Direct mail brochures offer a host of marketing benefits that extend well beyond your client’s mailbox. As the most effective way to deliver specific and detailed information – while still creating a visual impact – a powerfully designed brochure can:
- educate your prospects,
- promote your company’s reputation
- generate new leads, and
- close sales
Because it delivers more detail than the cheaper, briefer postcard mailer, the brochure makes a great direct mail alternative when it’s time to dig deeper for a positive customer response.
It’s not too far off the mark to say that the sky is the limit when it comes to designing a fully customizable business brochure. Investing in quality graphics is the key to creating material that’s both professional looking, and attention-grabbing. Just like your direct mail postcard, your brochure must pack a captivating punch by including all the right design elements: catchy headlines, tight, focused copy, and an irresistible call-to-action.
But the payback offered by a well-designed brochure doesn’t end with direct mail. These colorful marketing materials are the ideal vehicle for catching the eye of potential clients – whether at a special event, or right inside your office.
Here are five outstanding benefits of direct mail brochures, that also double as some of the best reasons for making these materials a part of your print marketing campaign.
1. A Resource for Details
The biggest benefit of a print brochure is that it lets your business engage more fully in the selling process. You can delve into the particulars of what your company has to offer because you’ve got the space, the design, and the ideal format to:
- explain your product or service in detail,
- overcome anticipated objections, and
- literally ask for the sale
But to maximize success, don’t be tempted to use all that extra brochure space to ramble on in multiple directions: instead, pick a single, predominant marketing message. In other words, the information you provide should be thorough, but still concise. It can be a great idea for example, to focus on what sets your business apart from the competition.
2. A Personal Handout
Trade shows, workshops, and the opening of a new office or restaurant are all great opportunities to place your marketing brochure directly into the hands of potential customers. But while public events are a great way to connect with new clients, they can also be chaotic affairs. Ideally, your brochure will offer just the right balance of information and impact to entice prospects to take it, keep it, and digest it later – once the dust of event day excitement has settled.
While it may sound like an obvious point, be sure to provide business contact details that are:
- clear and complete, and
- that feature prominently in your marketing materials
In most cases, the best place for this information will be the back of your company brochure. It’s also not uncommon these days to include a smartphone-readable QR code alongside your contact information, so that today’s technology-savvy consumer can find out more about your products and services as quickly, and conveniently, as possible.
3. A Media Kit Accessory
While not every company makes use of a media kit, this package of promotional materials can be a highly effective way to introduce a new business, or announce a new product or service. Print brochures feature prominently in most media or press kits, since they’re particularly valuable for:
- describing specific product or service features
- showcasing client testimonials, reviews, or company awards and achievements
- visually highlighting the unique qualities of your business
Because they’re designed to grab the attention of media channels that may be able to spread the word about your business for free, media kits can play a cost-effective role in furthering brand awareness.
4. An Office Display
A visually appealing brochure can continue to work hard for your business, even when it’s just sitting on a table or display rack. To function as a bona fide lead magnet, your brochure must boast an arresting cover that simply begs to be picked up and read.
For best results, pay careful attention to front cover features like:
- appealing color mixes,
- arresting images that pique viewer curiosity, and
- bold, large fonts that are easy to read
The main point to keep in mind is that “less” is “more” when it comes to your brochure cover. Think in terms of setting the stage for the informational content to follow, and steer clear of tired clichés. You don’t need a lot of text for your brochure to stand out, but you do need a graphic design that’s clean, simple, and one-of-a-kind.
5. A Partner for Postcards
Direct mail brochures and postcards work together like a well-oiled marketing machine. Because brochures are distinctly detail-heavy, they offer the perfect support mechanism for your short and sweet, eye-catching postcards. To maximize the effectiveness of both, consider using brochures as a follow-up to your direct mail postcard campaign.
A targeted brochure can help to fill in informational gaps – and answer any questions your postcard may have raised – while it also keeps your business top-of-mind with direct mail recipients. Just remember that a brochure is not a book: streamlining the information you present, so that it substantiates and complements your postcard mailer, will deliver the biggest bang for your mark