and other channels to enhance the impact of your message.
Brochures use to be the workhorse of marketing and selling. They were handed to prospects, distributed at trade show, offered on a website, inserted into product fulfillment packaging, and so on.
Today, you’ll need great copywriting, design, photos, landing pages and a variety of channels to make a good connection.
If you plan on sending brochures in your direct mail, it’s important to make sure they are created to work in that environment. The story within the brochure does all the heavy lifting and the copy must be short and to the point, quickly.
Next, make sure you carefully put together:
- a list of names,
- the creative design is attractive to your readers,
- leads them to your special offer,
- all within eight seconds after picking up the brochure and
- leads them in one click to the company’s landing page.
Here are 8 tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of your direct marketing mail brochures and its supporting cast of channels.
- When you decide on using direct marketing and mail, make your brochure “tells before sells.” Remember that in direct mail, it’s the letter that makes an offer and does the selling. The job of your brochure is to back up your letter and fill in the details of your story. The old saying is, “the letter sells, and the brochure tells.” You do this by illustrating the use of your product, by listing features and benefits, and by including photos, illustrations, diagrams, charts, tables, and other visual aids that “wow.”
- Design for easy reading. While you may want to impress your potential buyers, never let ego get in the way of legibility. Use easy-to-read type, short paragraphs, bullet points, photo captions, bold headlines and subheads, and drawings using the design techniques of the brochure.
- Use descriptive headlines. A header for a section with testimonials that read, “Why our customers love us” says nothing. But a header that reads, “We’ve saved money for more than 300 customers” delivers a clear message. Since people tend to scan literature, it’s important for all your “headers” to be complete and descriptive at a glance. The story may be the “how to” a portion of customers saved money. Pick a problem in your industry which is familiar to many, but your solution is your company’s grabber.
- Don’t waste your cover. You should start strong on the cover with a big benefit headline. This draws attraction to the eye and provides the reader with a reason to open your brochure and start reading. Use a design or two from your website landing page to increase familiarity.
- List features and benefits. Features are the characteristics of the product or service you’re selling. Benefits are the explanation of how those features are relevant; they answer the question “What does this mean to me?” Generally, benefits relate to how something will save time, generate money, or solve problems.
- Highlight your guarantee. This can reduce perceived risk and remove objections. Potential customers are always thinking, “What if this doesn’t work? What if I don’t like it?” Use a story to depict the most important value-added option within the guarantee. If a video is possible, here’s the spot to place it.
- Include testimonials. Positive remarks from satisfied customers or clients help support your claims and act as proof that your products or services are of high quality.
- Add complete contact information. Brochures are often the one-piece people keep or pass on to others. So, add a landing page on your website supporting the brochure. Use similar designs from the brochure and redundant copy. If your company is using social media or wants to test the waters, this is a great time to add another channel or two.
Digital marketing offers a great opportunity for a visitor to finish the brochure story. A quick video, depicting your product in use. Accolades from other companies. The list can be endless but keep away from boredom or too much of a good thing.
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