Masonry Magazine September 2001 Page. 33
Brochure Tips for Contractors
Quickly! Company histories are nice, but most people (and especially the busy executives that make up a lot of the contractor's clientele) simply don't have time (or the energy) to read through a lot of fluff.
Don't try to pack too much into the brochure. This goes back to maintaining an objective. Including information that doesn't serve to move your message along will only end up muddying the water.
Target your brochure to your audience. Don't send out general information at random... it will generally (and randomly) not be read. If you do medical construction work, target hospitals, clinics, and doctor/dentist offices, tell them precisely what you can do to help them... and why your company is the one for the job. Then, follow up with a phone call or a visit (better).
Yes, it's OK to include a small blurb about your company's excellent people, solid reputation, and company vision... but then get on to what your company can do for the reader.
Try to make your brochure inviting to the client. No long, rambling diatribes of information. Use catchy, descriptive titles, and break your copy down into small, readable sections with sub-headings or bullet-points (like this article). Include photos, graphs, charts, and graphics periodically to keep it visually appealing.
Don't put your company name as the leading headline. Go for something that will grab their attention, such as a question (remember composition class in high school?)
Speak English. No, I don't mean the language I'm talking about technical wording. Too much complex or detailed jargon is tiresome and confusing to most readers and will ultimately give them a good reason to set the brochure down. On the other hand, you also don't want to get too relaxed or pile on too much slang, for it may back-fire. Something you thought was cute when you wrote it may end up offending a prospective customer ... and that's certainly not what you're going for.
Give names and talk about key people from your organization in the brochure. This includes estimators, project managers, salespeople, and even job foreman (if you think it's applicable). The goal is to get the customer to associate your company with human-beings, not brick walls. This can work on different levels, but it's still amazes me how often I'll gain a customer simply because they know someone in our organization - perhaps through affiliations such as churches, clubs, professional organizations, and more.
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MASONRY SEPTEMBER, 2001 33