Well-designed brochures raise businesses above the competition
Author: Bill Laforme
November 4, 2009
the competition
Small businesses preparing for a conference or trade show should make sure all their bases are covered with respect to printed promotional materials - business cards, brochures and promotional giveaway products should all be designed and stocked well in advance.
However, the former task may be more difficult than the latter - approaching these materials in a professional, yet innovative way is the key to standing out from the crowd at busy trade shows and conferences.
Brochures can be particularly daunting, as it may be difficult to know exactly what content should go on each of the six panels.
The cover panel should be eye-catching, while still conveying the company's mission and appeal. It should be treated as an informative advertisement, with attractive graphic design or photos, but with the business name and logo prominently displayed as well as a one-sentence description of the firm's position in the sector.
The first inside panel should expand upon the company's purpose, with mission statements and lists of services.
The following panels can be used to detail awards and accolades, as well as case studies, to give potential clients a better idea not only of the type of work the company does, but the quality of work and its successes.
These panels are particularly important - many people will pick up an eye-catching brochure, but the conversion of potential client to client rests in the effectiveness of these pages. Especially considering the volume of companies at trade shows and conferences, many of which tout similar products and services, the brochure is a company's chance to convince the prospective client that they need not look any further.
The last inside panel may be dedicated to the company's "about us" section. This panel should be the equivalent of a printed sales pitch - detailed and informative, with a sharp focus on pitching.
The final panel, which becomes the back page when the brochure is folded, can be dedicated entirely to a billboard style advertisement - clear, eye-catching and striking. The purpose of this strategy is to increase pick-up rates; it has to be enticing enough to convince someone who has already set it aside, or sees it left behind by someone else, to pick it up and learn more. Since it is the back page, it does not need to be as informative and straight-forward as the front page, and can rely more on the pull of clever advertising.
Most importantly, all brochures should be spell-checked and professionally printed - nothing undermines a well-designed pitch like glaring errors.
