The digital age is upon us and many innovative operations and services have been introduced to the corporate world. Yet, the digital revolution has failed to eliminate some of the more traditional aspects of doing business. When it comes to marketing, you might usually expect to hear about the importance of digital strategies such as social media, content sharing or pay-per-click advertising. However, some of the long-established ways of spreading the word about a business, such as expert brochure design, are still incredibly effective and in some industries, are preferred over modern marketing techniques.
Brochures in the Hospitality Industry
A recent survey conducted by Bentley University’s Center for Marketing Technology in collaboration with the International Association of Professional Brochure Distributors, examined the responses of 1560 hospitality professionals with regards to printed marketing materials. The findings were clear; hotel front desk staff overwhelmingly prefer the use of brochure displays to enhance their visitor experience. In fact, an enormous 98% of hotel front desk staff favour traditional printed media to keep their guests informed.
Advantages of Expert Brochure Design
It is not just the hospitality industry that can benefit from the use of printed media. Companies based in many different niches can take advantage of traditional marketing strategies such as brochure design. Printed brochures can be integral in converting customer leads into sales which will increase the profit margins for a business. Busy consumers tend to have short attention spans, and it is estimated that 55% of site visitors will spend less than 15 seconds on a website before clicking away. Brochures are able to hold the attention of your consumers for much longer. A hard promotional copy such as a brochure can be kept and read at a later date. It can be flicked through time and time again, until your consumers have gained the information they desire.
Brochures can also be distributed almost anywhere. On a brochure display, a coffee table, through a letterbox, in an office, the list is endless. There are traditional marketing opportunities everywhere.
But, how do you motivate a consumer to pick up your brochure, over the others that are displayed with it? The answer lies in expert brochure design. Don’t settle for less than working with a professional team who will take you through these all-important elements of the design process.
Be Audience Aware
Before you sit down with a team and start building your expert brochure design, it is important to develop a strategy that considers what the focus of this marketing material is all about. Who are you trying to target? What is the point of your brochure? What do you want consumers to do after they have read it – visit your business, contact you, place an order? Or is the brochure simply to solidify your reputation as an authority within your particular niche? Once you have come up with your defining reason for wanting to produce a business brochure, make sure you keep this in mind at all times throughout the design process and ensure that your design team conveys this message successfully.
Attention-Grabbing Cover
It is difficult to get a consumer to read your brochure without them first noticing its cover. This front page is responsible for the initial attraction between a consumer and your business. It needs to spark interest by making a statement and including the correct balance of important expert brochure design elements. These include appealing images or optimised photos that make a positive impact, some clever word-play that engages your lead, and finally an attractive layout of colours, font and specialised effects.
Engaging Content
As important as the cover is, your interior content needs to be equally compelling or else the consumer will quickly return your brochure to the stand. It must match the promises made on the front cover and deliver what your audience expects from it. Readers will appreciate information that is conveyed in the most direct of ways. Don’t expect your potential customers to wade through lengthy, descriptive paragraphs. Instead, provide them with bullet-point details about your products and services – the highlights and essence of what it is that your business has to offer them. The correct use of grammar and spelling is an absolute must, as consumers will be completely put off if they notice any errors.
Be mindful of not providing too much information in a brochure. There needs to be an equilibrium between text and white space, so the reader does not feel overwhelmed by information and opt to toss the brochure aside.
Call To Action
The desired action that you wish your readers to carry out is known as the ‘call to action’ and should always be determined right at the beginning of the project. This ‘call to action’ message should be clear, direct and extremely visible throughout your brochure. Don’t force your readers to search for contact details or the next steps information. If you want consumers to contact you, tell them to do so. If you’d prefer them to visit you, state your business opening hours and office location and place it in an obvious position on your pages.
Specialised Brochure Effects
One way to really set your brochure apart from your competitors is to apply some specialised finishes to it. Embossing or debossing provides a smart look which looks particularly impressive on corporate brochures. Foil stamping with metallic finishing will also help to attract the attention of a passing consumer. You should consider the type of quality paper stock that you wish to have your brochure made from. Coated papers for instance, are excellent for producing clear image reproduction which give a professional look and feel.
If you would like some inspiration and pointers to assist you with the brochure design process, then download our free design guide. Alternatively, if you are in need of an expert brochure design team to work with you in creating the perfect promotional materials for your business then request a free quote today!
Need Help with Brochure Design & Production for Your Business?
Professional brochure designers ready to discuss your brief > Request a Quote Now
