The purpose of brochure advertising is obviously to attract more business, so you want them to be successful! It really doesn’t matter what type of business you are promoting with banner ads, the same techniques should always be applied. When planning your brochures, you can focus on four main areas, and if you do it right, your advertising campaign will be very successful.
Theme/Branding: When planning a brochure, the first area to address is a central theme that will carry through to all of your advertising. If you currently have a logo, please use it! If not, talk to your printing company because they probably have a graphic designer on staff who can help you develop one. The primary purpose of advertising is to ‘brand’ your business so that consumers identify you with your product or service. As an example, look at soft drinks. When consumers enter a store or restaurant they ask for a ‘coke’. In fact, they may be getting a ‘cola’ from some generic soft drink manufacturer, but in the eyes of consumers, they are drinking a ‘coke’. That’s how effective the soft drink ‘brand’ is and that’s what you’re looking to do with your product/service.
Less is More: Flyers, by their very nature, need to be short and sweet. There isn’t much room for information, so it’s imperative to employ methods to say what you need to say in as few words as possible. In formal writing we are taught to use proper grammar with complete sentences. Flyer advertising is another creature entirely. Use short ‘key word’ phrases that get to the point without going into a PhD thesis. Use graphics that fit the theme, but make sure they are crisp and clear. Blurry photos or blurry graphics just aren’t professional! Don’t use too many fonts and don’t be afraid to leave some areas of the page blank. You don’t want to obscure your message with useless information or images.
Develop a few key points and leave it at that! Contact information, special offers you’re running, product images, and that’s all you wrote. When it comes to ruffles, less really is more.
Identify your target market: One of the most common mistakes companies make when advertising is not getting a “handle” on their target market. Are you going wide or narrow? If you’re trying to reach an entire city, state, or country, then you need to create flyers that speak to a wide range of people. Your brochures will still be pretty “generic” so to speak, even if your product is specific. But if you’re targeting a specific community or a smaller neighborhood within a community, you can be much more specific. The key to effective brochure advertising is identifying who you’re talking to and how you’ll get the word out. Part of identifying your market requires thinking about how you will advertise with your flyers. Will you be using direct mailers, newspaper inserts, door hangers, etc.?
Not All Printing Companies Are Created Equal: And of course, last but not least, it’s imperative that you find a good (not great) printing company that has all the tools at its disposal to help you create your brochure, keep it up. in focus. and distribute it. The more your printer can do for you, the more effective your advertising campaign will be. A reputable print shop with an established following speaks volumes about its ability to help you get results. Find one that has a graphic designer and a market analyst if possible. Look at their online resources to see what they have to offer. Unless you are in a large metropolitan area, you may be better served with a large online print shop that has access to the latest technology and market trends.
By following just a few tips that have proven to be effective, your flyer printing can be a great success. The name of the game is to bring business so you can earn money. Sometimes it takes spending a little to do a lot. There are printers that can provide direct mail flyers that are expertly designed for less than the price of a postage stamp. Hire a good printer to get your name out there and you can focus on providing the best product/service in your market. That is the key to success.
