Brochures - Handed Out or Thrown Out?

Alisa Gilhooley's piece on brochures is on the money. She focuses on the disconnect between marketing and sales when it comes to sales literature.

When I was in the self-storage industry, pharmaceutical reps threw away pounds of brochures and other collateral. I once asked a Pfizer rep why he threw away brochures by the boxful. His answer was that he didn't use them because they didn't help sell the product. The relationships were key (and the tchotchkies were nice), but the brochures sitting in a doctor's office would curl up the humidity - to the point where office managers would turn them down.

Granted, part of the problem must stem from a lack of communication between marketing and sales, but it goes much deeper than that. The river of information must also flow from doctor's office to patient - the end user of the product.

Your brochures may be winning awards for design and copywriting, but are they being handed to the customer or filed in Department 13? How do you find out what your customer wants? ESP?

Yes. A formula to use in the writing of brochures and sales literature is found in the acronym ESP...Explain, Show, and Propel.

• Explain: Tell the reader about your product or service.
• Show:Tell the reader how they benefit AND how you provide the benefit.
• Propel: Tell the reader what their next step should be. A brochure - really any marketing material - that doesn't provide a "next step" is a waste of your money and the customer's time.

  Every brochure should fall into one of three categories: offer a product or service (sales brochure); educate the consumer (information brochure); or brand awareness (corporate brochure). That said, know the goal of your material. Trying to make one brochure do all three could raise your copywriting expenses and your waste costs simultaneously.

  Two companies that have this process down are Storage USA and Panera Bread. Each of their brochures have a targeted message and in just a couple of pages.

  One other thing each company does well is use the brochures when answering customers questions. If the material isn't used to answer sales questions, maybe it's time to get back to the drawing board.

  Credits: Flickr photo by brionv

Comments

[Ryan Stewart]

As a former pharma rep and one who is still very connected to the pharmaceutical sales industry (I'm the owner/admin of http://www.PharmBoard.com ), I can tell you that you are exactly right about the disconnect between marketing and the field. In many cases, literally hundreds of pounds of brochures would show up at my doorstep. It seemed to me that the marketing team needed to print "millions" of their brochures to justify the time, money, and creative energy they put into the development of the pieces.

Thanks for a great post.

[Alisa Gilhooley]

A belated thanks for referencing my article and for corroborating my viewpoint!

[Lesbianu Sexr]

If you listen to the Matrix soundtrack on your Ipod, or perhaps a fun song, your life automatically becomes a movie.

[Designer Handbagsh]

Very good website you have here, After the visit I put my step in to your guestbook.

[Alex Taylory]

"It's not because of fate, it's because of Tequila" That may be the best thing I have ever read in my whole life!

[New music k]

Great work and pretty colors!
Sheet music storage boxes Reggae music videos Sailor moon music downloads File share download music Random music Instrumental music free downloads Christmas music download Music video source The sound of music do re mi Karate teen music Myspace music song codes Free music notation software piano Download christian sheet music Free downlaod music Beginner music piano sheet Icp music downloads History of american folk music Christmas lights house music Willie nelson music Behind the music vh1 Mario brothers music Music writing programs Christmas music myspace Myspace flash music player Prohibition music George michael music My heart will go on free sheet music My favourite things sound of music Erick sermon music Free online music games

[Replica watchesodj]

Great site and excellent resource you have. I think it's very cool. I will visit your website again. Thank you!

[Replica watchesgwr]

What a good site! I think it wasnt easy to post here so much information. Thank you, I will add it to my bookmarks

[philrabbit]

The next generation of self-healing materials, invented by researchers at the University of Illinois, including Aerospace Engineering Prof.

[DariuNuri]

Americans did eat out in the 1930s, it was much more likely to be at an inexpensive place, serving familiar, American Food, than at a fancy restaurant.

[bruiruttfam]

Mayor and two years on the council of Closter, New Jersey, and continues his service today as Borough Attorney f
or the Borough of Closter, and as Tax Appeal Attorney Tax for the Borough of Demarest.

[genesis tribute band]

disable auto fill text ms aston martin philadelphia auto expo car dealer in symrna ga

[vme]

Wonderful and informative web site.I used information from that site its great.

[vme]

Wonderful and informative web site.I used information from that site its great.

[Replica watchescvq]

Very good website you have here, After the visit I put my step in to your guestbook.

[Alex Taylorg]

Not much on my mind lately, but I don't care. Eh. I've just been letting everything pass me by these days. Nothing seems worth doing. I just don't have anything to say recently. My mind is like a void, but shrug.

[Alex Taylorj]

I just don't have much to say lately, but eh. Pretty much nothing notable happening worth mentioning. I've more or less been doing nothing worth mentioning.

[Arm Swiss]

Very good website you have here, After the visit I put my step in to your guestbook.

[jimineykbc]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone here has a habit of coming up with cool business ideas out of nowhere, but never got around to attempting them.
Here are mine:
consumer generated power
household recycling plants
innovative ringtones (like fart ringtones for young people)
retail approach to recycling
carbon offsets by sms

share yours if you don't mind revealing your genius. :)

[adentysteda]

http://www.freewebtown.com/bestcollection/map1.html belgin malinwa
doobie hairstyle
http://www.freewebtown.com/bestcollection/map2.html ovnis de jaime
gospel music bt darrell and tonya blair
http://www.freewebtown.com/bestcollection/map3.html the great escape mp3 free
krispies recipe rice treat
http://www.freewebtown.com/bestcollection/map4.html arayan brotherhood
wierdmaker for msn
http://www.freewebtown.com/bestcollection/map5.html pagan wiccan wallpaper
quadratic formula song pop goes the weasel

[bum]

madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna
madonna

[DiptMityAnync]

Every day, thousands of people are turned down for finance because they have past north carolina mortgage or no credit history.