Data sheets

Data Sheets

Companies often use data sheets to convey detailed product information. They often need to be updated frequently, so they’re often printed in-­‐house on a pre-­‐designed template.

First, list the products for which you’ll need data sheets:

PRODUCT HOW OFTEN WILL IT NEED TO BE UPDATED?

Where in the sales process will the data sheets be used?

What do the data sheets need to convey in order to move the prospect forward?

Now list the content to be included:

TYPICAL CONTENT Photos of the product

Technical specifications

How the product is used

Graphics to show product usage

List of features/benefits

Comparison to other products

INCLUDE?

DETAILS

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Sales Literature & Tools  Data Sheets

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PRINTING METHOD

Choose the printing method that works best for your updating requirements:

SCENARIO

PRINTING OPTIONS

Frequent updates necessary

In-­‐house: Print the slicks in small quantities on a high-­‐quality laser or inkjet printer. Use heavier paper than you would for normal documents.

Print “shells” that can be customized. The “shell” would contain your logo, contact information, and a border design; professionally print on glossy paper (must be laser or inkjet-­‐compatible). You can then run the shell through your own printer to add copy as you need it.

Professionally print the slicks as you would any other piece of literature

Copy is updated infrequently or you need very large quantities

DESIGN & COPY

If you’re using a designer to create your template, provide a creative brief. 282-­‐284 can help. Otherwise, follow these tips:

TIPS

NOTES

Make sure the design is consistent with your

branding requirements

Keep it clean – if you have many details, don’t squash them in tiny print; add pages instead

Keep the writing as simple as possible while still

conveying the expertise needed. Jargon is more acceptable here, but it’s still important to use as few words as possible, use the active tense and eliminate redundancy.

Sales Literature & Tools  Data Sheets

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