First Impressions Can Make or Break Your Business
Many subtle things can contribute to, or diminish how confident a prospect feels about what you have to offer; and usually that first impression is a lasting one. For example, if your marketing materials (or lack of them) look like you're just starting out on a shoestring budget, that can have a very diminishing effect on a potential client's feeling of confidence in your business. Every once in a while it's important to take a long, hard, objective look at how others first see your business. Do the outer things people see instill a first impression of confidence? Are you creating a perception of competence, value and success? Is your position in the marketplace clear? Is your marketing message unique and memorable?
Positioning Determines Your Marketing Message
Before a word of sales or marketing copy is ever written, a positioning strategy must be carefully developed. Your positioning should convey a unique and strong selling proposition that sets you apart from your competitors. Some questions to ask yourself before committing to a market position are:
- Who is my target market and what do they really want from me?
- What requests do my prospects have?
- What is my business promising to fulfill?
- What are our strengths and weaknesses?
- Who are our perceived competitors and what are their strengths and weaknesses?
- How are we unique?
- What are the personal values that drive our business?
- What are the trends and gaps in the current market-place and how can we capitalize on them?
Writing Your Mission Statement
If you're on a tight budget and can't afford to get professional help at the moment, you can still create a highly effective marketing leave-behind piece on your own. A well-articulated positioning statement can serve double duty as your corporate mission statement and be sent ahead on your letterhead (with your photo and signature) as an ice-breaker and rapport builder even before the first sales call is ever made.
An effective positioning statement should be the focal point of all of your marketing materials, and will accomplish the following:
- Connect your business with your target market both emotionally and logically.
- Build trust, confidence and personal rapport (even before the first sales call!)
- Position you as an expert.
- Convey uniqueness and personality with passion and believability.
- Promise tangible results and value.
- Communicate the personal values that guide and excite you and effect your ability to serve your clients in an exceptional way.
- Motivate the reader to request more information, call for an appointment or place an order.
I recommend that your statement be 150 words or less, 3-4 short paragraphs, written in first person, friendly, conversational English (as if you were speaking in person to the reader) and be equally emotional (communicating feeling and enthusiasm) and logical (promising measurable results and tangible benefits).
An Effective Brochure Communicates Value
In a successful marketing piece, everything must work together to support the marketing position and message. Although the copywriting should be persuasive and the design compelling, an effective brochure needs to exude confidence and convey a sense of quality, honesty and knowledge to your prospects. It needs to be written in your prospect's language (generic language is not very effective in the relational marketplace). Throw out the general words that mean all things to all people and substitute sensory-based data that relates to your prospect's personal experience.
Endorsements and Testimonials
It has been estimated that 95% of all people are followers and tend to do what their peers do. Because of this fact, I suggest that one panel of your brochure be devoted to testimonials from satisfied clients. Be sure that they point to specific benefits and results and that they are not just generic fluff! If you can get a testimonial from a well-respected expert in your field, I suggest highlighting it in a shaded box, so that it really stands out and gets the notice it deserves.
The Nitty Gritty Information
One panel of your brochure should be devoted to the services you provide and give your prospects some basic information about what you do, how you do it and who can benefit from what you're offering. It works best to bullet point as much of this information as possible, so the reader can scan for what interests him, instead of having to read every word. Be sure to also include a list of several tangible benefits your clients will receive; because the most important information in a brochure answers the question, "what's in it for the client". You may also want to come up with 3-4 qualifying questions that the reader can ask him/herself; it's like a self-test to determine whether they are a prospect for whatever it is you're offering.
The Front Cover
Keep the front cover attractive, but simple. It's purpose is to motivate the reader to pick up your brochure and open it. I recommend consulting with a professional designer or marketing consultant for creative ideas. Include your corporate logo and company name and a brief tag line or slogan.
The Back Cover
I recommend that the back cover of your brochure include a 3-4 paragraph corporate biography that instills confidence in your prospects that you possess the abilities and expertise to perform as promised; in other words, the biography positions you and your company as experts in your field. In the first paragraph tell readers what motivated you to start your business, and why you are the ideal person to be doing this. The second paragraph can highlight the education, credentials and accomplishments of the principals, along with a success story that illustrates the results and benefits you have achieved for other clients. The last paragraph could list professional affiliations, human interest items about the company or its principals and any other pertinent information you may want to add. Don't forget to include all contact info, phone, address, fax, e-mail, etc.
The Miscellaneous Panel
This panel can be for any info. that didn't fit elsewhere. For consultants, it can be very advantageous to list the kinds of projects you've handled in the past, or examples of typical client requests, or a client list, an action photo (you doing what you do), or any other pertinent info. that will give a prospect more of an incentive to do business with you.
Discover and Communicate Your Uniqueness and Value
There's lots more to share if you really want to do a total and professional design and print package... But for now, you can put some of the aforementioned basics to work for you without spending any money. Your business, if it's like most, probably has a lot more going for it than your prospects (or even you) are aware of--so start discovering and communicating your uniqueness and value NOW!
Ellen Looyen, whose work is endorsed by best selling "Guerrilla Marketing" author, Jay Levinson, has designed a multitude of brochures for all kinds of businesses. Help your business grow by calling Ellen for a complimentary marketing consultation at 925.944.1403, or via e-mail to ellen@ellen4marketing.com or visit the web site!