Time to Move Up from the Worn-Out Sales Brochure
by John Jantsch
Published on this site: February 11th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
I got another one of those calls the other day. . ."Can
you make me a brochure?" Many business owners have been
sold on the notion that they need a tri-fold brochure or they
are not in business. Forget it...everybody's got one and no
one uses it.
Your potential clients need an education. They need to know
how you are different. (The typical tri-fold brochure simply
confirms that you are the same.)
Every small business should create the following pieces of
information and format them in a way that allows them be printed
inexpensively and updated often. I like to call this approach,
the Marketing Kit. Your marketing kit starts with several
professionally printed pieces that are the framework for up
to 10 or 12 different educational documents. The core components
are:
- A pocket folder - A multi-use workhorse, this
piece alone, if designed well, can send the message that
you are in business to stay. (This one will cost a little
but it has many uses)
- A marketing kit template page - This should be
a professionally printed piece that carries your logo and
contact information but is different than your letterhead.This
is the base piece for the pages described below that insert
into your pocket folder. (Your actual marketing files can
be MSWord type documents that are laser printed. This gives
you the ability to change and update your content and also
allows you to tailor your marketing kit content to specific
prospects.)
Some combination of the following pages should be created
for your marketing kit.
- The Difference Page - Hit them with how you are
different and shower them with benefits of doing business
with you. Don't tell them what you do. I like to keep this
one to the top 3 or 4 things that you do that your target
market will value. Think benefits that are unique.
- Deeper Differences - Now take each core difference
and tell the reader in greater detail why and how that difference
is important .
- A list of services/products - Okay, now tell them
what you do or what you offer.
- Deeper Product/Service Descriptions - Go into
detail on each of your product or service offerings .
- Case Studies - Pick representative clients or
industries and outline how your product or service solved
someone else's challenge. People learn in different ways
and case studies allow them to see themselves getting relief.
I think this format works well. State the situation, the
problem, your solution, the result. Over time you can collect
more and more of these and draw upon the ones that fit an
industry or problem that in relevant to your prospect.
- Testimonials - Get quotes from real live clients
and create a page titled - "See what others have to
say about us." These quotes can be some of the strongest
selling tools you have. New technologies make it easy to
create audio and video testimonials too.
- Client List - In some cases, just simply listing
who else you do business with can present a compelling case.
- Process Description - Show them how you do what
you do. Create detailed checklist and flow charts that show
them how you keep your promise. In many cases you have these
anyway but by making them part of your marketing you can
demonstrate how much more professional your organization
is. These also help you justify why you charge a premium
for your services. Many people underestimate how much really
goes into delivering a quality product or service. So show
them.
- Your Story - Many companies have interesting or
even gut wrenching histories. Tell them your story in an
open, honest, and entertaining way and you will win their
hearts as well as their heads.
All of the above pieces can, in many cases, be word processed
files that are laser printed onto the template I described
above. You can learn even more about how to use this unique
tool here.
This format allow for very inexpensive printing and a great
deal of flexibility when you need to update, change or even
personalize your magnificent marketing materials.
Want to quickly create your own magnificent marketing
kit?
Join me as I coach other small business owners through the
process of creating marketing materials that educate and sell.
Once a week for 3, 1-hour sessions I will meet, via teleconference,
to create and critique your written marketing kit content
based on the above article. Each participant will also receive
workbooks, audio recording of each call and real-life example
marketing kits produced by http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/Ultimate-Marketing-System.
me for my clients. Find out more by visiting htm
John Jantsch is a marketing coach and creator of the
Duct Tape Marketing System. You can get more information about
the Duct Tape System and download your free copy of "How
To Create the Ultimate Small Business Marketing System in
7 Simple Steps" by visiting http://www.DuctTapeMarketing.com
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