How useful are brochures
The rise of digital marketing means that traditional media can often be overlooked. When you can target audiences with online advertising, SEO and emails, why go to the effort and expense of creating a brochure?
The truth is there are actually several benefits to having a brochure as part of your marketing arsenal. Whether you’re taking them along to an event or conference, or putting them in the post to prospective clients, having a brochure can help your business to stand out above the competition, and keep you front-of-mind when the time comes for potential customers to look for accounting services.
Here, we take a look at some of the key reasons why you might want to invest in an accounting brochure to support your marketing activity.
They are highly targeted
Business to business brochures are typically created to be handed out at events, conferences and meetings. That means they’re often going to people who you’ve already engaged with, making them a highly personalised and targeted form of marketing. Following the in-person interaction, they serve as a reminder of who you are and what your organisation offers, and can be kept to hand on a desk or in a drawer for reference when necessary.
Handy hint: When creating your brochure, think about including useful information that benefits the customer. You can include key tax dates, for example, or a checklist that outlines the steps required to get probate. The customer can then refer to this, and when it comes to needing a particular service, they’re more likely to think of you because you’ve provided valuable content for free.
They’ll support brand promotion
A brochure is a way of promoting your brand offline, and its style and substance says a lot about the kind of business you are. A slick, professionally designed and produced brochure will ensure clients associate your business with quality, showing that you’re prepared to invest in securing their business. Meanwhile, well-written, relevant and valuable copy shows you pay attention to detail and care about your clients’ needs. This serves to build trust in your brand, portraying you as a company that is serious about helping your customers achieve their goals.
Where imagery is concerned, don’t rely too heavily on stock photos, as they can give the impression of a faceless corporation, or suggest that your firm lacks personality. Including high-quality images of your offices or staff gives the brochure a personal feel, creating a sense of approachability. This is especially important to accountancy firms, as accounting itself is so complex and often confusing.
Handy hint: In addition to choosing high quality images and ensuring the design is slick, be sure to print on high quality paper, using the best printing technique for the job and for the volume of brochures you’re producing.
They’re cost effective
The initial design costs of a brochure might seem pricey upfront, but once the design and copy are in place, printing and distribution needn’t cost the earth. As we’ve already discussed, distribution can be done by hand, while printing with a reputable firm is typically cheaper in bulk. Even if you’re planning to mail them out to businesses, this can be done with a specialist company that provides a favourable rate.
By including contact details and testimonials in your brochure, you’re also reducing the need for clients to search for reviews or additional information online. This can save you money on PPC ads, for example, where a client only clicks on the ad to get to the site and find a phone number.
Accounting firm brochures are designed to be referred to again and again, which is why their cost over the course of a year or two is actually quite low. Compare that to PPC spend, where you might be looking at £1-2 per click, and the difference is clear over a longer period.
Handy hint: Make sure you get quotes from several designers, printers and distributors before committing to a provider. While it’s worth paying for quality, it isn’t worth paying over the odds just because you’ve used a particular company in the past, or because the MD is friends with the owner.
Customers take time over them
In the online world, everything is fraught and noisy. Clients are bombarded with emails and adverts all day, which makes getting your brand noticed somewhat tricky. A brochure, meanwhile, invites customers to take time out to look through. They can take five minutes, grab a coffee, and completely focus on your brand and how you can help them. You also have the space and opportunity to go into more detail about your business, its ethos and its key services, as there are several pages to fill.
Handy hint: Although you have the opportunity to talk in depth about your accountancy firm, ensure the copy is always focused on how your services benefit the client. It can be easy to get carried away with explaining the history of your company and what your values are, but all the client is interested in is how engaging your services will help them.
If you’re looking to produce and distribute a brochure as part of your overall marketing strategy, chat to the team at Whitefish Marketing today. As a specialist marketing agency for accountants, we have designed a number of brochures and flyers for clients, enabling them to reach potential customers in innovative and cost effective ways.
