This month has been all about brevity here at the Wordsmithy.
A few years ago I was often asked to write content for length company brochures detailing the full range of services and products on offer as well as background about the organisation. I’ve been talking to a few clients about this recently, as they were looking for an introductory deliverable to leave with customers after sales calls.
Nowadays, a hefty glossy brochure can feel a bit old-fashioned to customers and prospects.
But why is that?
I suggest that it’s because we tend to pick and choose the information we want online when we’re considering new suppliers or comparing services. Customers and prospects often don’t want to read about everything your company does or flick through pages of irrelevant background. They don’t want a stack of paper on their desk. We’re all used to being able to search for and locate the precise info we want and often don’t print it out at all.
Websites are brilliant for carrying flexible, searchable information that customers and prospects can go to whenever they like. But what can you do if you are keen to leave a credible and comprehensive set of information with a customer? For a salesperson or as part of after-service upselling, it’s often good to put something in the customer’s hand as you leave, as a visible and physical reminder of a meeting.
A good solution for print collateral is to go for a pack that you can tailor to contain targeted information. Document everything your business does, but break it down onto standalone sheets that you can combine to fit the customer’s needs. They might only need one piece of product information or they might want several. Either way, you don’t have to overface them.
The pack folder can take the form of an overview or welcome brochure with a flap or pocket to contain whatever sheets you choose. That way you get the gloss of a professional introduction to your organisation. Another advantage is that you can cost-effectively update and replace the product and service sheets as your offerings change, without having to reprint a whole brochure.
Using a small format such as A5 is often well-received too, because it physically takes up less space and is easier to carry. If you can make sure it contains something of value for reference, that the recipient might find useful or interesting to keep on their desk – such as a conversion chart, glossary or even a cartoon, so much the better.
Our goal is to make any printed materials easy to handle and refer to and to keep them out of the recycling for as long as possible!