How to Make the Most of Your Retail Business Brochure

A retail business brochure is an effective way to put your business’s information, services and products in the hands of customers and prospective customers. When it is done well, a retail business brochure can be an effective marketing tool to help you bring in increased sales and new customers. You can make the most of your retail business brochure by using time-tested marketing techniques, helping you to get your message across to customers in a professional and compelling way.

It is easy to see when a business does not put the necessary time and effort into their brochure. Far too many businesses simply throw some information together, slap it on a folded-page and call it a brochure. Doing this prevents a business from maximizing their exposure to customers. When a customer has your brochure in their hands, they are a captive audience, so you want to be certain you have the right message and delivery in place in order to appeal to their wants and needs.

Determining the content for your retail business brochure is as simple as following Marketing 101: present your business as a solution to the customer’s needs. A brochure is not the place to brag about your awards and qualifications. The customer is trying to determine if you can help them and whether you offer the solutions and answers they are seeking. If they cannot immediately identify the solutions you offer, it is likely they will toss the brochure aside.

Below are some tips to keep your retail business brochure out of the trash can and into the minds of buying customers:
• Become a business brochure connoisseur. Research other businesses’ brochures and identify the ones that are both visually appealing and appealing to the customer’s desire for a solution. As you analyze these brochures, determine how you can replicate the design and message; yet make it unique to your business.
• Consider your ideal customer. What does this customer need? What message will be most appealing to him or her? Once you can identify the need and solution, craft a message delivery that is creative, catchy and makes them want to learn more.
• Keep the wording easy to read. While it may be nice to have a creative and flashy design, when it comes to the text or copy simple is best. You want the wording to be legible to all people—even those with less than perfect eyesight. Keep the text clean and the fonts basic and large enough to see without straining. It is also better to have uniform fonts, rather than playing around with different looks in the same brochure.
• Incorporate your logo or an attractive image, but avoid going overboard with too many graphics or clip art. The customer is most interested in what you have to say about your business.
• Choose the highest quality card stock you can afford. The way the retail business brochure feels in the hand is important. Regular thin printer paper does not give an impression of professionalism. Recycled card stock is a great choice, because it sends a positive message about your company.
• Make sure the text is error free. Proofread and proofread again. Then, ask two or three people to read over the brochure for you before sending it to the printer. Spelling and grammatical errors are huge turn-offs to customers. Proofreading is a simple and inexpensive way to make sure your message reaches customers.

Even during this Internet age, a retail business brochure your customers hold in their hands can be an effective marketing tool. By taking the proper steps to ensure your brochure is visually appealing, error free and includes a customer-friendly message, you are putting your best marketing foot forward.