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Creating a Better Brochure
"Do you have a brochure you could send me?" asks your prospective client. Good question! Do you? Is it up to date? Is it effective?

Whether your "brochure" (using the term loosely) is a trifold, booklet or some other type of printed piece, it plays a critical role in your marketing program.

Getting Started
When you create or update a brochure, planning is very important. If you just sat down and started writing, chances are you'd be disappointed with the results.

Establish a Goal
To get results, you must first decide what you're trying to accomplish:

• Bring in a new type of client?
  
• Help readers understand a complicated business?
  
• Convince prospects you're right for a specific job?
  

Once you've established a goal, you can tailor your written content to achieve the intended result.

Define Your Target Audience
Is it business owners? Technical people? Contractors? Community residents? Have they already heard of you, or are they unfamiliar with your business? Answering these questions will help you focus your writing.

Telling Your Story
What specifically makes your business unique? This is the main point of your brochure.

Explain What You Offer & Why You're Different
Use specific examples to explain what you do or sell. Emphasize the things that distinguish your business from others. Explain the advantages you offer:

• expertise in a certain area;
  
• faster project schedules;
  
• best customer service.
  

Focus on results such as homes sold or projects completed on time. Reinforce your success stories with testimonials or lists of satisfied clients.

Pretend You're the Client
When telling your story, it helps to put yourself in the shoes of your prospective client. What would he want to know about your business? Why should she choose you over your competitors? An effective brochure should anticipate and answer the reader's questions (directly or indirectly) without overwhelming him.

Consider Your Message
While your brochure tells what your company does, it also says something about who your company is. What underlying messages do you want your brochure to convey…reliability, value, expertise, results, honesty? Your type of business and your philosophy will help shape your message, as in these very general examples:

• Renovation: credibility, reliability, satisfaction
  
• Accounting or Legal: trust, stability, competence
  
• Real Estate: personality, results, perseverance
  
• Architect: capability, design, track record, expertise
  
• Mechanic: honesty, value, competence
  
• Engineer: experience, capability, reliability
  

Putting it Together…the "Nuts & Bolts"
After doing your initial brainstorming, you're ready to begin the outline for your brochure. Here's How gives a simple plan of attack for writing and laying out a basic brochure.

Remember, your brochure need not be elaborate or complicated. The important thing is to get your point across quickly and effectively in a professional-looking format.

"Test Driving" Your Brochure
Once you've completed the writing and layout, recruit someone outside your business to read your draft. Does it accomplish your goals? Does it convey your message? Is it succinct and clearly written?

If not, revise the text and/or layout as needed, then have your reader do a final review. Once you're satisfied that the brochure meets all your criteria, you're ready to try it out on your prospects!