Company brochure

Company Brochure

This exercise will help you develop a company brochure.

PURPOSE

 Delivers basic company information early in the sales process.  Typically the most expensive piece in the arsenal, the company brochure often focuses on the company’s brand, mission, and value proposition rather than specific information about products and services, which need to be updated more regularly.  Must be very professional or it could do more harm than good.  Not as necessary today as in previous years due to the reliance on websites, which have replaced the brochure to some degree. [See Websites for guidance on developing or improving yours.]

Where in the sales process will your piece be used? [Sales Process can help]

What does the prospect need at this point in order to move to the next stage?

What other materials does the prospect receive at this stage? You don’t want to develop redundant materials or inundate the prospect – give them what they need as succinctly as possible.

WHAT THE PROSPECT RECEIVES

OBJECTIVE OF THE PIECE

Review the list above, then define the objective of your new brochure – again, don’t overlap, and make sure that you’re delivering what the prospect needs.

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CONTENT

Remember that prospects rarely read brochures – they skim. If you need to convey detailed information, put it in a case study, white paper, or product slick instead. [Messaging and Brand Strategy can help]

TYPICAL CONTENT

INCLUDE?

Value proposition

Y

Brand positioning statement (100 word) Company mission

Y

Company story

Y

Basic intro to products/services (control the detail; this piece is an overview and you don’t want to reprint when product specs or lineup changes) Other

Y

ADDITIONAL CONTENT TO INCLUDE

Y

Y

Photographs

Y

Graphics

Y

Other

Y

DETAILS

QUALITY CONSIDERATIONS

The piece needs to be consistent with your brand. For example, if your value proposition is product innovation and your brand represents cutting-­‐edge technology, your brochure needs to convey those elements with four-­‐color printing, exciting design and innovative graphics. [Copywriting & Design can help]

METHODS FOR CONVEYING QUALITY USE? NOTES High level of design (see notes below) Y Four-­‐color process Y Photography* Y Heavy paper stock Y

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METHODS FOR CONVEYING QUALITY Varnish in selected areas Binding

USE? Y Y

NOTES

*If you don’t have photos, either hire a professional photographer or buy stock photography for a reasonable price.

Design quality: Do you have the resources in-­‐house, or do you need to hire a designer/firm?

Use in-­‐house designer

Use current vendor:

Find new vendor

Vendor Selection can help

You’ll need to define the content itself, but if you don’t feel that you have the expertise to write the piece as well as it should be written, invest in a professional copywriter.

Do you have the resources in-­‐house to develop strong copy to the degree necessary? [Copywriting & Graphic Design can help]

I’ll write it!

Use in-­‐house writer Use current vendor Find new vendor

Vendor Selection can help

SELECTING A PRINTER

Once you have your requirements started, it’s best to get quotes from three printers. Ask colleagues for recommendations or visit our website for resources on finding the right printer for you. [Vendor Selection can help]

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