As small-business owners, we’re always being told how to save, earn, and stretch our dollars. Now I’m going to tell you how to waste yours: print a brochure.
Sure, the brochure is the most common type of promotional material, but it’s also the most useless, especially for newer businesses that are still evolving. The minute the pamphlet comes off the press, it is outdated. Soon, you’ll want to change it, and if you do, you’re stuck with stacks of obsolete material.
A far better option is the promotional kit. It is flexible and can be easily customized for prospects, clients, and the press.
A promotional kit generally consists of a two-pocket folder that holds information about your business. To avoid the eighth-grade book report look, use high quality paper for your printed materials inside, and paste a label of your logo to the front. For an even more professional appearance, you can have your logo printed right on the folder. The color of the folder should match the colors you use to identify your business.
The items inside your promotional folder should reflect your quintessential self, meaning, the essence of your business.
Include:
• Your biography. This is like a resume, but written in the third person, in paragraph form. Don’t be modest. This should read as though your mother wrote it.
• The history of your company. This should contain a description of the qualities that make your company unique as well as any personal stories about how you decided to start the business. For instance, if you’re a third generation cobbler, include this fact because it shows longevity, it has a family business feel to it, and it separates you from the pack because it has reader interest and appeal.
• A press release. This can be about a new product or service, or it can be a statement of your position on an issue related to your industry or clients. If your views veer from traditional thinking, you are more likely to attract the attention of the media. Other ways to grab attention in a press release are to be timely and piggyback off the news. If you own a limousine company, use the press release to announce you will offer free transportation on prom night as a way to show your concern with the safety of the teen-agers in your community.
• A list of services that is clear, succinct, and easy to read. Mention results that your clients or prospects will receive from your product or service, rather than benefits or features.
• Client testimonials. Your best marketing tool is the quality of your work. When a client gives you a compliment, thank her and ask permission to use the comment in your marketing materials. Most freely agree, but then it’s up to you to follow up. You might want to speed the process by writing the testimonial yourself and getting their approval.
• A list of references with their addresses and phone numbers. Your references should be clients. Including these in your promotional materials demonstrates
self-confidence. This gives you instant credibility because it allows the prospect to feel comfortable contacting a client or past client directly without tipping you off to the fact. Interestingly enough, people seldom call references that are listed this way.
• A professional photograph. This can be a head-shot or an action shot of you at work. To make sure you look your best, consult with someone you trust on your appearance, including clothing and accessories. You may even consider hiring a professional to do your hair and make-up. You’ll want to keep your picture for about four years, so make sure it reflects the image you want to project.
• Reprints of articles you have written or in which you have been quoted. Be sure to lay these out neatly and on nice paper, giving the reader the feel that this is something of value. I lay out my reprints on glossy or heavy paper stock and have them printed professionally rather than photocopied. These make great direct mail pieces to prospects and clients. Unless you’ve written the article yourself and retain ownership, you should get written permission from the publication to reprint it. State this fact on the reprint by including the line: “Reprinted with permission of (publication name).”
• A company newsletter, if you produce one. Remember to keep your newsletter informative, not a sales piece. Often a newsletter can double as a brochure if the content has value to the reader. Include small bits of information that are easy to digest, such as a letter from the president, a feature story, press coverage you have received recently, and a client profile. You may also want to include an order form for your products or services.
• A question-and-answer interview. This is particularly good for industries or products that aren’t easily explained. By posing each question, then giving complete responses, you ensure that your readers understand your business. This is a useful tool for soliciting the press’ attention as well.
Not all of the items we have listed are appropriate to include in your promotional kit all of the time. For instance, if you’re mailing the package to a prospective client, you may want to remove the press release and photos of yourself.
But that’s the advantage of the promotional kit—it easily adapts to your needs. So, before you invest in a brochure, consider the alternative. No matter how attractively designed, your brochure is stagnant and a successful company is not.
