How do I make my brochure stand out and increase sales?

Top Tips for Brochure Design

Christchurch i-SITE – a “sea” of brochures

South Island/ Dunedin brochures at Christchurch i-SITE

BROCHURE EXERCISE:← Christchurch i-Site Brochure Display• Which brochure would you pick up?• Why do you think it leaps out at you?• Can you tell what each brochure is selling?• What one do you think is the best & why?• Why not visit our i-Site and do this test with the brochures there (and your own?)

New Plymouth i-SITELots of brochure competitionAnything leap out of the ‘sea’?

The Top Third – what catches your eye?

1. Business name in the top third of the front cover (and location i.e. Dunedin).

2. Use high quality images; ensure your hero image is large.

3. Have a very clear message about your Key Selling Point(s).

4. List key benefits to reader e.g. “view 7 species wildlife, money back guarantee”…

5. Show Awards, Quality marks or other “stamps of approval”. Ensure industry

recognised and current

6. Have ALL your contact details, incl website

7. Include details of times and lengths of tours.

8. Map of NZ/Dunedin and your location.

9. Don’t clutter your brochure layout.

10. Prices and expiry dates

(decide the life of your brochure before you include prices).

Top Ten Tips

1. Make it easy for customers to buy – have a “call to action”.

2. Put a PDF of your brochure on your website

3. Ensure your brochure fits your brand (as does all your material)

4. Go to printer when they print your brochure – check it as it comes off the press.

5. Less is more – use large readable printing

6. Go to the i-Site; look at brochures on display. What works? What leaps out at you?

7. Add in services: café, toilets, money exchange, gift shop etc

8. Include special conditions (take walking boots, lunch, camera..) fitness levels etc

9. Distribution is key! Ensure you carefully think about where your brochure will be on

display – i-Sites, etc. Have a budget for this.

10.DLE is industry standard size. Odd sizes incur extra display costs etc. Consider

deviation carefully!

*Don’t forget to use the Dunedin brand, find logos at http://www.dunedinbrand.co.nz/Photos/Logos.aspx

Ten More Tips

Our one sentence “Key Selling Message” is...................................

LEARNINGUpon reading our brochure the majority of visitors will: e.g. be able to find us1...2...3...

EMOTIONALVisitors will feel: e.g. I’m excited, I can’t miss this1. -“...”2. -“...”3. -“...”

BEHAVIOURALKey Objectives . Visitors will: e.g. buy, share, visit, eat. 1. .2. .3. .

Brochure objectives

Are your target markets?:

Families on holiday with young children

Families on holiday with older children and teens

Families from the local community (high return visits)

Overseas visitors

Older visitors (retired or with no children in the household)

Retired individuals coming to your site by bus (coach tours)

General tourists/Cruise coming to your site by coach tour

School groups

Visitors with special hobbies or interests (wildlife watching,

hiking, skiing, visiting historic homes, etc.

Special groups or tours – VIPs, Conferences, Weddings…

Who is your target Market?

Think aboutWhat photos to use in the brochure (you should have photos of the kinds of market groups that you are trying to attract E.g. wealthy middle aged)

Photos we should use:

How you distribute your brochuresGood to have a separate plan for this

Places to have our brochures:

What kinds of services, events, or activities these market groups may be looking for? E.g. fine wine and food

Brainstorm list of events/activities/ Services: e.g. wheelchair route, high tea, ....

Understanding your market mix Helps you to identify:

First Impressions - The Cover :

Can you tell within 5-10 seconds what the subject of

this brochure (attraction/experience) is?

Can you tell within 5-10 seconds who the intended

market group(s) is?

Can you tell within 5-10 seconds what the site "offers"

the visitor or market group?

Does the brochure header/design provoke attention or

interest?

Does the leaflet give you a general ‘this looks

interesting!’ feeling?

Does there appear to be "benefits" to the market group -

reasons to pick up and look at the brochure in more

detail (open it up)?

First impressions

Can you tell within 5-10 seconds for these brochures

Subject? Market Group? Offers? Attention? Is it interesting? Benefits?

Which wins?

Checklist:

Are the objectives of the brochure clear (to you and the audience)?

What information do you want your market groups to learn?

How do you want them to feel about your site or attraction?

What do you want the market group to do as a result of reading your

brochure?

Does the publication have a clear theme or central marketing message?

Is your target audience clearly defined (who is in the pictures you are using)?

How will you distribute your publication (this affects design, paperweight, etc.)?

Distribution via brochure rack?

Remember that in most cases only the top 1/3 of the brochure will show

Distributed by a third party?

Planning

Pre-test draft brochures with test groups (some of your current visitors)

Do response evaluation of your current brochures -is it working – are people visiting and spending?

Do audience observations at dispersal points

Analysis by an expert

Other evaluation methods… surveys etc

Line up your brochure with your competitor’s brochures - does your brochure ‘leap’ from the sea??

How to evaluate success of your brochure? (know that your stated objectives are being accomplished)

Point Size: the size of type you are using for your brochure.

General rule = use as large a point size as you can. Edit your copy to get it to fit with a larger type. Get examples of brochures to learn from What point size are you using - can you easily read the copy? (Without your reading glasses!!) Is the point size used for your brochure appropriate for the target audience (i.e. if it is too small, older visitors may have trouble reading it)?

Font: the way the text letters look. E.g. this text is "Times New Roman". This is Algerian. This

is Vivaldi You want to select the right font to go with the correct message illustration. Is the font easy to read?

Would you want the total text in your chosen font?

Does it support the theme(old fonts -historic brochures, modern fonts -science museums)?

Are a variety of fonts used (and why)?

What colour should the font be printed in - do I need to have text in colours?

Brochure Folds: How you want your brochure folded. Consider:Is the design best suited for open (no folds) or multiple folds (like a road map)?

For larger publications, can the user easily re-fold the publication?

Is the fold part of the overall "design" - help define topic areas?

Design considerations

Does the paper type used support the message/theme of the brochure?

What colour paper should you use?

What paper weight will you use? This has an impact if your brochure will be used in a brochure rack NB light/cheaper paper can lead to “bendy brochures” which won’t display well.

Does your type of paper support your brochures intended use? Non glare for most outdoor use

Heavier weight paper for outdoor use (won't bend or blow easily in the wind)

Lighter papers for mail outs or bulk mailings

Does the brochure use unique or interesting die cuts to attract or focus the potential visitor’s attention? Die cuts are an expensive brochure treatment, but can add to the "attraction power" of the piece.

What kind of paper should you use?Consider:

Is the copy written in short - provocative paragraphs?

Does the copy address information that the visitors will need to or want to know?

Can the visitors easily find the key information points?

Is the copy written in an "interpretive" manner (provoke, relate, and reveal information)?

Is the copy written using active - colourful language?

Does it properly prepare the potential visitor for the "promised" experiences (are

there restrooms, children's play areas, food services, etc.)?

the copy "get to the point"?

Does the copy use colour text appropriately?

Is the copy written in a simple - non-technical language? about 10-12-year-old level

If technical terms are used, are they illustrated or defined?

Are larger/bolder paragraph or topic headers used to help reader find key points?

Does the copy have "white space" around it?

Is it written in an "editorial" or "speaking" style?

Does it "leave the reader asking for more"?

Text/Copy Use

Check your spelling!

Photo Composition - important things to consider include: Who is in the photo (market groups)? What are the people in the photo doing? (Having fun in a safe and stewardship-like manner?)

How do "non-visitor" composition photos help you accomplish your objectives (why do you have photos with no people in them?) Sometimes "no people in the photos" might work. When trying to control "numbers" of visitors, or market is "getting away from people" experience

Will you need colour photos, or will black & white do? Will the photos you selected "date you" if they are not updated regularly?

Do the photos clearly illustrate the strengths of the site or facility?

Do the photos clearly identify the site or facility?

People remember:

10% of what they hear; 30% of what they read;

50% of what they see; 90% of what they do.

• A picture is worth a 1,000 words. Pre-test pictures for brochures,

...... it could be the WRONG 1,000 words!

• One really good - large photo is better than lots of small ones.

Photos

Things to consider when using graphics: Do support graphics clearly illustrate the theme, story or concepts?

Are graphics simple and easy to understand?

Is the use of a graphic here better than the use of a photograph?

What size graphics should be used (look at objectives)?

Is the graphic "visual information" market appropriate (will the user understand and correctly interpret what they are seeing)?

Sometimes a graphic works better than a photo, and can give a better "interpretation" of the site or facility.

Getting Graphic

Does the brochure... have attraction power and holding power?

layout clean, simple, but yet powerful?

clear as to the intent of the publication?

Can user easily FIND needed information?

Have the BEST photos or graphics selected (and pre-tested)?

Do photos clearly illustrate the strengths of the site or attraction?

Will the user be "inspired and motivated" to visit the site or attraction? Do photos clearly illustrate the intended market group(s) you want to attract?

Can the user get the message mostly through visuals without having to read too much copy?

Does layout support the theme and objectives of the brochure?

Has draft layout been pre-tested to see if "visitors like it" as much as the person who designed it?

Is there "white space" to give the user visual breathing space?

Has the best type size and font, best paper size, colour, texture, and weight been considered?

Has the right design been used for the intended distribution and presentation method?

What shows on the top 1/3 of your brochure?

Checklist:

Have you given me, the potential visitor, a reason to pick the brochure up?

Is your site or attraction "for me"? Can I clearly identify the target market group(s) your

site is intended for?

Can I list three benefits I (my family) will gain by visiting the attraction (three reasons I

should visit you)?

Are there photos with "people in them" that I can relate to?

Do the photos illustrate the benefits I will gain by visiting the site/attraction?

Are there clear directions as to how to find the site?

Is there a usable map with landmarks I can look for (most visitors can't read typical road

maps)?

Have you given me an overview of customer services available?

I don't like to read - is the text short, provocative, interesting?

I can't read text printed over graphics! You try it!

I can't read text that is too small and don't like to look at "little" photos

Is there a creative design to get my attention?

In general, have you taken the "risk" out of the visit to your site or facility (I feel certain

that I will get my money and time's worth from visiting you)?

Checklist from your customer’s view

Questions, business advice, support or feedback ?We are here to help you:

Sophie Barker, Visitor Industry Advisor, DCC, 474 3457 sbarker@dcc.govt.nz (business support, advocacy and destination management). http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/business-support/support-for-industries-and-across-otago/tourism

Louise Van de Vlierd, i-Site, 474 3300 lvandevl@dcc.govt.nz (Brochure display, i-Site support and sales)

Tourism Dunedin info@tourismdunedin.co.nz (Marketing Dunedin support)