6.
Writing leaflets and brochuresExtract
(UK and European Edition)
In this module, we cover the following topics:
What format do you need?
Technical literature
15 ways to make your brochure more interesting
Special types of leaflets
Mistakes to avoid
You have to design leaflets and brochures from the reader's point of view.
That means having a logical structure. The information must unfold in the
right order.
Start by analysing what the reader needs to know. You can do this by assessing the order in which the reader's questions will flow.
What questions will the customer want answered, and in what order?
Imagine youre the owner of a small hotel, and are thinking
of having a lift installed. When you open the lift manufacturer's brochure, you have some major questions on your
mind. The brochure answers your questions, and follows
your train of thought.
Question
Brochure section supplies the
information
What sort of company is it?
What does it stand for?
Corporate statement about safety
and reliability in lift manufacture.
How big should the lift be?
Our range of lifts - one for every
need.
How will it fit? Is it very complicated to install?
Our design skills - we can fit lifts
anywhere.
What space do I need for a lift?
Technical drawing, showing space
required.
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 1
How will the lift be
maintained?
Service: engineers, call-out, guarantee.
Can I have an estimate?
Address, telephone number, contact name.
This system ensures that all readers will pick up the important points about
the product. Put the simplest or most important information first to encourage more people to read the brochure.
Don't get carried away by your own interests, especially on technical features. The customer may be more interested in dramatic photos than details
of how the product works.
Exercise 6.1: Devise questions and the answering sections for a car brochure
Imagine you are writing the brochure for a new car. Write down the questions a purchaser might have, and the answers the brochure might supply.
When you have done this, go to a car showroom and take a few brochures.
Has the company followed this process or not?
What format do you need?
The standard leaflet is A4 size, which is convenient for filing.
Fold A4 in half and you get A5, which is ideal for smaller consumer brochures.
Use two concertina folds on a sheet of A4 and you get a leaflet that works
well for small hotels, financial services, direct mail, and in-store leaflets.
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 2
A5
A4
210x148mm
210x297mm
A4 folded
twice
Common paper sizes and shapes
An unusual size or shape will help your brochure stand out. It may also cost
more. Readers of technical brochures prefer a standard A4 size.
Number of pages
Having decided the format of the brochure, the main points to be included
and the types of photos; you should have a clearer idea of how many pages
will be needed. Try doing a rough layout, using the size of paper you think is
most suitable for your brochure. Some points will need just a sentence,
while others may take a whole page. Remember to allow room for photographs or illustrations.
Single sheet leaflet: A single-page leaflet gets straight to work. On the front
is usually a photograph of the product. The copy is restricted to a headline
and perhaps a strap line or slogan. On the reverse is technical information,
plus the company's name and address.
Some companies try to make the leaflet work harder, by including text on
the front of the leaflet as well as the back. This looks cramped, and cheapens
the effect.
Four-sided leaflet: A four-sided leaflet looks a little more generous, and allows you to convey more information. Its front page normally has just a
headline, photo and logo, leaving the inside spread for text. The back page
can be left blank or used for technical information.
Stapled Brochure: These brochures provide 8, 12 or 16 pages, or any other
multiple of 4. If you have a range of products, or if your product is complex,
you will need the extra room that a stapled brochure provides. (Printers
called a stapled brochure 'stitched').
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 3
Folder: Use a folder if you have several leaflets, each on a different topic.
Folders are ideal when you regularly supply quotations, or when you need to
include technical drawings or data sheets. You can use a folder when the
information is likely to change or expand. Use it also when different customers don't need all your leaflets.
When new products come along they may be added to the folder. And when
old ones are deleted, the leaflet may be discarded without wasting all the
literature.
Single sheet
Stapled
brochure
Writing brochure copy
Four sided leaflet
Folder
Module 6 Page 4
Single sheet
Single sheet folded once
Two fold leaflet
Stapled brochure
Folder
The front cover
There are two options for the front cover of a brochure. It should either contain a benefit, or it should be thought-provoking. Both options encourage the
reader to pick up the brochure and open it.
Many companies use the front cover of their brochure to list the products
they make. This is particularly true for multi-product companies.
Here is the front cover of a leaflet that is offering to insure your mobile
phone. On the front cover are the words:
TRIPLE OPTION
INSURANCE SCHEME
Loss and Damage
*
Extended Warranty
*
Combined Cover
*
Arranged by Marigold Insurance
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 5
This is a typical failure of imagination. The company couches its service in
technical jargon. There are no benefits. And the statements don't identify the
real nature of the sale.
Hidden in the leaflet's small print are some important benefits. The insurance company will:
*
Replace your mobile phone straightaway if it is stolen.
Agree the replacement over the phone.
Take care of all the administration.
Help you stay in touch with your office and your customers by getting you back in communication quickly.
Mend your mobile phone if it stops working after the 12-month warranty expires.
So what should the leaflet say? We want the reader to pick up the leaflet and
read it. So we concentrate on the single most important point - in this case,
the possibility of theft. The second benefit (repair when out of warranty) can
be mentioned inside the leaflet.
The cover should have an illustration of the problem: a car with a broken
window. The headline should say:
Phone theft is rising.
If your mobile is stolen,
we'll get you a replacement
within 24 hours
This leaflet will sell probably four times as many insurance policies - not
because its clever but because it understands the reader's needs, and because it communicates the benefits more effectively.
Contents Page
In brochures of eight pages or more, a list of contents is useful. Make the list
bold and separate it from the rest of the text.
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 6
Don't cram too much into the contents. List only the most important points.
It isn't necessary to list everything that appears on each page.
Use the contents page to sell the brochure. Don't use boring words like 'Introduction' or 'Model 961'. Pick out the most important sales point from your
introduction, and use that as the heading.
Try using different colours for each section, or use cut out tabs for each section. Both these points will encourage people to open the brochure.
You may need more than one brochure. Some companies separate their
glossy sales leaflets from their simpler assembly instructions. Other firms
keep technical literature separate.
Describing the product
List all the features and benefits of your product. Include every reason why
the reader should buy your product.
When drawing up the list of features, add the words 'which means that...'
after each point. Then complete the sentence. For example, 'The crisps are
made from an original recipe, which means that... they taste better, and contain no artificial additives' (You don't need to add the words 'which means
that' on every occasion. They are simply a means for identifying benefits).
The features and benefits for a speedboat engine are shown on the following
page.
Remember that the purchaser is not always the user. So there may be more
than one benefit for every feature. Take this child car seat brochure:
These different positions will make the journey more comfortable for your child, and consequently more restful for
you.
In describing the product, you don't have to use plain statements. A company
that makes thorn-proof clothing might describe a shepherd in torrential rain
on a lakeland fell, snug in his raincoat.
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 7
Feature
(facts about the product)
Benefit
(which means that...)
3 litre, 220 HP engine
It goes fast
Weighs 450Kg
Good power-to-weight ratio gives extra
power
Diesel engine
Fewer moving parts, low maintenance,
more m.p.g., cheap fuel
Indirect ignition
No fumes, low noise
Choice of two drives
Suits big and small boats
Easily accessible engine
Servicing is simple
Glow plug pre-heat
Trouble-free starting
Computer designed
Vibration free, smooth ride
Thats it, Folks
If you want to see the rest of the module, youll have to enroll!
Heres what else we cover in this module.
Other things to mention in a brochure, and how to write about them, and
where to include them. They include:
Sizes, variations, colours
Satisfied Customers
Corporate information
Location
Export
Technical performance
The Call to Action
Availability
Client list
Operating or assembly instructions
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 8
Price list and order form
Conditions of Sale
Dealer box
Technical Literature - How to write it. Filing marks.
Writing about services
Fifteen ways to make your brochure more interesting
Special types of leaflets, including range brochures and sale promotion
leaflets
6 Mistakes to avoid in writing leaflets and brochures
Who will design your leaflets and brochures? How to find designers and
work with them.
Other exercises for you to do, complete with answers.
Summary telling you what youve learnt.
Tutor-marked assignment, in which you get to write a brochure
Writing brochure copy
Module 6 Page 9
