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217Chapter 14: Brochures, Promotions, Trade Shows, and More

proud to portray in your new brochure. Tell them that you want them —
your most valued business friends — to be the first to preview the
brochure. Enclose extra copies that they can share with others who may
be interested in your offerings.

ߜ Send copies to editors at local and industry publications. A new
brochure isn’t a news item, but it presents an opportunity to make media
contacts and to provide information about your business. When sending
it to editors (and with luck you’ve established editorial relationships —
see Chapter 15), attach a cover note — not a news release. A home-
builder might say I thought this updated background on our company might
be useful. As you continue your coverage of growth in our area, please feel
free to contact me. Our firm has records of the changing tastes of homeown-
ers over the past decade, along with information on regional and industry
statistics and trends.

ߜ Carry brochures with you at all times. Encourage your staff to do the
same. Don’t hoard them. On the other hand, don’t hand them out like
Halloween candy. Target your distribution so that your literature ends
up in the hands of qualified prospects who will value your message and
who can make referrals or buying decisions in your favor.

ߜ Send a brochure ahead of your arrival at meetings so that your prospect
has a sense of you before meeting you.

ߜ Contract with a brochure distribution service. If you want to make your
literature available to consumers who stop at high-traffic brochure racks
such as those in visitor welcome centers, for example, contract with a
distribution service for regularly scheduled delivery and supply mainte-
nance. For the names of services in your area, contact the International
Association of Professional Brochure Distributors at www.apbd.org and
click on “Find A Distributor.”

ߜ Use your brochure as a step in the buying process. When qualified
prospects leave without buying, follow up by sending your brochure
along with a cover letter that provides additional information that
relates to the consumer’s concerns or interests. Also, keep a list of pend-
ing prospects and use your brochure — along with copies of recent pub-
licity, news announcements, or other timely information about your
business — as a reason to stay in touch on a regular basis.

Launching and maintaining newsletters

Newsletters are informal, friend-to-friend communications that deliver news-
worthy information, useful updates, reminders of what your business does,
and ideas of interest and use to newsletter recipients.