Brochures??

[khixxx]

Does anyone use a 3 or 4 section folding brochure? If so did you make it or have a company put one together?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Does anyone use a 3 or 4 section folding brochure? If so did you make it or have a company put one together?

I don't use them but I have made them for my wife at her job. I believed, at the time, I used Microsoft publisher. There are templates for them in the program.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

If you have Microsoft on the computer, you may have Publisher. Depending on the quality you are striving for, you may be able to design a good brochure and a flyer to go along with it.
What paper types you print it on can make a dramatic difference in the percepted quality as well.

Or you can go to a professional and have them help you.

Again, it depends on how much you want to spend, both financially and time wise.

 

[480sparky]

You can use about any program to produce one. I did a brochue with Microwoft Word, and saved it as a .pdf. Emailed it to a printer, and picked them up the next day.

 

[khixxx]

Thanks guys. However I was meaning more for the marketing point. I should had put that in.

What features should I put into it. what should I avoid. Would this be something like a legal question were I would want to see a professional?

 

[480sparky]

Thanks guys. However I was meaning more for the marketing point. I should had put that in.

What features should I put into it. what should I avoid. Would this be something like a legal question were I would want to see a professional?

It's like any other form of advertising. Put your best foot forward.

 

[ceb58]

what should I avoid.

1 I might show up when I said or not
2 When or if I show up I might or might not be sober
3 I will do my best to provide the worst for the most money
4 I use only scrap material to save you money
5 Don't say "while you are here" it pisses me off
6 You have new white carpet, we don't care
7 The oil stain on your drive way is just a reminder
8 If you needs us we will call you
9 If you think our price is too high you should.... not want it done
and last but not least
10 Our prices are the lowest, we do this by no license, no insurance, no training , no idea
:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[Dennis Alwon]

1 I might show up when I said or not
2 When or if I show up I might or might not be sober
3 I will do my best to provide the worst for the most money
4 I use only scrap material to save you money
5 Don't say "while you are here" it pisses me off
6 You have new white carpet, we don't care
7 The oil stain on your drive way is just a reminder
8 If you needs us we will call you
9 If you think our price is too high you should.... not want it done
and last but not least
10 Our prices are the lowest, we do this by no license, no insurance, no training , no idea
:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

He doesn't want your brochure but one that will fit his companies philosophy. :grin:

 

[khixxx]

how about "Just tell me what the other guy said"

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Here is a site that has some ideas as to what you can do to spice it up. I did a quick search and found it-- it may be helpful. Click Here

 

[cadpoint]

...
What features should I put into it. what should I avoid. Would this be something like a legal question were I would want to see a professional?

If your buying a mailing list, confirm all individual's to all the address's and not address it to "Chief Facilities Manager", spend the time to call into all the firms that you want to send your flier to.
Call, and check: exact title, spelling if odd, ask if there registered.
Smuzz the secretary if you get a chance, the defination I recall from lone ago, their the secret keeper.
Your mail with have two seconds in front of the secretary of the manager, before the circular file if you don't have
the exact title.

You might do several layout's and even come up with two different layout styles for two different types of clients, manufactures verses GC's. Your pitching them with what looks like a cross between a boostful resume and I do this, this, and this. Its always tough. You might even consider a larger than average post card, I guess it all just depends.

 

[ceb58]

He doesn't want your brochure but one that will fit his companies philosophy. :grin:

Refer to #8, Dennis

 

[mdshunk]

I used Footbridge Media to develop my direct mail campaign. They make the brochures and the whole nine. Matter of fact, they had a few of my items on their site as samples of what they have done for electricians. They're more for resi, but a neat site to poke around in for ideas.

 

[rlane00]

I don't really have a brochure for direct marketing (since that is not a focus of my business), but instead have a 1-page company summary that I send to potential customers. I've found that the questions they are most interested in answering about a potential contractor are:
a. Have we done similar work to what they do?
b. How long have they been in business?
c. How big is the company?
d. Can they handle the scope of my project?
e. Are they reliable?
f. Do they do a quality job?
g. Is their pricing fair?

So my 1-pager attempts to address each of these items by summarizing the type of work we do, describing the size of the company, listing some customers who have agreed to provide references (probably the most important thing!), and of course listing all of our licensing, insurance and bonding information.

Again, this is more focused as a follow-up to a GC introduction as opposed to a mass market brochure, but it works for me.

 

[mdshunk]

I don't really have a brochure for direct marketing (since that is not a focus of my business), but instead have a 1-page company summary that I send to potential customers.

Some people call that a "statement of corporate competencies". More or less a resume for your business.

 

[DanZ]

If you're doing residential work, you may want to think about including a "What to look for in an EC" area. Something like:
-Licensed
-Bonded
-Insured
-Code Compliant
-Permit
-Etc.