Why Brochures Kill Profits

I just love this post from Doug Davidoff. Here’s a summary.
I hear it all the time: “I just need a brochure that explains what we do better,” or “If we could just create a piece that gets people to see how we’re different.” While I’m not against corporate collateral, the vast majority of them (like 95+%) are not only bad – they kill profits.

How? They completely commoditize you and your company. High gloss and filled with we-do’s and pictures not only bore your audience, they make you completely indistinguishable from your competition.

I’ve said it before – and I’ll say it again (and again) – your buyers don’t have the time, the desire, or the inclination to care about you. What they care about is what you can do for them. Instead of spending time telling prospects all of your ‘we do’s’; focus on enabling them to understand the problems they have and what they must do to solve them… and then, they will understand clearly what you do.

Now, if you really want a brochure… Think about the business books that you’ve read (and enjoyed). What did they all do? They diagnosed issues and helped you design solutions. In the vast majority of circumstances, you know three things about an author:
1. You have no personal knowledge of the author or his abilities;
2. You view the author as an expert and you trust what the author says;
3. The author did not provide you a brochure to “prove” their abilities or establish credibility.

Well… take the same approach for your brochure. By delivering truly useful content, you become that trusted author. A content development strategy packages your wisdom and capabilities in such a way that buyers desire it, making you more attractive.

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	Simon Hénault B.Comm, MBA - Corporate Journalist - LinkedIn Profile
	I help businesses in the production and delivery of content allowing them to be found on the Web, be perceived as experts, strengthen their clients relations and increase their revenues.

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