Talking about brochures, in the world of the Internet, can seem quite archaic. Sure, you can promote your products – for free – on your super snazzy website, but brochures still have their place in the world of business marketing.
So, today we’re going to be looking at brochures, what they are and why you need them.
Moocreations.co.uk
What are Brochures?
Brochures are booklets that are typically designed to offer in-depth information into the products and/or services that a business has to offer. They are much more detailed than both pamphlets and leaflets.
In the age of the Internet, brochures can seem so out-of-date, as many of us come to the conclusion that we can just direct everyone to our websites. Websites are, of course, incredibly useful, however it’s important to remember that not everyone has the Internet, and even those who do might not feel comfortable using it.
Even the most ardent Internet user may decide that they prefer to have the information firmly in their hand, and there are a few reasons that this might be a preference:
- Brochures offer ease of general browsing. It’s much easier to flip through or dip in-and-out of a brochure, than it is to flip through a website.
- They allow for access to products 24/7, without the need for electricity or a piece of technology
- Brochures can be taken pretty much everywhere: the bath, the toilet, the train. It could be argued that with the rise of tablets and accessibility on smart phones, this isn’t really a big deal. However, some people might not want to take their tablet into the bathroom (understandably), and not everyone “gets” the obsession with technology.
But Websites are Free, Brochures are Not
You’re right; websites are free, but the key to think about is that by not having brochures you could potentially be pushing out a considerable portion of your market. That is not good news, because that is potential money lost.
Look at producing brochures as an investment. The money put into them, will hopefully be returned by the customers who prefer them over your website.
Another key factor is to ensure that your brochures offer customers something that your website doesn’t, or even can’t: detailed information perhaps, or maybe even special offers and coupons that aren’t available on the website.
Do Brochures just Contain Everything from the Website?
They could do, yes, but that’s really up to you to decide. Personally, I have written brochures for clients using similar content from the website. The difference was that they wanted a little bit more depth in the brochures.
Case Study
One website that I worked on, was looking to launch a range of natural skin care products for teenage skin. Their idea was that they wanted the brochures to be more about offering advice to the teenagers who the products were being aimed at. The aim was to show the target audience what the problem was with their skin, what they could do about it (diet and skin care wise) and then how specific products could be used to target these problems.
This was advice that wasn’t used on the website, as the website was more aimed at the parents who were actually buying the product.
So should I have some brochures made up?
Only you can really answer this question, but it ultimately depends on your business. Many businesses would greatly benefit from the extra information that a brochure offers, but they do come at a price. They’re probably not going to be part of your initial marketing plans, for this reason. However, the future investment is definitely worth thinking about.