Brochures that Generate Sales Leads (and How to Write Them)

One rule in direct mail is that your letter sells your offer and your brochure sells what you're selling. For example, let's say you mail a classic direct mail package to generate sales leads for your enterprise software product. Your classic package will consist of a #10 mailing envelope, a sales letter, a brochure (perhaps an 8 1/2×11 sheet folded twice), a reply device and a #9 return envelope.

In this package, your letter sells your offer (which might be anything from a white paper to a complimentary audit to a discount) and your brochure sells your product (describing in detail the tech features that are too cumbersome to include in a letter). Here's how to organize and write that brochure.

1. Create a compelling and memorable theme
Don't just name your product on the front cover, or simply feature a photo of your manufacturing plant taken from the air. Instead, craft a theme that captures your prospects attention and stimulates interest. Turn this theme into a headline for your front cover. Include a customer benefit, clearly stated or implied, whenever possible. Here are some examples:

(a) Committed to Memory (manufacturer of computer RAM)
(b) Now you're Talking (Voice Over IP service)
(c) We go the Distance (distance learning software)
(d) Get Online Without a Line (wireless email service)

2. Carry your cover theme throughout the brochure
Use images, subheads, captions and body copy that continue your front cover theme throughout the brochure. If your cover theme is "Now you're Talking," for example, a subhead inside the brochure might be, "Talk about a great deal." Your call to action might be, "We need to talk."

3. Start your selling message with your prospect
Inside the brochure, the first image and headline that your prospects see should speak directly to them and the problem they face. Don't start with you or your product. Start with the prospect.

4. Grab attention immediately
Arrest your prospect's attention and show that you understand their problem (the one that your product or service solves). For example, a software vendor sells an application that manages enterprise storage from a single management console. Here is how they grab their prospect's attention:

[Cover theme]
Get more storage without buying more storage.

[Inside headline]
Adding storage solves your storage problems. True or false?

[First line of copy]
Is your distributed storage ballooning by 75% a year? If all you do is add more storage, all you do is compound your problems.

5. Describe your top benefits first
List the top five features of your product or service, and the benefits that customers get from these features. Remember that a feature is something that your product does, while a benefit is what that feature does for your prospect.

Now rank these top five features and benefits in order of their importance to your prospect. Then write your copy so that you mention the top benefit first, the second-most-important benefit second, and so on.

In the above example, for instance (point 4), you would list the following benefits, in this order, and flesh out each one with persuasive copy:

(a) reclaim up to 30% of your storage space enterprise-wide
(b) prevent premature and costly storage purchases by predicting when your servers will run out of space
(c) reduce data access problems and storage-related failures before they threaten your mission-critical data

6. Present proof
Back every claim you make with the kind of proof that resonates with your prospective buyer. In business-to-business mailings, some of the most compelling proofs are testimonials, comparisons with competing products, test results, case histories, industry awards, and names of well-known companies who are your clients.

7. Ask for the order
Treat your brochure as a salesperson who has to give your entire sales pitch. That way, if your brochure gets separated from your sales letter in the prospect's office, the brochure stands alone as a sales tool that can generate a sales enquiry. So ask for the order, usually at the end of the brochure. Tell the prospect exactly what to do take things to the next level (call your 1-800 number, call you, return the reply card, visit your website, download a demo, and so on).

Alan is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant. As President of Sharpe Copy Inc. (http://www.sharpecopy.com), Alan specializes in helping businesses generate leads, close sales and retain customers, using cost-effective, compelling direct mail and email marketing. Alan also uses his direct mail advertising services to help charities raise funds and raise awareness of their causes, using fundraising letters.



The 5 Musts of Marketing

For most of the small business owners I work with,... Read More

Why Doubling Your Fees Can Increase Business: How Pricing Affects Buyers Decision Making Process

Want to know the simple way to get all the... Read More

10 Elements Every Direct Mail Piece Should Have

Don't want your direct mail to end up in the... Read More

Online Mentorship Programs: Cash in on Your Expertise

Whether you're a former retail store owner known for your... Read More

What You Need in Your Marketing Calendar

Marketing calendars are used by many businesses to help keep... Read More

Wise Man Marketing

It's a sunny morning and you're sitting in your office.... Read More

Direct Mail Response Rate Boosters (12 tips and ideas)

1. Mail to a different list Your list is the... Read More

The X Factor

So you've invested more time than you ever believed possible... Read More

Creating a Marketing Plan for Your Website

Have you created a marketing plan for your Website? If... Read More

When You Need More Than Magic To Keep Your Marketing Going

It is easy to focus on what remains outstanding and... Read More

How to Save Thousands on Your Marketing

Marketing can be expensive. It doesn't have to be, but... Read More

10 Proven Ways To Accelerate Your Profits

1. Make copies of your web site in many different... Read More

Listen To What The Marketing Experts Say

But more importantly, watch what they do. If you do... Read More

Survival Strategies

1. Do the moneymaking things first.For an entrepreneur, generating income... Read More

Small Business Marketing Tip ? Putting the Customer First.

I am a great believer in the keeping to the... Read More

Direct Marketing ? Brand Identity Guru Tips

If your company doesn't have a direct marketing program in... Read More

5 Steps To Help Fail-Proof Your Growing Service Business

Business startup and failure rates are scary...In The USA...- Every... Read More

The 10 Cornerstone Principles of Marketing

There are four parts to a marketing system and they... Read More

Marketing Strategy - Shift the Focus

Most of the service providers I've worked for or with... Read More

The Marketing Recipe: Money, Marketing and Me ? 3 Keys For Success

You have a great product or service? Now, how should... Read More

The Right Logo

The Logo: a little historyLogotype, commonly know as a logo,... Read More

15-Minute Marketing: Lots of Results in Little Time

Do you think you don't have enough time to market?... Read More

Standing Above The Crowd

In today's highly competitive business environment it is critical to... Read More

Are We There Yet?

Small business marketing is not like taking a family vacation.Did... Read More

Network Your Way to Success- 12 Tips to Jumpstart Your Business

Lots of people network but few reap the rewards of... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: