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Mass Communications 307
Public Relations Processes
Brochure Planning and Design
 | Booklet – saddle-stitching |
| Leaflet – one sheet, 3 panels |
| Flyer – printed on one side |
Brochure: one-time publication with a specific purpose and specific audience
| Brief, service-oriented copy |
| Limited space |
| Heavy use of visuals |
Collateral piece – supports a larger effort.
Works best as one element of a coordinated campaign.
| Direct-mail ... brochure supports the letter (more facts & figures, logical, while letter is more emotional) |
| Most DM experts who've tested mailing practices suggest brochures are more effective mailed in an envelope with a letter ... rather than self-mailers. |
Brochures support larger efforts ... RARELY EFFECTIVE by themselves.
Diffusion model
| Media coverage at AWARENESS stage | ||
| Generally at INTEREST stage
|
If brochure's goal is generating AWARENESS ... approach may need to be slightly different
| More eye appeal |
| Higher production values |
Planning a brochure
Question 1: Purpose ... inform or persuade
Persuade ...
| Emotional language |
| Appeal to logic |
| Associate idea with another familiar concept |
| CALL to ACTION |
Inform ...
| May be more straightforward |
| Instructs on some topic of interest |
| May also include a low-key call to action |
Question 2: Audience — age, education, prior knowledge, general (lay public) or specialized (professional or experienced)
Specialized
| Less background info needed |
| Trade terms or specialized wording |
| Diagrams, etc. |
General
| Lay language |
| Perhaps photos rather than diagrams |
Question 3: Use and distribution
Use of brochure ... disposable or to be kept
Disposable
| Lower production values, less expense |
Read and save
| Info must have real value (health info?) |
| Production values encourage saving |
| Look & feel suggest value |
| ** Newspaper vs. National Geographic |
Purpose and Distribution
1. Will it stand alone or be part of package?
If it's part of package (collateral) –
| Can refer to other ready sources; family resemblance |
| Direct mail: Provides objectives facts (letter: emotional) |
| Supplements letter ... fills in facts |
| May be part of sales kit, media kit, direct mail package |
Stand-alone: more complete. How will it be distributed?
A. Literature rack: Front layout, 4/C, photos
| Travel literature example: Must match standard production values to compete with many similar pieces (color photos, happy kids, perhaps discount coupon, etc.) |
| Headline in top third to show in the rack |
B. Trade show: Clear purpose
| Will have support of display and people |
| Must have eye appeal, strong presentations of benefits to your target audience |
C. Direct mail: Must induce readership
| Front panel acts as an ad – same elements as ad |
| More complete arguments, since it stands alone. May need more emotional as well as logical content. |
| Requires mail panel ... occupies 1/6th of display space in standard format, but contributes little to message. |
| Most DM experts say brochures work better in envelopes with letters. |
D. Information (often inserted in package or mailing)
| Needs to inform, not sell |
| Lower production values; more copy & diagrams |
Brochure Format
Presentation style is different from newspapers, magazines, newsletters
| Traditional print approach: Linear presentation Right to left, top to bottom, sequence of pages |
Brochures – closer to nonlinear information habits (Web sites)
| Problem of ordering the panels |
| Very brief chunks of copy (but long enough to present a satisfying amount of information from reader's point of view) |
Elements and appeal similar to an ad, but with more detail & supporting evidence
| Headline, photos/illustration, persuasive copy, signature (logo, info on organization), and essential call to action |
Presentation formats well suited to brochures:
| How-to (first, next, then, finally) |
| Q& A |
| Problem ... solution |
| Narrative (story-telling) |
Writing brochures
1. Write in terms of benefits to the audience.
| Avoid "corporatespeak" voice |
2. Limit your message to 2 or 3 key points.
| Brochures are LOGICAL – back points up with proof. |
3. Tell your story twice – once in text, once in heads & graphics
4. Include SPECIFIC facts and figures to make your case.
5. Use customer or client testimonials.
| High interest from readers |
| Third-party endorsements add credibility |
| Permission needed. |
6. Offer readers a way to obtain more information.
| Refer to Web site ... excellent supplement, can increase shelf-life of brochure because information can be kept up to date |
| Additional stuffers inserted into brochure |
7. Use positive language.
| Positives are remembered longer than negatives. |
8. Guarantee your products or services (in sales materials).
9. Call to action: Tell your reader what to do next.
Organizing content
Front panel:
| Headline | ||
| Make its purpose clear | ||
| Ambiguous – "blind headlines" ("Are you ready for
a change?") generally much less effective than straightforward
information.
|
Consider vertical vs. horizontal layout
| Rack distribution: Show your headline |
| Self-mailer – horizontal layout mirrors mail panel orientation. If you use a horizontal layout, however, carry it out on both sides of the page ... don’t switch to vertical panels inside. |
Panel layouts
Sequence of message
| Foldover panel: a separate case |
| Bridge copy from headline and front cover to main presentation on inside panels. |
| Set off: colored background, photos, graphic treatment |
| Needs separate content – doesn’t fit within reading sequence |
| High prominence and visibility |
| Don’t waste it on a tear-off, mail-back panel. |
Chunk the copy – 100-word sections (same as Web page)
| Don’t break copy over the fold into another panel — (paragraphs, sentences or words). Reads best when each panel is self-contained with its own headlines and subheads. |
Graphic devices (layer cake)
Subheads – define sections, direct the reader’s flow
| Improve readability |
| Good for scanners – indicates content |
Photographs
1. Much more effective than illustrations (50% greater retention, understanding, believability)
2. Color increases attention ... but may be poor buy for many purposes. Save it for situations where it counts.
3. Use photo captions (cutlines) to stress major points.
Tint blocks, frames
| Use to set off sections and topics |
Registration blanks
Don’t waste best display spots on them.
| If you must use one, the content side (fill-in blanks) should face out. |
Alternatives:
1. Longer (4-panel) sheet; tuck return panel inside a rolling fold.
2. Insert a registration card printed on light card stock (heavy enough to mail). Can be inserted mechanically by the printer.
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