Tips on creating an effective brochure

In an age when increasingly online and mobile marketing play a dominant role, one would expect paper brochures to go the way of the dinosaurs. Surprisingly, the truth is far from it. The personalized touch that comes from handing out a brochure during a conversation with the prospect at your office or at a conference, any day, beats the impersonal touch of an e-brochure.

However, to extract the best from print brochures, here are a few guidelines to follow:

• Shape and Design: Though the more common rectangular brochure, folded once or several times over, is convenient to handle or print, brochures that come in creative shapes and sizes tend to catch the target audiences’ attention and spurs increased brand recall. Some of the largest brands in the world, who consider brand effectiveness more important than cost-effectiveness, print brochures, in unique shapes and formats. Prospects invariably appreciate brochures that exude class, exclusivity, spending power, and the market positioning that comes with being different.

• Imagery & Aesthetics: Stock photos are a booming industry that is sustained with the use of printed brochures. It is no longer necessary to spend on expensive photo-shoots. At a fraction of the cost, one can buy stock photos that are breathtaking and which, convey exactly the message intended. When using stock photos, make sure that the photos blend together with the overall imagery and text used in the brochure.

• Layout: While one can be a little adventurous with the layout, it would be prudent to stick to convention. In general, people do appreciate aesthetics that stand out.However,they also need all of the related information presented in a single location, so as to assimilate the content, easily. 

• Fonts and Colors: Most industries have strict conventions on what kind of colors can be used in a brochure. Traditional sectors like Banking & Finance, Hi-Technology and Medical industries prefer a smaller range of colors, while industries like Retail, Hospitality and Devices like to experiment with brighter and unusual colors. Just ensure the colors are in harmony in order to wow your readers. For best, maximum impact, use optimum amountsof blank spaces, better known as white spaces in design parlance.

• Flow of content: The flow of content should be sequential. Tailor the content to your audiences’ requirement. Present the most important data or details on the cover page and fill in the less important and more intricate data on the inner pages.Remember, people are often on the fly and will scan the first 20% of the content to get a grasp of the subject. So, keep all the best content, and what the reader may be looking for, on the front page.

• Quality of copy: In an impatient and hectic world, the content needs to be short,yet comprehensible and effective.Simultaneously, interesting themes and concepts should be used to present the copy, whileavoiding dull or monotonous content. Remember, a brochure is not there only to convey information about your services or products, but to concurrently persuade and perk, your present and prospective clients’ interest in your products and services. The brochure is your window of opportunity to enlighten your prospects on the benefits of using your products or services.

There are a whole lot of other factors like quality of paper, special effects like embossing and engraving, printing technology – digital or offset printing, which also need to be factored in. When incorporating all of the above points, make sure that you utilize the short interval of time frame, to create that first and last, indelible impression. Don’t forget the golden rule, “compose and create your copy with your customers in mind.”