by Sabrina Sampson

Created on: November 05, 2009

A brochure is, in effect, the cheapest and most available employee a company can have. A brochure can be anywhere, even places where the company has no physical presence, and can, if done well, present the basic highlights of the company's services and products. Thus, a brochure can be a wonderful voice for the company - if noticed.

A brochure add credibility and help a company connect to the target audience. Having a brochure proves to customers that you are trustworthy and legitimate. The first step to developing a good brochure is using a simplistic design. The website rule of simple and succinct holds true for brochures as well: a cluttered, busy design will turn readers off and greatly decrease the chances of the brochure being read or believed. Choose, then, the company logo or a simple, eye-catching image for the outside page of the brochure, and add minimal text, essential text. The front is obviously the first thing a reader will see, and the best front is one that leads the reader to open the brochure and continue reading.

A brochure is cost-effective and time saving. The trick is to compile all of the best content about your company and place it in your brochure. This way you can provide all information about your service or product that will appeal to all audiences. When writing the text for rest of the brochure pages, decide first on a specific sales pitch. A good brochure is not one that explains every facet of the company's abilities or provides the company's history, but rather presents a specific issue or number of issues and invokes the reader to act.

A brochure can help persuade your audience to buy. Keeping this in mind, a brochure should communicate the essential benefits a customer can receive from your company as simply as possible. Simplicity in this sense means to use concise, active language, avoid technical terms, and to design the flow of text in an easily navigable manner. Make sure to include the features of your products and services and why they will appeal to your target audience.

A brochure is the best way to generate interest and distribute information effectively. After informing the customer, the brochure should, as stated, lead the reader to act on what he or she read. This can include a marketing scheme such as a free gift or service using the brochure as a coupon or presenting a time-sensitive offer (admittedly much harder with a constant physical tool like a brochure).

A brochure can be your best marketing tool. The back of the folded brochure should include all relevant contact information presented cleanly and simply. The reader should not struggle to determine his or her next steps: should she call a number? Visit a store? Include all of this information on the back of your brochure. A brochure can be your best marketing tool if given the right design. Think through smaller details while designing, such as paper weight or glossy/not glossy finish. As a complete advertisement, a brochure is a simple thesis statement of the benefits a customer can receive.

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