Le brochure for companies are still one of the most widely used and appreciated types of "old school" advertising. The importance of this offline marketing methodology is often underestimated, but it can help greatly increase a business' customer base. Whether in print or electronic format, the brochure represents the company's mirror to the world, and although the years continue to pass, the rules for its proper implementation remain the same.
In this article, we at SHM Studio we do not wish to provide you with a real practical guide, but instead we would like to give you some very useful tips on how it should be made, what content should be included and, at the same time, also what mistakes should absolutely be avoided.
SHM Studio's tips for the perfect brochure for businesses
Who you are, what you do, how you do it, and what are the strengths of your business. These are the main elements that should never be missing from a good business brochure.
Certainly, in this day and age, online marketing and advertising are the most immediate and safest choice for making your business known. However, the brochure remains a plus, a way also to stand out from the crowd and give a more personal and direct touch to one's business.
This is also why it is strongly discouraged to make it through normal programs such as Word or Power Point, but instead you need to turn to experienced professionals in the field, graphic design studios, web agencies and copywriters, services that we at SHM Studio we have been providing for some time now. Let us now see. How to make a good corporate brochure, also using as an example a brochure that we made for Solarelit, for which we are taking care of the whole part related to graphics.
Who are you talking to? Analysis of one's audience is crucial
The main goal of a brochure for businesses is to let people know about your company and stimulate a response from the public. A brochure that is too general, however, will not help you in this regard and will not serve to convert customers. Consequently, it is important to know your target audience.
A brochure written for professionals will, perhaps, have a more serious and formal Tone of Voice and focus on technical information and quality assurance. If, on the other hand, you are trying to reach the hearts and minds of a young audience, you might aim for more informal copywriting with creative cues that speaks more to feelings and emotions than to the head.
Self-referentiality is often counterproductive
This is very good advice not only with regard to creating a brochure for businesses, but in sales in general. Writing that you are the leading company in the industry for eighty years, that you are good and have more experience than others is no guarantee of converting a customer.
Instead, the copy should focus on what you can do for the customer, what kind of problem you could solve for them, and what sets you apart from the competition. You can use a simple rule, namely the 80/20 principle, where the 80% of the content should focus on customer benefits and only the 20% on product or service features.
The choice of format and printing
There is no single answer as to the best format to use for a brochure for businesses. Much depends on the type of use you want to make of it. For example, if you are talking about brochures to be distributed at trade shows and events, a small format is ideal so that it is not too bulky. If, on the other hand, the brochure is meant to end up on a manager's desk, you can also dare with larger formats, perhaps double-sided squares.
At present, the main formats for brochures are 10 x 21 cm, 11.50 x 16.50 cm, and 14.85 x 21 cm, with two, three, four, or more leaves.
Tactile sensations are also key, so don't skimp on paper and printing. A potential customer will be more enticed to read your brochure if it is printed on excellent quality paper, perhaps with a sophisticated and eye-catching watermark. This may seem expensive, but the brochure is the company's first business card, and it must be done impeccably.
In the case of the brochure that SHM Studio has made for Solarelit, a three-panel format was chosen to ensure elegance and ease of reading and transportation. Technical data are highlighted and easily accessible, which is perfect for capturing the reader's attention. The printing is also clear and defined thanks to a high-quality paper, with no grainy images or smudges that could put the company in a bad light.
The text in a brochure for businesses
Given limited space, it is advisable to avoid long, dense texts full of often unnecessary information. Instead, it is best to use headings, subheadings, and bullet points that help make the content easily readable and smooth, ensuring a fast, sober, and clear reading experience.
The claim should be clear and recognizable from the outset, with no possibility of error or misunderstanding. Moreover, the language should reflect the company's way of communicating in order to make it easily recognizable in the eyes of the public. Consistency, whether visual, graphic or textual, is one of the best ways to make yourself memorable.
The brochure is part of your story, respect the brand identity
Brochures for businesses are not a stand-alone product, but should be part of a communication line that spans the entire business. Accordingly, the brochure for customers should follow the same rules and a similar type of communication than the website, to the social and to all previously used marketing channels.
What is being told goes far beyond the concepts written on the brochure. It talks about your story and your brand identity. Space for creativity exists, especially when not advertising the company in general but a specific product, but all elements and aspects must be made harmonious both graphically and in communication.
In the case of Solarelit, we at SHM Studio we tried to respect the graphics of the website as much as possible, keeping fonts, styles and primary colors very similar, so as to trace the original identity of the company.
Graphics in brochures for businesses: images and fonts
Brochures are not catalogs, let alone manuals. They are often read only in broad strokes, and as a result having high quality, eye-catching lettering and images makes the difference between a throwaway brochure and one that is read carefully, whether paper or electronic.
The brochure should be nice to read and simple, even using white space and paragraph division. This is to give the reader "breathing room" and not make reading heavy and concentrated. The choice of font is very important, there are many types and designed for different purposes, from the strongest and customized to the already traditional and soft. In such a short document, it would be best not to use more than two, or it risks becoming confusing.
For images, whether they are purchased from stock or original and specially made by professional graphic designers, it is important that they be eye-catching and of very high resolution-there is nothing worse than a brochure with grainy, unsharp images. In addition, they must respect the layout of the brochure, both color-wise and artistically and conceptually.
What can't be missed in a brochure for businesses: CTAs and contacts
Whether it is an invitation to visit a website, contact the company or make a purchase, the CTA (call-to-action) can never be missed. A company gains nothing from its brochure if the reader remains passive and suffers the message. Instead, you need to persuade the customer to take the next step, you need to push them to interact with the company and ask for more information.
For this, it is also essential to include contact information that is clear, complete and easily accessible by the customer. Address, phone number, email address and social media links. These details should always be present, preferably on the back cover, so that they are seen by the reader. This greatly increases the chances that the brochure will achieve its purpose.
The contacts, in the brochure we made for Solarelit, are clear, placed on the back of the brochure and containing all the important information, as well as a QR code that simplifies the interaction between the customer and the company.
A successful corporate brochure requires careful planning and precise execution. By following these seven rules, you can create a document that not only presents the company accurately, but also stimulates interest and action from readers. For professional execution, contact SHM Studio, and we will help you create the perfect brochure for your business needs.
