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How To Make Your Business Brochure Persuasive

I received a letter in the mail the other day from a local business. It was good - nice time, sharing some information about the big event they had coming up.

After reading it, I was left with this sort of empty feeling - I wondered why. When I reread it, it hit me what was missing. In fact, two things stood out for me. First, I had no interest in his services. But then, not everyone wants to buy a motorboat, now do they? But here’s the emotional hook that was missing. “The invitation.” He didn’t put in the magic words: come in - call - here’s what you must do - none of these. Someone forgot the most important marketing strategy - ASK! Before you read another word, go check your marketing material. Does it ask the prospect to do something? Is it persuasive enough?

As a savvy business owner, you hand out brochures, leaflets, put ads in local papers, publish information about your products and services, have a web site, and attend networking events to convince someone else to buy from you… believe in your ideas… and help you succeed. To achieve positive results, your market must be persuaded. That means your copy must be persuasive in many areas. Here’s how…

• Research precisely what your market wants. If you have your heart set on a business idea and don’t find out if anyone out there wants it, you’ll only encourage the people you speak to, to get defensive. That’s because they’re not interested. Make sense? Instead, ask him/her to explain his position. This shows respect for the person’s thoughts. You need to know this. It also gives you a chance to hear his reasoning, which puts you in a better position to tailor your marketing strategy. In other words, don’t be in a rush to advertise. You’ll spend money fruitlessly instead of creating marketing copy that best suits your best prospective client.

• Be a positive business role model. When you hear something nice about your competition, pass along the compliment to the owner praised. The power of strategic alliance doubles, even triples your efforts. Example:

  You overhear your customer praising a competitor’s product. Let the competitor know that her service has scored with the customer. You will build a positive relationship with a competitor who is going to respect you. Interestingly, you will get more leads.What you’ve done is relay someone else’s satisfaction. Your business ally will associate you with good news and positive feelings. This “positive role model” technique also sends the message that you’re non-competitive and supporting this person’s success. And here’s the surprise: this encourages him to support your business.

• Show solutions instead. The more your marketing material focuses on “you” the more others tend to tune you out. As a result, you won’t be able to persuade them of anything. When your copy, in any form shows solutions and benefits to “them”, you’ll be thought of as a problem solver, not a loud-mouth. Example:

  Your web site’s home page rambles on and on how good you are. Rather than boast about your services and products, offer advice, product use, or service tips instead. Not only will you impress your readers, you’ll have a powerful role — building stronger and trusting relationships.

• Stay in touch. Most marketing schemes are blasts of advertising selling right up front. Sooner or later, your prospects feel that they’re being used and no longer respond to your requests. To prevent this, send frequent valued information and tips instead. This way you build the reputation of giving them something of value instead of just asking for business. Example: Find a newspaper article that you think your biggest client would be interested in. Call to tell her about it, or drop it in the mail.
• Get their attention. You can’t convince people if they’re not paying attention — and most people aren’t paying full attention most of the time. That’s where your headlines, on your web home page, your brochure, any advertising material you hand out, really needs to be thought out. One of the best ways to do this is think about the biggest benefit your customer will gain when they use your product or service. Then tailor your headline to attract them with the benefit first.

• Balance the brochure. Your content becomes most persuasive when you consider both parties - you and them - 50% of the time. Offer too much of your product or service, and your prospect might feel disengaged and not pay enough attention to be persuaded. Offer too much solution, and they walk away satisfied and find they don’t need you anymore. Offering too much or too little can work against your business. One way to ensure you put balance in your marketing is to ask questions to encourage balance.
  
• Ask for the order. Businesses sometimes become so excited when they think they have produced copy ready to send out, they forget the most important part. Ask for the order! Example: Your promotional copy or presentation persuades your client to consider your product or service. But you don’t pick a specific action you want your prospect to do next. After persuading someone of your point of view, cement your success by securing an agreement on when and how to take the next step. You marketing material must have that call to order aspect in it - at all times. Tell them what you want them to do next.

Great job today!

Patricia

P.S. Have fun this summer! We’ve been getting such glorious weather here, you must be too. And make sure you also check out my Wild Mind! It will blow your mind about how easy remembering stuff from meetings, days, weeks and even months later can be for you.