many people? Most brochures are only a vague attempt at informing people about the services or products available. Take your brochure to the next level by rewriting your sales copy to incorporate how your services truly benefit your target audience.
Understand Your Target Audience
Finally, as you work on rewriting the sales copy for your brochure, make sure you truly understand your target audience. Answer these questions about them in regards to your business:
1. What keeps them awake at night?
2. What are their frustrations?
3. Who else is selling to them and how are they selling to them?
4. What trends are currently affecting their life?
5. What are they afraid of?
If you can incorporate accurate answers to these questions into your brochure’s sales copy, you’ll be well on your way to taking it from a good marketing tool to a great business asset!