Page 232 - Duct Tape Marketing

216 Part IV: Getting the Word Out without Advertising

Designing brochures

Before designing your brochure, know your budget. If you’re operating on a
shoestring, limit your use of photos and colored inks and opt instead for a
simply designed, standard-sized brochure that can be printed on a small, eco-
nomically priced press.

If you don’t have design skills within your company, don’t resort to desktop
publishing, as the results almost always look like they were fashioned in a
basement. Instead, invest in the talents of a graphic artist or choose a print
shop that provides design assistance and backs the offer with a portfolio of
good-looking samples. (See Chapter 9 for help when hiring professionals.)

As you proceed, keep the following tips in mind:

ߜ If color photos are essential to your story, budget accordingly. Color
increases response to a brochure, but it also increases production and
printing costs.

ߜ Keep your brochure quality in line with the nature of your offering.
A laser-printed brochure on neon-colored paper may be ideal for a
rental shop featuring the least expensive Halloween costumes, but it will
never do for a restaurant striving to be the place to spend anniversary
evenings. Avoid rich embossing and foil-stamped headlines unless you
want your literature to look upscale and exclusive. Similarly, save the
do-it-yourself, quick-print handouts for when you want to communicate
bargain-basement offers.

ߜ Know your type and color guidelines. Designers love to be creative.
That’s their job. It’s your job to give them parameters to work within.
See Chapter 7 for guidance in making type, color, and logo usage deci-
sions so that all materials present a uniform image for your company.

ߜ Make your company name visible. If your brochure will sit in a rack dis-
play, position your name on the top part where it will be visible. For
multi-page brochures, consider including your name and contact infor-
mation (phone, address, and Web site) on every panel.

Getting your brochure into the marketplace

Printers will rightfully tell you that printing the first brochure is the most
expensive. After that, you’re paying only for ink and paper, so print enough
brochures to ensure that you won’t feel a need to save your supply. Then get
them into circulation by using these ideas:

ߜ Announce your brochure to your business mailing list. Send copies to
customers, prospects, suppliers, and associates. Include a cover letter
thanking them for helping you achieve the business success that you’re