The days when business development consultants presented prospects with a standardized corporate pamphlet or brochure are long gone. Your consultancy’s brochures not only deliver your brand but they reveal a great deal about your practice’s approach to customer service.
In today’s communication environment, the old adage that one size fits all no longer applies. In fact, each of your clients deserves a specialized advertising brochure. All your brochures, corporate presentations and pamphlets should reflect that your consulting firm is tech savvy and that you can apply your firm’s technological expertise to your client’s solution.
Again, first impressions last a long time. Business consultants who use advertising brochures must link the brochure, the prospect and your consulting firm together in an appealing union. Another old adage that holds true is that a picture says 1,000 words. Your consultancy’s brochures should contain strong visualization. Graphs, charts and photos really work. The correct visual image delivers a memorable impression.
So that you can pass out your marketing materials to a prospective client or referral at anytime, every consulting practice should have a few generic brochures available. As the content of these handout brochures may serve as an outline for more specific brochures, the material and design serves a purpose.
You marketing plan acknowledges that printed material lasts. Printed material, like brochures, has a way of re-surfacing. All printed material must be thoughtfully created, well written and edited to perfection. Meaning that you don’t want to rush into the creation of a brochure if you’re going to shell out big money for a nice print job.
With new laser printing technology the cost to print materials is often so inexpensive that you can afford to put together a quick brochure for a 1 time event or specific purpose. If it works you can then further develop that material and spend a bit more on a more professional print job – knowing that you’ll be happy to stick with the content for a while.
Even the generic brochure that may be distributed to vendors, suppliers and walk-in traffic must do your consultancy justice. If you are not impressed, do not put the brochure to print.
Five Advertising Brochure Necessities
1. Define your brand and your advantage – Be sure to include your unique selling proposition – your advantage – the reason the reader should choose you over others.
2. Add powerful images – Incorporate graphs, charts and visual images to grab and hold the reader’s attention.
3. Use Lists – Make your message easier to digest by getting to the point. Prospects have heard all the superfluous dialogue they need. Make your consultancy known as the one that gets to the point. Use lists to present your salient points.
4. Testimonials Work – Testimonials do work. When tailoring a presentation brochure, contact clients that will stand as references and site them in your brochure.
5. Easy to find contact info – Make sure that all your firm’s contact information is readily available. Include relevant phone numbers, including appropriate cell numbers, e-mail addresses and web log and web site addresses. Make sure new clients can reach your firm easily.
While there is no doubt that internet communication has literally ‘taken over’ most day to day communications, the advertising brochure can still serve business development consultants well. They are extremely cost-effective, say more than a business card and are one way to raise your consultancy above the competition.
Posted by Business Consulting Buzz
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