Writing brochures

1. Writing Brochures

2. Why write a brochure Create awareness of a company, product, service or opportunity Increase understanding of a product, service, or company mission Advertise new aspects about your organization, product, or service Change negative attitudes Show ways in which a company, product, or service surpasses the competition Increase frequency of use, visit, or purchase Raise or increase interest

3. Qualities of Brochures More detailed than a flier Less developed than a newsletter Topic and amount of information will determine the size Can be easy to update or modify Printing costs vary widely

4. Criteria for Writing Brochures Title Page (Front Panel) Topic (product name, service, location, subject) Graphic (visual representation) Headline with implied action

5. Audience Recognition and Involvement Define any terminology, abbreviations, or acronyms that cause confusion Personalize through pronoun usage and contractions Check for accuracy Proofread

6. Criteria for Writing Brochures Back Panel (may accomplish any of the following goals) Conclusion (restate the highlights or suggest a next step) Mailing (address, stamp/paid postage, reader’s address) Coupons (incentive to visit; discounts/complimentary tickets) Location (address, hours of operation, phone numbers, e- mail, map )

7. Criteria for Writing Brochures Body Panels (Fold-in and Inside) Provide headings and subheadings Navigational tools Consistent font type and size First level headings should be larger and more emphatic than second level headings) Parallel to each other grammatically Use graphics Vary page layout, add visual appeal, enhance text Answer key questions Remember the needs of your readers

8. brochure Design Use three or so different highlight techniques Limit sentence length to 10-12 words Limit paragraph length to 4-6 lines Use white space • Indent and itemize information Use color for interest, variety, and emphasis Bullet key points Boldface or underline key ideas

9. Brochure design For variety and visual appeal, let text and graphics overlap two or more of the panels. Place graphics at angles occasionally) or alternate their placement at either the center, right, or left margin of the panel. Don’t overdesign!