A well-written and well-designed brochure can be a potent sales tool. It can give sales people more confidence in what they are selling and it can be used by itself as a persuasive marketing device. To make your next brochure really effective and really sell for you, check out these guidelines.

Spend ample time writing your brochure’s cover

Even if it is just a few words, you need to choose words that showcase some kind of benefit and give readers a reason to open the brochure for more info. Many companies waste this space by just featuring their logo or company name on the front instead of an interesting benefit that positions the company or product. Your brochure’s cover is what draws people in – the rest of your brochure content won’t matter if no one is enticed by the cover to open it.

Know the purpose of your brochure before writing it

You need to know what you want to get out of the brochure before you even start writing it. Is it going to be used to generate leads or to close a sale? Brochures are great for both functions, but the copy you write will be significantly affected by the purpose of the brochure.

Ask yourself or the higher-ups how they want the brochure to be used – to supplement other marketing materials or by itself? How will it be distributed? What action do they want the reader to take when she’s done reading it? Knowing the purpose will help you focus your message as well.

Keep the reader engaged

Organize your brochure so that each panel shows the reader some kind of benefit and entices the reader to move on to the next panel. The bottom of each panel gives your reader a chance to put down the brochure and stop reading. You need to make your brochure a page-turner so that the reader is moved to read on. Answer questions in the order you think the reader will ask them. Then entice and even surprise the reader so that she will keep reading.

Keep the text lively

Do not write your brochures in a formal, corporate voice. Write in an exciting voice that builds a rapport with the customer. Address the reader directly, by using "you" a lot. Use a laid-back and friendly tone that makes it sound like the reader is getting advice and info from a trusted friend.

Establish credibility

You need to establish credibility so that readers will believe what you say about your product and your company. Why should they believe you? Photographs and charts are a great way to show you are telling the truth. Testimonials also work extremely well to establish credibility because people believe their peers over a business. Make sure your testimonials do not look fake – include a photo, a full name (not just initials!), and city and state to make your testimonials more believable.

End with a call to action

Do not waste your brochure printing budget by crafting all this great text and graphics only to wimp out at the end. Tell the reader what you want him to do next. If you want him to call, tell him! If you want him to visit your Web site, say so and give your Web site address. Make sure you tell the readers what you want them to do, and then give them the info they need to do it. This means include your phone number, store address, Web site address and whatever other information is pertinent to your call to action.

Last, but not least, proofread

Proofreading is an easy step to eliminate when you are pressed for time, but it is one of the most important steps. Your credibility and your image of quality take a nose dive as soon as someone finds a spelling or grammar error in your brochure. Take the time to proofread, and if you do not have time, ask a co-worker to do it or hire someone to proofread it for you!