Business Brochures With Purpose

What exactly is the purpose of your brochure? An event handout? Will you use it to share a new product? Do you want a certain reaction from its readers?

Marketing products like brochures work best when you break down every action a prospect might take.

Look at it like this:

• They need to pick it up
• They need to read it
• They need to be interested
• They need to be affected
• They need to know what you want them to do. Call? E-mail? Visit your website? Fill out a return postcard?

Most brochures that are sitting in a stand on a counter or set out on an accent table don’t get read. When they’re intentionally sent to a list or handed out personally, they have much more success. You need to grab and captivate your audience quickly, and then very specifically guide them through the entire piece without making it feel like a chore.

Hint: Men and women process information differently. Most men scan – not read – full context information.

That’s a broad characterization, not intended to be sexist.

How will you make sure he understands that what you offer matters to him?

• Be precise
• Be bold
• Speak directly to him, and
• Use graphics

Most women, on the other hand, read emotionally. She is more likely to respond to humorous or insightful messages – messages that give her perspective validity.

• Address the circumstance
• Use sarcastic, cynical or endearing humor, and
• Provide a cure

When you provide products or services that cross gender lines, the tone, content and graphics yield better results when they’re more personal, and written very directly.

Whether selling to men, women or both, make it clear what you expect them to do. Know what response you’re looking for, and keep the call-to-action specific. If you want them to call, tell them to call. If you want them to visit your website, tell them to visit your website. Several different calls-to-action don’t work well with small documents.  Don’t let a sale slip through your fingers because you offered so many options, they choose nothing at all.

Do you take gender into account when drafting marketing materials for your company? What did I miss?