Anyone can run off nice business cards or letterheads on their ink-jet or laser printer. Anyone can spend $50 and order professional looking business cards with a raised logo, and fancy fonts, from a printing shop. But a brochure is different because it proves that you are in "business" and it shows you're more than "a fly-by-night operation." It adds credibility to your business or cause. You should consider adding a brochure to your literature to further the growth and establishment of your business.

In addition to giving credibility, brochures accomplish other tasks. They describe and inform, they tell your prospective clients and customers things they need to know about what your product, service or cause can do for them. It also explains how your product, service, or cause works, how to order it, and most importantly why your prospect should buy what you're selling. A well-crafted brochure will sell people on the benefits that the product or service gives them.

To Be Effective A Brochure Must Pass 2 Tests:

1. It must APPEAL TO THE EYE. It should have visuals, such as drawings, clip art, graphs, or perhaps a map. It needs useful and attractive headlines, and some defined borders. It must be easy to follow. The brochure must read well; therefore it must be well written.

2. It must not only look good and explain the product or service, it must persuade! It must have CONVINCING CONTENT. If you are going to spend your money on a brochure it needs to influence the reader to buy your product, service, or cause!

Here are a few tips on preparing a good brochure:

* Consider all your marketing and promotional material and determine where the brochure will fit into your selling process. Are you going to use it as leave behind literature, after meeting with a potential customer? Or are you going to display it at the place where you sell? Perhaps it is a piece of direct mail material, or maybe a piece of support literature; one that compliments your other literature.

* Use a visual--a chart, graph, photo, clip art, color box if possible, etc.--on the cover with a strong headline that makes a promise. Fill the promise as the reader works his way through the material inside the cover.

* Be descriptive and give complete information that the reader would need, to make a decision to take the next step, or to place an order. This includes: essential physical information if you are promoting a product. The reasons why the person needs your service and how it will benefit him when he buys it. If it's a cause include the essential pros and cons and your reasons for taking the position that you are taking on the issue.

* Planning, planning, planning, not only in planning your brochure but in organizing your selling points. Getting promotional material together is hard work! It is not a piece of cake! It takes lots of effort. The sooner we accept this fact of marketing life the sooner we are able to get the job organized and complete. Also remember a sales plan is never complete; it always needs examination and revision.

* If you are selling multiple products or services don't make your brochure too ambitious by trying to explain all the things you do. If you are preparing your own brochure, and you are not a professional writer, consider a simple brochure that would basically be an expanded version of your business card. Or perhaps it would suit your needs to pick just one item and market it in one brochure.

* When preparing the content use short easy to read sections. Don't forget to use bullets and shading where needed, or where fitting.

* Don't forget to ask for the order, or identify the next step, and show them, tell them, how to take it! List all of your company's or organization's business information, near the end of your pitch.

* Knock yourself out and write a brochure that is worth saving. Your challenge here, in writing a brochure that convinces the reader to buy your product or service, is to make your reader get out a marking pen while he's reading your brochure so he can highlight it and go back and study it again, at a later time.

* There are a few good books on copy writing, that will prove to be a valuable resource for you in preparing your own brochure. Pick one up, or take out a few books from the library and follow the tips and procedures on copy writing.

* If time does not allow you to learn how to write an effective brochure--one that will make your phone ring; one that will make your prospect show you her money--then it may be time to shop for a copy writer or a professional business communication writer to prepare it for you.

Finding a Writer

You stand a better chance of getting a good (experienced) copy writer by going to an advertising agency. Ask your business associates who prepared their brochure. If money is an issue for you, if you can't afford the usual $75 - $100 an hour fee charged, (at least in this area) then finding a free lance business communications writer or copy writer may be a viable option for you.

If you hire a local or even an On-Line copy or business communications writer, here are a few tips that should help you select the writer who can fill your basic needs.

1. Narrow you choice down to 2 or 3 writers. Ask each of them for samples of their work, preferably samples of brochures that they've prepared. PAY ATTENTION HERE, because if you are dealing with a writer who fudges on this point that may mean he has not completed one, yet. You may want to give this writer a chance but go cautiously, if this is the case! Pay attention to the writer's demeanor, in person, on the phone, even On-Line. Ask her (or him) what types of documents she writes. A political speech writer may not be a good choice. Someone who writes ads, résumés, magazine articles, or sales letters may be a better choice. A good sign to watch for is if the writer appears to be organized. Another good sign is if he asks a lot of questions, because before he can know your needs he must first collect individualized information about you and your product, service, or cause.

If you hire an inexperienced writer to prepare your brochure do so strictly on speculation. Let him complete a draft at no risk or cost to you. Then judge it for clarity and for being concise. Also consider if it meets your needs. If the draft looks good and reads well and if it will convince the reader (you at this point) to buy, then continue with the writer, take the next step; give him some of your money to complete your project. Retain a satisfaction guarantee status throughout.

2. If you're dealing with a writer who provides you with work samples that look good and read well, and if you get good vibes from her or him, take that next step and place an order. A sensible deposit is usually 50%. Make sure that you get a satisfaction guarantee. That means that if you disagree with the design or content that the writer will change it to suit your wishes.

3. Again: Pay attention to the writer's demeanor and style before you part with your money. Is he too eager to please you? This may indicate he wants to take your money, or is too inexperienced, rather than wanting to create a great brochure for you. Is she set in her ways? This could mean that she's done 100 or 1,000 brochures and has nothing left to learn. Is he or she meticulous? Writing demands no less than all of the one doing the writing. If you deal with a person who is not paying attention they will miss essential details of what you do and what you want your prospective clients to do. If a person is not taking pains to understand what you are saying while you are interviewing her or him, while trying to make a decision on hiring her or him, then you may have trouble. I would ask myself just one simple question: How capable and professional is this person?

I hope that this little article that I prepared for WorkinMoms new website has helped you decide to use a brochure. You can't be without one. Without a brochure you may leave your prospects guessing: Who is this person? What does she sell? Why do I need this product? How does her service work? How . . . ? Don't leave them guessing. Give them a brochure.

Remember, anyone can have a business card or letter head. But a brochure is different. It tells your prospects that you are organized and in business to stay. Take the steps needed to get your own business brochure started today!

Sonny Bliss is a pseudo name for a writer from New York. Watch for his novel this fall On-Line. Its title is: My Name Is Sonny Bliss.

Sonny Bliss operates a business communication writing service. He also offers his brochure writing service On-Line. If you are interested in work samples, or more information, simply contact him at: Tom1Writer@aol.com or via US Postal Service, fax, or telephone.

e-mail: Tom1Writer@aol.com
The Write Words Writing Service
PO Box 211
Hamburg, New York

716-648-3396
716-648-6191 - call ahead for fax